Conjunctivitis in Chihuahuas, Treatment And Prevention

If you have a Chihuahua, you already know that they are more likely to get eye problems like conjunctivitis than other dogs. This highly infectious eye disease can make your Chihuahua’s eyes red, itch, and hurt in general.

Read on to find out what causes this annoying problem in Chihuahuas and how to deal with it, including how to spot early signs of the problem, how to stop it from happening in the first place, and how to treat it if prevention doesn’t work.

The Definition Of Conjunctivitis In Chihuahuas

Chihuahua conjunctivitis is a serious ailment that can irritate and bring discomfort to your Chi.

Known by another name, pink eye, this condition arises from inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin layer of tissue that lines the eyelids and covers the ball of the eye.

Types Of Conjunctivitis In Chihuahuas

There are three Types of conjunctivitis that can happen to Chihuahuas.

Allergic Conjunctivitis

Any Chihuahua can get allergic conjunctivitis, but it’s more likely to happen to Chihuahuas who are prone to atopic dermatitis. This problem is most common in young chihuahuas, but it can happen to anyone.

Dust, pollen, mold, and other allergens in the surroundings are common triggers, as are certain proteins in food and genes that make chihuahuas more likely to have allergies.

Bacterial Conjunctivitis

Primary bacterial conjunctivitis is rare in Chihuahuas. It doesn’t seem to depend on age, gender, or breed.

Rather, secondary bacterial infections in the eyes are often caused by underlying health problems like dry eyes that don’t go away, abnormal eyelids, and corneal ulcers.

In these Chihuahuas, the most common cause of bacterial conjunctivitis is both Streptococcus and Staphylococcus, two extremely contagious kinds of bacteria.

Viral Conjunctivitis

Chihuahuas can get viral conjunctivitis if they get infected by viruses that cause inflammation of the eye membrane. These bugs spread quickly and can take a few weeks to get better.

A few viruses that might induce this illness in Chihuahuas are canine herpesvirus and canine distemper virus.

The Causes Of Conjunctivitis In Chihuahuas

It’s important to know that conjunctivitis can be caused by a number of different things. It could be something as easy as an allergy or as serious as a tumor.

No matter what the reason is, the clinical signs often look the same, making it hard to figure out what’s wrong without a proper exam.

That’s why it’s important to talk to your vet and get regular checks to find out what’s causing the inflammation. Conjunctivitis is not something to joke about, and when talking about this possibly dangerous condition, you need to be serious.

The Symptoms Of Conjunctivitis In Chihuahuas

Most of the time, people with conjunctivitis have red or bloodshot eyes. Depending on how bad it is, the other symptoms can change and include:

• Blinking or narrowing eyes more than usual
• There is more eye discharge, which can look clear, white, yellow, or green.
• Eyelid puffiness or swelling
• Eyelids stuck together.
• Too many tears are coming out of the eyes.
• Either with its feet or by rubbing against the floor or furniture, your Chihuahua is rubbing its eyes.

The Diagnosis Of Conjunctivitis In Chihuahuas

To find out if your Chihuahua has conjunctivitis, your vet will do a full physical check, which will include a close look at its eyes. The goal is twofold: to find out what’s causing the problem and to see if it will hurt your Chihuahua’s eyesight.

The eye test includes the following:

• Examine the eye area, which includes the eyelids, the fur around the eyes, the eyelashes, the tear ducts, and the third eyelid.
• Schirmer tear testing is a painless way to measure how many tears a dog makes. This quick and accurate non-invasive test counts the amount of tears in both eyes.
• Fluorescein stain testing, which is also called corneal stain testing, is a simple, painless test that checks how healthy the eye is. Cuts or scrapes on the outer layer of the eye can be easily found in a dark room with the help of a green dye and a special light.
• Testing eye pressure is the best way to find out if both eyes have glaucoma or uveitis.

Veterinarians can use a variety of tests and procedures, such as bacterial culture, allergy testing, virus testing, conjunctival scraping or biopsy, and ultrasound of the eyeball, to figure out what’s wrong. On request, a cleaning of the tear ducts can also be done.

The Treatment Of Conjunctivitis In Chihuahuas

Before treating your Chihuahua for an eye problem you don’t know what it is, you should talk to a vet. Don’t use eye drops or medicines meant for humans because they can make the problem worse or cause permanent damage.

The reason for your Chihuahua’s conjunctivitis will determine how you treat it.

Some common suggestions could be:

Viral Conjunctivitis

• Cold Compresses
• Steroid Eye Drops
• Artificial tears

Allergy Conjunctivitis

• Cold Compresses
• Steroid Eye Drops
• fake tears
• Use antihistamines, either in pill form or as eye drops.
• Taking medicine to reduce swelling.

Bacterial Conjunctivitis

• Applying antibiotic drops or ointment
• Cold Compresses
• Artificial tears
• Steroid Eye Drops Are Used

Injury-Related Conjunctivitis

Medication or surgery

The Prevention Of Conjunctivitis In Chihuahuas

There are some things you can do to keep your Chihuahua from getting conjunctivitis. To decrease allergy-related conjunctivitis, it’s best to avoid airborne irritants like smoke, perfumes, and dust as much as possible.

Keeping an eye on dogs while they play together can also help prevent eye injuries. It’s also important to keep your Chihuahua’s vaccines up to date since diseases like canine distemper can also cause conjunctivitis.

Keep your Chihuahua isolated from other animals until they are cleared to go till you can stop the spread of conjunctivitis.

It’s important to teach your Chihuahua some good habits so that it stays healthy and doesn’t get sick. If your Chihuahua spends a lot of time around other animals, wipe their paws and face down when they get home.

Also, wash your hands after you play with their toys, feed them, or touch their faces. Good cleanliness in general can make all the difference.

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