What causes a dog's eyes to turn red?

A dog's red eyes may be caused by various factors such as eye diseases, foreign objects in the eyes, internal heat, excessive exercise, eyelashes growing inwards, or infection with the canine distemper virus. If the redness of the dog's eyes is mild, it may be due to dust or hair particles getting into the eyes, causing discomfort for the dog, which then scratches its eyes with its paws. In this case, applying antibacterial and anti-inflammatory eye drops can help. However, if the situation is more severe, it may be caused by eye diseases or infection with the canine distemper virus, and the dog should be taken to a pet hospital for treatment as soon as possible.

Eye diseases

When a dog has eye diseases such as conjunctivitis or keratitis, it can lead to red eyes, along with symptoms such as tearfulness and increased eye discharge. If the symptoms are mild, you can first rinse the dog's eyes with saline solution, and then apply eye drops or ointments containing chloramphenicol for inflammation. However, if the symptoms do not improve or are severe, it's time to take the dog to the pet hospital.

Foreign objects in the eyes

If dust, hair, or other foreign objects get into a dog's eyes, or if irritating substances like shampoo enter the eyes, it can stimulate the eyes and cause them to turn red. You can try using pet-specific eye washes or saline solution to rinse the dog's eyes and remove the foreign objects. If necessary, consult a professional pet doctor for timely treatment.

Internal heat

Long-term feeding of high-protein, high-fat foods can cause a dog to become heatstroke, which can lead to red eyes and excessive production of eye secretions. To address this, adjust the diet to be lighter, feed the dog moderately with fruits and vegetables, and encourage it to drink more water. If the dog's heatstroke symptoms do not improve, consider giving it medication to reduce heatstroke to avoid exacerbating the clinical symptoms and causing other health problems.

Excessive exercise

Some dogs may develop red eyes due to facial congestion after intense exercise, but this redness is temporary and will naturally fade away after the dog recovers. Just monitor the dog's exercise routine to prevent excessive exertion.

Trichiasis

If a dog has trichiasis, the growing eyelashes can irritate the eyes and cause redness. Consult a veterinarian about using tweezers to remove the eyelashes or consider surgical treatment.

Canine distemper virus infection

When a dog is infected with the canine distemper virus, large amounts of virus invade the eyes, causing increased eye secretions, conjunctivitis, and keratitis, which lead to red eyes. The dog may also show symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. As distemper is a highly contagious disease with a high mortality rate, immediate veterinary consultation and treatment are necessary when a dog is suspected of having distemper.