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My dog's eye is running and glazed. Is it safe to use eye drops?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 11 years and 5 months old | 56 lbs

My 12yo boxer-pitbull mix is having issues with his right eye, it has been running and looks a little glazed. He has been squinting alot. I'm afraid he is uncomfortable. I plan on going to the vet this coming week when I get paid. I'm afraid to put anything on it. I have eye salve neomycin polymyxin but don't want to put anything that could hurt it

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on February 12th, 2018

Poor Blaze! I'm sorry to hear that he's having a problem with is eye. Squinting, excessive draining, and a "glazed" look can be caused by an eye infection, or by an injury to the eye such as a corneal scratch or ulcer. He will need an eye exam by your vet to diagnose the problem, and will probably need prescription meds to treat it effectively - so it's good that you're planning to take him in for a visit when you can.

In the meantime, I would not recommend using any type of ointment or medication in th eye until you can see the vet to find out what's wrong - eyes are delicate, and you can accidentally make the problem worse by treating with something inappropriate.

You can use plain saline eye wash to gently rinse his eye, if he'll let you, and use a warm washcloth or cotton ball to wipe away the discharge if it seems to be bothering him. This will not treat the underlying problem, but may help to make him a bit more comfortable until you are able to see the vet.
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Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 22nd, 2017

    Poor Canelo! He should be rechecked by your vet to determine why the eye drops and cream are not helping. He could have a corneal ulcer/scratch, bacterial/viral infection, dry eye, uveitis, glaucoma, etc. Your vet may need to do some diagnostic testing to help determine the exact cause and then prescribe medications to help. Hope he feels better soon!

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Jenny, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on September 9th, 2017

    IF there is no change in the eye, then he needs to be rechecked to see if there is an ulcer or the infection is spreading and he may need oral antibiotics to help. The best thing to do until then is to continue the medicine to help control it from getting worse and give it a little more time

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Medications
My dog's eye is hazy with discharge. What's wrong and can I use drops?
I would not use those eye drops until you get the eye checked over. It could be that Rosco has some mild uveitis in that eye and needs some different medications. If you google uveitis you will get very worried , please don' t. He might have it as he might not, as you seem keen in taking him to the vets as soon as they are open I am sure he will be fine and the real cause of the blue tinge and ocular discharge will be found out.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
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My dog can't open his eyes. What over-the-counter eye drops help?
No, I would not use this on Snowy, it's not safe. This is for itchy eyes due to allergies, and it could be that he has an eye infection, which makes it a completely inappropriate medication. You should never try to self treat eye problems, as you could accidentally do serious damage to the eye. I would take him into the vet today. The vet can diagnose what is causing his problem with his eyes, and can treat him. It's important to have any eye problem checked out and treated promptly, as leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. Best of luck, I hope this helps.
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My dog's eyes are goopy and hard to open. Can I use human eye wash?
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Is it safe to clean my dog's green eye discharge with salt water?
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My old boxer's eye had discharge, now it's cloudy. Is it serious?
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My dog has a red blister on his eye. What is it and what should I do?
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