How to Give Your Dog Eye Drops and Eye Ointment Without a Struggle

By Dial A Vet Veterinary Team

Eye medication only works if it actually lands in the eye, often several times a day, and sometimes for weeks. Many owners find the first few attempts stressful: the dog backs away, the drop lands on the fur, and everyone ends up frustrated. With a calm setup and a reliable technique, most dogs learn to accept drops within a few days. This guide covers how to give drops and ointment safely. It does not replace your vet's instructions about which product to use, how often, or for how long.

Key takeaways

• Always follow the label and your vet's instructions for frequency and duration. Do not change the schedule without checking.
• Approach from behind and above, so the bottle stays out of your dog's line of sight.
• Never let the bottle or tube tip touch the eye, fur or your fingers.
• If using more than one product, wait about five minutes between them, and apply drops before ointment, unless your vet advises otherwise.
• Never use leftover, expired or human eye medication without asking a vet first.

Before you start

• Read the label: check it is the right product, the right eye and not expired. Some drops need refrigerating or shaking.
• Wash and dry your hands.
• Gently clean away any discharge first with a soft cloth or cotton pad moistened with sterile saline or cooled boiled water, wiping from the inner corner outwards. Use a fresh pad for each eye.
• Choose a quiet spot with good light. Small dogs can sit on a non-slip mat on a bench or your lap. For large dogs, kneel behind them while they sit with their back against a wall or your legs.
• Have treats ready, and a helper if your dog is fidgety.

Giving eye drops, step by step

1. Stand or kneel behind your dog so they cannot back away.
2. Cup their chin in one hand and tilt the head gently upwards, nose towards the ceiling.
3. With the same hand or a thumb, gently draw the lower eyelid down to create a small pouch.
4. Hold the bottle in your other hand, resting the side of that hand on top of your dog's head. This keeps the bottle steady and moves with your dog if they shift.
5. Bring the bottle in from above and behind, about one to two centimetres above the eye, and squeeze out the number of drops your vet prescribed.
6. Release the head and let your dog blink, which spreads the medicine.
7. Praise and give a treat straight away.

Applying eye ointment

1. Position your dog the same way.
2. Pull the lower lid down gently.
3. Squeeze a thin ribbon of ointment, of the length your vet showed you, along the inside of the lower lid, working from the inner corner outwards. Keep the tube tip parallel to the eye, not pointing at it.
4. Release the lid and gently close the eyelids for a second or two to spread it.
5. Ointment blurs vision briefly, so keep your dog calm for a few minutes.

Using more than one product

• Leave about five minutes between different drops so the second does not wash out the first.
• Use watery drops before thicker gels or ointments.
• Keep a written chart on the fridge and tick off each dose time to avoid missing or doubling up.

Making it easier for nervous dogs

• Practise the hold without medicine a few times a day, followed by a treat.
• Keep sessions short and calm. Avoid chasing your dog around the house.
• Use a lick mat smeared with a little dog-safe spread as a distraction. Check that any spread is free of xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. See our page on xylitol poisoning in dogs.
• Wrap small dogs gently in a towel.
• If your dog is very hard to medicate, ask your vet. There may be a different product or schedule.

Mistakes to avoid

• Touching the tip to the eye, which can scratch it and contaminate the bottle
• Pointing the tip straight at the eye from the front, which can startle your dog
• Stopping early because the eye looks better. Some problems, such as ulcers or dry eye, need the full course or lifelong treatment.
• Using old drops from a previous problem. Drops containing steroids can make a corneal ulcer much worse.
• Sharing drops between pets

When to call your vet

Contact your clinic the same day if, after starting drops:

• Your dog squints more, the eye looks redder or more cloudy, or discharge increases
• The eye or eyelids swell
• Your dog seems in more pain or rubs the eye constantly
• You cannot get drops into the eye at all
• You notice a new problem in the other eye

If your dog is rubbing the eye, a soft cone can protect it until you speak to a vet.

FAQ

What if I miss a dose?
Give it when you remember unless the next one is almost due. Do not double up. Ask your vet if you have missed several.

My dog blinks the drop out. Does it still work?
The eye holds only a small amount. If most of the drop landed in the eye, it counts. If it missed completely, try once more.

Do eye drops sting?
Some do briefly. A treat afterwards helps. If your dog seems in significant pain, call your vet.

How long do I keep using drops after opening?
Many eye drops should be discarded about four weeks after opening. Check the label or ask your vet.

Talk with a vet

If you are having trouble giving eye medication or are unsure whether your dog's eye is improving, a Dial A Vet veterinarian can talk you through it and help you plan next steps with your clinic. Chat with Dial A Vet. A painful or worsening eye needs an in-person vet today.

References

• Merck Veterinary Manual. Routes of administration for ocular medications in animals.
• Cornell Feline Health Center. Medication and care.

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.