smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1194
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| 01/28/2013 10:00 PM |
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Posting via phone so I apologize in advance for errors. We arrived in AR today after two days or driving. Bella has been a trooper as always, but yesterday I noticed her eye gunks (eye boogies not uncommon on a day to day basis) to be yellowish green. I know with anything this tends to mean an evil culprit is at hand. Did some looking and came up with cdoggie pink eye. Upon inspection her right eye coating is red. However, she isn't pawing at it, draining excessively, or squinting. The discharge has been a little less colored today. I'm torn at cause as a few days ago a couple of allergy bumps popped up randomly (weird for winter months) and the tear duct of the other eye was slightly swollen for a day. However I read that the viral infection cause is most potent in the winter months.
Since I'm not at home I am leery of going to a vet I don't know and in wondering if I should monitor it for a couple of days and wait it out, or take her in. I read about some over the. Punter antihestimine ointments and saline flushes. Can anyone attest to those options? |
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smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1194
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| 01/28/2013 10:04 PM |
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*on my phone I can't see what I am typing past a certain point and I can't edit errors for the same reason now that I can read it lol.
I read about some *over the counter antihestimine ointments or doing a saline flush. Silly question but one site said contact saline would be fine to use and with many different types I was hesitant to take that at fact. If I can avoid going to a vet I don't know I'd like to, but I also don't want to play with fire when it comes to her eyes |
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everbell
Kanata, ON
MH
Posts:3166
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| 01/29/2013 3:49 AM |
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| It could just be allergies ... you are going from a cold climate to a warmer one (I'm assuming Arkansas?). I find Bo in particular gets a lot of gunk in his eyes when we shift from winter to spring. |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 01/29/2013 5:23 AM |
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| I would think contact saline is a fine rinse to use... I think u could monitor it before running to a strange vet, but if it gets worst I wouldn't mess around with the eyes... |
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kpwlee
Raleigh, NC
MH
Posts:997
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| 01/29/2013 5:57 AM |
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Bugsy had this happen - it wasn't conjunctivitis but the eye was irritated. The vet gave us some drops that helped immediately. I did try saline rinse - making sure that's all it was as some eye rinses have other stuff in them - which clearly made it feel a bit better but we didn't clear the green gunk.
I am off to go see if I can recall what the drops were - they are the same for humans |
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It's Bugsy's world...
http://dailyzoomie.blogspot.com/ |
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kpwlee
Raleigh, NC
MH
Posts:997
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| 01/29/2013 6:03 AM |
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I think it was neo-poly-dex but I am not sure - prescription only
BTW they did a quick inexpensive check to make sure he hadn't gotten a scratch in his eye because that irritation will cause the same green gunk
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It's Bugsy's world...
http://dailyzoomie.blogspot.com/ |
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JoeyBean
Albany, NY
MH
Posts:315
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| 01/29/2013 6:32 AM |
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| This happened to Joey a couple of times when she was younger. We tried some over the counter natural pink-eye drops that didn't do anything. Finally just went to the vet and got some antibiotics drops. Cleared up in less than a day. I would just do it if you are concerned, any vet should be fine and they don't cost much. Its good to have the bottle around too. ps. they are the same as human pink eye drops. |
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KRcanuck
Posts:17
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| 01/29/2013 7:08 AM |
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| I am an optician, so I know a thing or 2 about drops- at least for humans. I would suggest that if you are going to try a human saline drop that you go for one that is ONLY saline- not a contact lens cleaner, etc. Some of them have antibiotics and other chemicals in them that I would be nervous about putting in my dog's eyes. And NEVER, even for a human, use visine brand. Their whole schtick is that they get the red out- do you know how they do that? They have a chemical in the drops that constricts the blood vessels in your eye!! NOT healthy, especially when there are parts of your eye where the blood flow is already limited. (My 2 cents) |
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KRcanuck
Posts:17
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| 01/29/2013 7:08 AM |
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| I am an optician, so I know a thing or 2 about drops- at least for humans. I would suggest that if you are going to try a human saline drop that you go for one that is ONLY saline- not a contact lens cleaner, etc. Some of them have antibiotics and other chemicals in them that I would be nervous about putting in my dog's eyes. And NEVER, even for a human, use visine brand. Their whole schtick is that they get the red out- do you know how they do that? They have a chemical in the drops that constricts the blood vessels in your eye!! NOT healthy, especially when there are parts of your eye where the blood flow is already limited. (My 2 cents) |
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smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1194
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| 01/29/2013 7:15 AM |
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| That's what my thought on the contact saline was. Ultimately I'm too much of a worry wart and I'm taking her in to someone. No reason not to nip it ASAP. Now I just get to hear from my grandmother how my dog is high maintenance since she's off to the vet after day one lol. Thanks for the feedback everyone! Makes me feel better about taking her in, I'm quick to do so, hubbs is the one that keeps me grounded and says to monitor and wait. But he's not here this trip and eyes are precious! I forgot my had a vet here she liked so that makes it better too (i have mentioned before my tendency to distrust many vets) |
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mckee.lucie
Seattle, WA
MH
Posts:202
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| 01/29/2013 8:00 AM |
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| Luna's had this before too several times actually and we bought straight saline eye drops that we use for her only when it starts to get some more eye buggers likely related to an allergen. Since there are other things that could be going on though, could you possibly call your vet back home and ask if they have any other recommendations? He/she may be OK with calling in a script until you get back to a local pharmacy where you're at if needed too. |
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smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1194
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| 01/29/2013 9:10 AM |
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| I did try and connect with my vet first, but the tech that answered stonewalled me a bit and basically said with it being the eyes I should take her in somewhere. So I did. Of course the first thing she did was flush with a straight saline solution (equate brand I could have picked up at Walmart so that gave me a good internal chuckle). But, she said it did seem to be a bit of allergy related conjunctivitis so we got an ointment to use twice a day and she told me to get adult Benadryl. |
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kpwlee
Raleigh, NC
MH
Posts:997
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| 01/29/2013 9:25 AM |
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| Honestly I am not one to run to the vet but for eyes? I am heading in. Glad you did and she's fine |
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It's Bugsy's world...
