Why is my dog rubbing or scratching at his eyes?
If you've noticed your dog pawing, rubbing, or scratching at his eye, or rubbing his face along the floor or furniture, their eyes may be sore, inflamed, or irritated. They may also squint or not want to open the affected eye at all. Several conditions, like allergies or an eye condition or disease, might be triggering your dog's urge to scratch. Some of these are minor, while others are more serious in nature.
No matter the underlying cause, any symptoms of eye irritation require veterinary attention and potentially a referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist. We'll explore these conditions and potential diagnostic and treatment options below.
Conditions or Diseases That Can Cause Your Dog to Rub Their Eyes
Conditions and diseases that can cause your dog to rub or scratch their eyes may originate in the eye or occur due to other processes happening within the body, like allergic reactions. Specifically, these conditions include:
Canine Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis refers to the inflammation of the conjunctiva, the mucous membrane that covers the white part of the eyeball and lines the eyelids. Dogs have a third eyelid (nictitating membrane) in the inner corner of the eye, which is also covered by the conjunctiva. In healthy dogs, the conjunctiva of the eyelids is not readily visible and is pale pink in color.
When conjunctivitis develops, the conjunctival membranes become red and swollen, often due to infection, obstructed tear ducts, eyelid and conjunctival tumors, eyelid abnormalities, or other causes. Signs of conjunctivitis include excessive blinking, squinting, excessive discharge, and redness.
Entropion
A genetic abnormality that causes a dog's eyelids to roll inward, entropion causes the eyelashes and fur to frequently rub against the eye's surface, leading to conjunctivitis, pain, corneal ulcers, perforations, and occasionally the growth of pigment on the cornea that can impair vision.
Entropion is a common problem in several breeds including Toy and Miniature Poodle, Akita, Staffordshire Terrier, Basset Hound, Bloodhound, Bulldog, Dalmatian, Cocker Spaniel, English Springer Spaniel, English Toy Spaniel, Flat-coated Retriever, Golden Retriever, and more. Along with rubbing at the eye, this condition can also cause your dog's eyes to squint and tear excessively. However, some dogs with flat faces may not appear to be in pain.
Eye Inflammation or Blepharitis
Blepharitis (eye inflammation) is a term used to describe a condition that causes the outer skin and middle (muscle, glands, and connective tissue) components of the eyelids to become inflamed. Typically, the eyelid's inner surface (palpebral conjunctiva) will also become inflamed.
Many breeds like pugs, English bulldogs, shih tzus, Pekingese and others have abnormalities in their eyelids, prominent nasal folds, entropion, and trichiasis, which can cause inflammation. Allergic reactions due to insect bites, inhaling a substance, or your dog eating food that irritates their eyes can also be culprits, as can bacterial infections like staphylococcus or streptococcus.
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (KCS or Dry Eye)
Also known as dry eye syndrome, Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (KCS), involves decreased or inadequate tear production. Tears lubricate, comfort, and support the overall health of your dog's eyes. They also contain mucus, antibacterial proteins, and white blood cells that fight infection and other enzymes to help keep the eyes free and clear of debris, infections, and irritations.
Withour enough tears, your dog's eyes can become red, inflamed, irritated, and painful. This can occur due to traumatic injury, neurological problems, medical procedures like local radiation for tumors, infectious diseases, medications, immune system and dysfunction. Genes can also play a role; congenital alacrimia is a genetic form of dry eye syndrome that can occur in some breeds, particularly Yorkshire terriers. The condition typically only affects one eye.
Seasonal Allergies or Other Irritations
If your dog inhales an airborne irritant or comes into contact with a plant like ragwort, their eyes may become itchy, red, watery, and irritated. Pollen can also cause this reaction, as can food allergies. You may also see your dog rub his face on the floor in an effort to relieve itching. Some dogs do this to the point that they lose hair around the eyes and muzzle.
Food allergies differ from food intolerances. With a food allergy, your dog may experience an allergic reaction to an ingredient in their food, which can cause red, itchy eyes as opposed to an upset tummy. Other common allergens for dogs are cigarette smoke, dust mites, mold, and shampoos.
What to Do If Your Dog is Rubbing or Scratching His Eyes
If your dog's eyes are red, watery, itchy or inflamed, the resulting scratching and rubbing can introduce bacteria that may cause an infection or other secondary complications. Health issues and eye conditions can also lead to pain, vision loss, and blindness if left untreated. For these reasons, it's critical to book an appointment with your veterinarian, who can examine your dog, diagnose the issue and provide treatment.
Eye conditions or diseases may also trigger symptoms that will require advanced diagnostics and treatment. In these cases, your vet may refer you to our veterinary eye specialists at Northwest Animal Eye Specialists. We will perform an eye exam, run any necessary diagnostic tests and work closely with your vet to ensure your dog receives the best ophthalmological care.
By detecting and treating these conditions early, we can reduce pain and may be able to preserve your pet's eyesight.
Treatment Options for Eye Conditions & Diseases
The treatment options for your dog's eye condition or disease will depend on its underlying cause. Your veterinarian may recommend any of the following treatment options:
- Antibiotics to treat eye infections
- Medications or painkillers to treat the condition help your dog feel more comfortable
- Eye surgery to repair damage to the eye and protect your dog's eyesight
- Regular eye examinations to monitor long-term symptoms and manage the condition
How to Prevent Your Dog From Rubbing His Eyes
Preventing symptoms of eye conditions or diseases starts with taking action to prevent the conditions themselves, if possible, or having them diagnosed early. Bringing your pup to your primary vet for an annual wellness check is important, as this how many systemic diseases and eye conditions are first detected. Your veterinarian can also perform allergy testing to find out which allergens may be causing your dog's allergic reactions.
If you notice that your dog is continually rubbing at their eyes or that their eyes are red, irritated, or inflamed, contact your veterinarian to schedule an exam. Your vet or veterinary ophthalmologist will be able to examine your pup's eyes, and diagnose and address any congenital issues like entropion.
It's also important to keep your dog's skin and the area around their eyes clean and dry to prevent debris from entering the eye. Trim the fur around their eyes to prevent it from entering the eye and irritating the sensitive parts of the eye. Ensure your dog's living environment is well-ventilated and free of dust, smoke, or cooking fumes.
Note: Northwest Animal Eye Specialists specializes in treating eye conditions and illnesses. The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical or behavioral advice regarding pets. Please make an appointment with your vet for an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition.