You might’ve heard that dogs “see” more with their noses than they do with their eyes. Although our pups don’t rely on their vision as heavily as us pet parents do, their vision is still an important component in the combination of senses that they use to make sense of the world around them.
They have an incredible ability to see in low-light conditions, and though their visual acuity is low, their eyes are more tailored to detecting movement even at great distances. These factors played an important role in their evolution as crepuscular animals that hunted at dawn and dusk when they had the advantage.
That’s why, no matter how powerful their sense of smell is, it’s important to give their peepers the proper care they need to stay healthy. While regular vet checkups are always important, there are some natural methods you can use to promote good eye health and prevent some common issues.
Understanding Common Dog Eye Problems
Several issues can affect your dog’s eyes, but some are more frequent than others. Here’s a quick rundown on some common problems as well as some natural solutions you can try at home.
Allergies
Environmental allergens like pollen and dust can trigger itchy, red eyes in dogs.
Regularly cleaning your dog’s eyes with a homemade eye wash with a sterile saline solution can help remove allergens and soothe irritation.
Dry Eye
This occurs when your pup’s tear glands don’t produce enough tears to lubricate the eye. Dry eye can cause irritation, redness, and discomfort.
Pet supplements that are formulated with ingredients like fish oil and flaxseed oil can help keep your dog’s eyes lubricated and healthy. Remember that even when a supplement isn’t explicitly intended for a specific purpose, the inclusion of ingredients that can support their eye health will still provide those benefits to your dog as ingredients rarely have only a single use.
Conjunctivitis
More commonly known as “pink eye”, this is the inflammation of the ocular conjunctiva, the pink tissue that covers the eyeball and lines the inner surface of the eyelids (including the third eyelid dogs have). It secretes the mucus portion of the tear film and is similar to the mucous membrane of the mouth and nose. It has a wide range of possible causes including infections (bacterial, viral or parasitic), allergies, or foreign bodies that act as irritants like dust or wood chips.
Since some cases of conjunctivitis are secondary to other ocular or systemic diseases, it’s recommended to take your dog to a vet when you notice signs like redness in the eyes, squinting, and discharge. However, in the meantime you can try a saline solution or make a diluted honey solution as both have antibacterial properties that could help with the potential source of the condition. Just ensure the diluted honey solution is lukewarm to avoid discomfort when applying it to the eye if you decide go that route.
Lenticular Sclerosis
A condition that develops in the lens of the eye in middle-aged or senior dogs that is often mistaken for cataracts, lenticular sclerosis is a bluish, transparent haze that clouds your dog’s eyes. It’s usually the result of oxidative stress in the body and can diminish vision in low-light environments.
Pet supplements that contain bilberry, a close relative of the blueberry, are packed with anthocyanins. These powerful antioxidants can help improve vision and reduce oxidative stress.
Cataracts
Similar to lenticular sclerosis but much more severe, cataracts are white and opaque and represent a change in the ability of light to penetrate to the retina, resulting in vision loss that can lead to blindness. Cataracts and lenticular sclerosis are two of the most common eye problems seen in dogs over the age of 9, with some estimates showing the prevalence of either one of the two at 50% in dogs of that age up to 100% in dogs over the age of 13.
Scientific evidence points to bilberries helping to prevent cataracts and macular degeneration due to their ability to combat free radicals. While it’s most effective when used preventively, bilberry can help to slow the progression of cataracts as well. I’d like to recommend Arrowleaf Pet Vision Care as bilberry is its sole active ingredient and the alcohol it contains improves solubility to make it more bioavailable than other types of extracts while doubling as a natural preservative.
Preventing Canine Eye Infections
As they say, prevention is the best medicine, so too it is with dogs. These are some things you can do to help keep your pup from developing troubling eye conditions in the first place.
- Keep the area around their eyes clean. Use a cleaning cloth or disposable gauze with warm water. Always start at the center near the nose and clean outwards. Be gentle!
- Trim the area around your dog’s eyes. It will reduce the likelihood of foreign bodies or debris getting stuck in their fur and irritating their eyes.
- A nutrient rich diet. Foods full of omega-3 fatty acids like fish oil and flaxseed oil, carotene like carrots and pumpkins, antioxidants like blueberries and bilberries, and phytonutrients like broccoli and kale are great choices, but since cruciferous greens contain isothiocyanates that can be toxic to dogs in large amounts, you should take care not to make broccoli or kale more than 10 percent of their daily food intake.
- Avoid irritants. Protect your dog from known irritants like smoke, dust, and strong chemicals.
Taking Care of Your Dog. Naturally.
At Nature Pet Store, we understand how important it is to you that the canine members of your families live long, healthy lives. That’s why we offer a wide array of natural care products with your furry friend’s well-being in mind.
Aside from our vision supplements, there’s a natural supplement or pet supply for many of your fur baby’s needs. Knowing exactly what’s going into your precious little furball’s body matters to you, and that’s why natural is best.
