How to Safely Clean Your Dog's Eyes

Eye-cleaning should be a part of your dog’s grooming routine. Daily, weekly, or whenever you can, assessing what care your dog’s eyes need is vital. In this article, we will explore the benefits of regular cleaning and effective methods that are safe for dogs. 

Why Regular Eye Cleaning is Important

Dogs' eyes are very sensitive; dust, pollen, hair, or small foreign objects can all cause tearing, increased eye discharge, or slight redness. Like many other grooming routines, it can change depending on the dog’s breed, activities, and lifestyle. 

For instance, a breed with long facial hair, like a Bearded Collie, may require a little extra grooming with their eye care. Any discharge or gunk can dry up and cause crusty strands or clumps of hair if not properly taken care of. As for breeds with more prominent eyes, such as the Boston Terrier, specialized eye care can include lubrication of the eyeball to prevent any dryness or infection. Their shallow eye sockets leave their eyes more exposed, making them more susceptible to constant irritation, injuries, and disease.  

Cleaning Solutions: When and How to Use Them

A warm, damp cloth is the go-to eye cleaner for most dog owners, and for a good reason. It is the most common way to remove any of your dog’s eye gunk and clean up the surrounding areas. This on-hand remedy can be used as a compress to soften any dried excretions or other irritations when held over a dog’s eye for 5-15 minutes. 

Tips for Wiping Your Dog’s Eyes:

• To avoid any instance of cross-contamination, use a fresh cloth for each eye.

• Soften any stubborn dried crusts before wiping them away to maintain the dog’s comfort.

• Always work gently from the inner corner of the eye outward. 

There are many professional dog eye wash solutions on the market. For typical at-home care, consider brands that focus on using gentle, natural formulas suitable for everyday cleansing. Note: Always consider the ingredients of each product, and consult your veterinarian for any specialized care.

If your dog is at risk of bacterial infection around the eyes, using an antimicrobial eye wash can provide better prevention by cleaning, flushing, and treating eye irritations. 

Keeping a bottle of sterile saline solution can handle most sudden foreign object flushing needs. Saline solution eye wash is one of the most common and safe methods for cleaning foreign objects from a dog's eyes and relieving minor irritation.

Tips for Using a Saline Solution: 

• Generally, simple solutions containing only 0.9% saline are safe. 

• Do NOT use medications or contact lens solutions containing anti-redness ingredients, as these contain chemicals that may irritate your dog's eyes.

• When using: Moisten a cotton ball with warm water and gently wipe away any secretions around the eyes. Slowly drip saline solution into the corner of the eye, allowing the liquid to flow over the surface of the eyeball and carry away the foreign object.

• Do not let the tip of the dropper touch the dog's eyeball during rinsing.

You can make your own saline solution at home! Not only can this be used for eye care, but it can also assist in treating small cuts or injuries that don’t require veterinary attention.

When to Visit a Veterinarian

If your dog exhibits any of the following symptoms, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian as soon as possible:

• Yellow or green discharge

• Frequent rubbing of eyes or squinting

• Eyes were noticeably red and swollen

• Continuous tearing

• Persistent infections

In all of the above situations, professional care such as prescribed eye drops or antibiotics is required, rather than saline rinsing and other at-home remedies.

Conclusion

Whether using professional veterinary treatment or simple home care, keeping your dog's eyes clean is an important part of maintaining their health. With proper home care, you can effectively alleviate your dog's discomfort and help their eyes look better.