My dog is suddenly sluggish and has squinty eyes. What's the problem?

Considering only the ocular signs, that is likely to be due to a mild to moderate conjunctivitis, probably secondary to a trauma or infection. A check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Corneal injuries must be ruled out as well. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hi ! I suspect that Cuddles has conjunctivitis. It normally is a bilateral ocular condition (affecting both eyes) and it does cause a lot of discomfort. He might need to have some antibiotics eye drops or other ophthalmic medications and also some pain relief. I would therefore recommend to have him checked over. Hope Cuddles gets better soon !

Hi! Yes, for sure there is something wrong with Lily's eyes. She looks like she is squinting, and the third eyelids are up. Sometimes dogs look like this when they are feeling unwell in general, especially if they have a fever. Or, the eyes could be the main problem. She could have scratched the surface of her eyes (this is called corneal ulcers), or possibly an eye infection. Ideally, she needs to be checked out by her vet. They can examine her, and have a close look at her eyes. There a few tests your vet can run on Lily's eyes, to help sort out what the problem is. I hope she feels better soon!

Hello, The constant closing of the eye is called a "blepharospasm" and is often a pain induced reflex to keep the eye closed. Dogs also often show pain by becoming less active and interested in food. I'm concerned that what is going on with Spike is painful and that is causing his change in behavior. I would recommend taking him into a vet to be seen and find out what exactly is going on with his eye. They will likely recommend a trio of three basic eye tests, which can diagnose most of the eye diseases that affects our pets. The first one is called a fluoroscein stain, which is a dye that can tell us if there is any ulcers (scratches or defects) in the cornea, the outermost layer of the eye.. A tonometry test measures the pressures of the eye globe to rule out a couple of diseases called glaucoma or uveitis. A schirmer tear test can measure the tear production of the eye, as lack of tear production is another common cause of eye disease in dogs. These tests will help your vet come up with the best plan possible to get Spike comfortable again. :) I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello, sorry to hear about Poli. There are several things that could make dogs eyes painful so that they have to squint and tearful. Most commonly, especially if this happened suddenly, a corneal scratch or ulcer could be causing this. Corneal ulcers can take a couple of days to heal but require ointments and sometimes even lenses to protect the cornea thus allowing it to heal. Corneal ulcers can occur due to trauma, a foreign body, an eye infection, or even abnormal eye lashes or hair. Unfortunately these are quite painful and should be evaluated by your veterinarian so that they can give her any medications she may need. Other less common but more aggressive things that can cause her signs include things such as glaucoma, uveitis, and foreign bodies. These can also be ruled out by your veterinarian. Hope this helps and best of luck!!!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Milo. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. Both of his third eyelids appear to be elevated and the squinting can indicate that his eyes are painful. He could have a scratch across the surface of his eye, inflammation within the eye itself or an infection. In other cases the eyes are not making adequate tears making them very dry and painful. Based on his exam findings, eye tests may be necessary to determine the best course of treatment. In the meantime, keep the eyes free of any discharge and do not allow him to paw at them. I hope this information helps!

Sorry to hear that Mavis hasn't been feeling too well. There is no telling whether or not the eye problem is actually related to the other issues you are reporting. Certainly it sounds like the eye is irritated, which can cause enough pain and discomfort to make a dog not want to eat or move around. The vomiting, however, indicates that there is something else happening relating to the GI tract. Even if this were just an eye issue, I would definitely suggest you take Mavis in to the veterinarian to verify there is no corneal ulcer (treatment can not safely be commenced until this has been determined). While there, they will be able to assess Mavis fully for any and all other issues. In the meantime, at home you can check her temperature (99.5-102.5), gum moisture / color, and skin elasticity. Hope this helps.