By Dial A Vet Veterinary Team
A dog with red, itchy eyes will rub its face on the carpet, paw at its eyes and blink hard. Sometimes the cause is mild, like dust after a windy walk or a flare of seasonal allergies. Sometimes the same redness is a corneal ulcer, a grass seed under the eyelid or glaucoma, and home care only delays treatment that saves the eye. The safe approach is to know which few things you can do at home, which popular remedies to skip, and the signs that mean it is time to see a vet.
Key takeaways
- Gently rinsing with sterile saline and stopping your dog from rubbing are the main safe home steps.
- Do not use tea, herbal eyewashes, honey, breast milk, essential oils or human eye drops.
- Never use leftover eye drops. Products with steroids can make an ulcer much worse.
- Squinting, a cloudy eye, a very red eye or an eye held shut needs a vet the same day.
- Mild redness that does not improve within a day or two still deserves a vet check.
Common causes of red, itchy eyes
- Allergies: pollen, grasses, dust mites and mould. Often seasonal, with itchy paws, ears and belly too. See our page on food allergies in dogs for another allergy angle.
- Irritants: smoke, dust, sand, shampoo or chlorinated water.
- Foreign bodies: grass seeds are a common Australian problem in spring and summer and can lodge behind the third eyelid.
- Conjunctivitis: inflammation of the pink tissue around the eye. Read our article on conjunctivitis in dogs.
- Dry eye: too few tears, causing sticky discharge and redness.
- Eyelid problems: inward-rolling lids or abnormal lashes rubbing the eye.
- Corneal ulcers, uveitis and glaucoma: painful conditions that need prompt treatment.
Safe things to do at home
These steps are suitable for mild redness in a dog that is not squinting and has a clear, normal-looking eye.
Gently rinse
Use sterile saline eyewash, sold at pharmacies in single-use vials, or a soft cloth moistened with saline. Tilt your dog's head up slightly and let the saline run across the eye from the inner corner. This flushes out dust and pollen. Do not use tap water directly in the eye, and do not make salt solutions at home, which are easy to get wrong.
Clean away discharge
Wipe crust away from the inner corner outwards with a cotton pad moistened with saline. Use a fresh pad for each eye.
Stop the rubbing
Rubbing can turn an irritated eye into an ulcer. A soft or inflatable cone is very useful while you wait to see a vet.
Reduce exposure
- Keep your dog's head inside the car window.
- Rinse the face after walks in long grass or at the beach.
- Wash bedding regularly in hot water during allergy season.
- Keep your dog away from smoke and aerosol sprays.
A cool compress
A clean cloth soaked in cool water and wrung out, held gently against closed eyelids for a minute or two, may soothe mild puffiness. Stop if your dog resists.
Remedies to avoid
- Chamomile or black tea bags: can leave plant particles in the eye and are not sterile.
- Honey, coconut oil and breast milk: not sterile and can trap bacteria.
- Essential oils, including tea tree oil: irritating and toxic to pets. See why tea tree oil is unsafe for pets.
- Human eye drops: redness-relieving drops for people contain ingredients that are not suitable for dogs.
- Leftover pet eye medicines: the wrong product can turn a minor scratch into a serious ulcer.
- Human antihistamine tablets without vet advice: many contain extra ingredients that can be dangerous for dogs.
When to see a vet
Same day or emergency: squinting or holding the eye shut, a cloudy or blue patch on the eye, an eye that looks larger than the other, sudden vision loss, a visible foreign body, an injury, or severe redness with pain.
Within one to two days: redness that persists after rinsing, yellow or green discharge, swelling of the lids, or one eye affected repeatedly.
Book a routine check: recurring seasonal itchy eyes, which may need a long-term allergy plan.
How vets help
Your vet will examine the eye, look under the eyelids for grass seeds, and usually stain the cornea with fluorescein dye to look for scratches. A tear test and eye pressure check help rule out dry eye and glaucoma. Treatment is matched to the cause. That might mean removing a grass seed, medicated drops, managing allergies, or referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist. If you need help giving drops at home, see our guide to giving your dog eye drops.
FAQ
Can I give my dog allergy medicine for itchy eyes?
Only with vet advice. Some human allergy medicines contain ingredients that are dangerous for dogs, and the cause may not be allergy.
Is saline safe to use every day?
Sterile saline is gentle and can be used for rinsing. If you are rinsing daily for more than a few days, ask a vet about the cause.
Why does only one eye go red?
One-sided redness is more likely to be a foreign body, an ulcer or a localised problem, so it is worth a vet look.
Can redness be contagious to my other dog?
Most canine eye redness is not contagious, but some infections can spread. Keep bedding and cloths separate until your vet advises.
Talk with a vet
If your dog's eyes are red and itchy and you are not sure whether home care is enough, a Dial A Vet veterinarian can help you decide what to do next. Chat with Dial A Vet. A squinting, cloudy or injured eye needs an in-person vet today.
References
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Conjunctivitis and eye disorders in dogs
- American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO): Red eye owner information
- Maggs DJ, Miller PE, Ofri R. Slatter's Fundamentals of Veterinary Ophthalmology, 6th edition
- Animal Poisons Helpline (Australia): Essential oil exposure in pets
Disclaimer: Educational only. This page does not replace an examination or advice from your own veterinarian. If you are worried about your pet right now, contact your local vet or nearest emergency animal hospital.