http://dailyzoomie.blogspot.com/ |
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RyanGSP
MH
Posts:430
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| 01/29/2013 1:19 PM |
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If you able to run to a super market or Walmart and pick up some yogurt with pro biotic cultures. I use the activia myself and it will work wonders on the eye goop. Also help with their immune system and coat. Just make sure you use plain or vanilla (I use vanilla) though in a pinch you could use whatever they have.
I use enough to get a good coat on the kibble (2 heaping table spoons). |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
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Posts:7851
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| 01/29/2013 1:28 PM |
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Eyes are tricky and glad you got something to help. Here is my two cents anyway. The two products that I had recommended by doggy eye specialists are:
Gen Teal - It is a lubricant eye gel. This was recommended when Fauna was a baby (3 weeks) and she got a bad eye infection. She was also on two other antibiotic eye drops every hour or two hours depending on the drops. But the eye vet also had be putting the lubricant in both eyes just to keep them moist since she was so little. Fauna was the puppy I ended keeping from this litter.
Naphcon A - I use this one periodically with Belle who sometimes has allergies and gets goop (or what I call eye boogies). I usually pair this with benadryl and it works great.
Additionally the straight eye saline wash is excellent for cleaning or rinsing the eyes if they are irritated because of dust or pollen. I don't get the contact kind, but the plain kind used as just a moisturizer or rinse.
All of these are ok for dogs. However, if the boogies are yellowish greenish that means there may be an infection associated so taking the dog to the vet to get an antibiotic is a good step.
As an aside, I keep saline around anyway as it is a good sterile rinse for any other type of GSP scrap or cut or gash. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
   
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1194
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| 01/29/2013 1:29 PM |
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| Thanks Ryan. I had intended to possibly switch her olive oil dose at dinner with yogurt as I heard it helps neutralize the urine so it doesn't do quite as much havoc on the yard, and figured it would be a fair trade since we do the olive oil for skin and coat since she dries out a bit in our winters. Do you do it at both meals or just one? |
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smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1194
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| 01/29/2013 1:35 PM |
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| Thanks for the info, all good FYIs to keep in mind for the future. Of course we have straight saline at home, but Murphy's Law dictates things to happen when I'm traveling. I will now keep one in her "doggie bag" that goes everywhere with us. It's maybe the one thing that isn't in there lol. Will keep those drops in mind too. I had asked a vet when she was younger about her eye boogies (what we call them too but I thought gunk might be more universal than boogies lol), and was told its not uncommon for hound and hunting breeds, same answer for the redness she gets when tired or overstimulated. Now I will just have to keep an eye on her to make sure redness might be the allergies and provide a Benadryl |
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RyanGSP
MH
Posts:430
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| 01/29/2013 8:09 PM |
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Posted By smatulewicz on 01/29/2013 1:29 PM
Thanks Ryan. I had intended to possibly switch her olive oil dose at dinner with yogurt as I heard it helps neutralize the urine so it doesn't do quite as much havoc on the yard, and figured it would be a fair trade since we do the olive oil for skin and coat since she dries out a bit in our winters. Do you do it at both meals or just one?
My GSP gets fed once a day so he gets it whenever he eats. If you feed more I would do it each time you offer food. If you want to only do it once a day you can also fill a kong with yogurt and stick it in the freezer. It makes for a great treat if its warm enough outside for him to chew it. Dont do this inside as it makes for one heck of a mess..... trust me.
The yogurt will also help with the coat, especially the dandruff. Another thing I have noticed is his coat is getting much softer.
If your looking for something to neutralize urine try Garlic pills from any pharmacy. I picked up 100 from walmart for about $8CAD and noticed a difference in about a week. One pill given daily and he no longer burned the lawn. |
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