Does Your Shih Tzu Have An Eye Infection? How To Tell and What To Do

This condition usually results from a bacterial infection and can pass from one dog to another.

There is usually some discharge and swelling, and the white of the eye normally turns pink. It is fairly easy to treat with antibiotics.

Did you know that your pup has a third eyelid?  This additional lid includes a gland that produces most of his tears.

When this gland becomes dislodged (usually because the tissue around it weakens) it pops out a bit at the corner of the eye, resembling a small cherry.

Although it doesn’t cause your dog any discomfort, it can reduce tear production and cause dry eye.

The only way to resolve it is with surgery, although sometimes medications can help if they are started immediately.

There is still some debate in the world of veterinary medicine if all cases of cherry-eye need to be treated as long as they are consistently monitored and not causing any issues.

This genetic disorder is when your dog’s retina degenerates over time, eventually leading to loss of vision. Unfortunately, there is no way to fix or reverse the condition.

An ingrown eyelash may not sound like a big deal, but it can cause significant damage, including corneal ulcers, damage to the lens, and even impaired vision.

Simply plucking the lash won’t work, it usually needs to be treated with antibiotics.

Glaucoma is when there’s an increase in pressure within the eye due to improper drainage of liquid.

It can be a stand-alone issue or it can be caused by an infection in the eye.

This condition can be very painful and lead to vision loss.

Sometimes medicine can help, but other times the affected eye is removed.

Although most often seen in older dogs, a cataract (a cloudy film over the eye) can also result from an injury to the eye.

Cataracts start small and then eventually cover the whole eye, resulting in blindness if not removed.

This is when the eyelid turns inward usually because of an injury or infection and causes the eyelashes to rub against the eye.

Surgery is often needed to correct the issue.

These ulcers occur when the cornea ruptures, causing fluid to leak out of the eye.

Since Shih Tzu have protruding eyes, they are more susceptible to ulcers since they can be caused by things like scratching the eye, rubbing it against furniture or on the rug, and even wind.

However, corneal ulcers can also result from ingrown eyelashes, injury, or viral and bacterial infections.

Medication can usually resolve the issue within 3 to 5 days.

This issue is common in Shih Tzu because of a combination of their protruding eyes and their flat faces.

Their tears can’t always properly drain back into their nose and throat, and instead, stream down their face.

Epiphora can be caused by an overproduction of tears or possibly a blocked tear duct.

On the opposite end of the spectrum from Epiphora is when your pup doesn’t produce enough tears, causing a dry cornea.

This condition can usually be treated with drops or ointments, and in rare cases, surgery.

Possibly one of the scariest eye issues to witness, this condition is when a dog’s eye comes out of the socket, usually from a head injury. Surgery is sometimes effective at replacing the eye, but vision is usually compromised.

Long hair around your Shih Tzus eyes can cause irritation which causes them to rub their eyes which can lead to scratches and eventually an infection.

Carefully trimming long hair around your Shih Tzus eyes will help prevent these longer hairs from getting into your dogs eyes that cause the irritation.

A dirty face can seep into your dogs eye area. Keeping his face clean can prevent bacteria from forming and leading to infections.

Use a wet face cloth, or disposable dog wipes specifically made for dogs, daily or more often if needed.

Cleaning your Shih Tzus eyes at least once a day will go far in keeping infections to a minimum.

Does your dog love to put his head out the window while on a car ride?

There could be a lot of debris like dust, sand, and other foreign bodies blowing around in the wind, getting into your dogs eyes and could cause an infection.

A good pair dog goggles (you may know them as "doggles") will help protect his eyes while still enjoying one of his favorite pastimes.

This may sound obvious, but injuries can happen anytime, especially with a Shih Tzu large, protruding eyes.

Playtime with another pet can lead to eye injuries, but that doesn't mean they can't play, just try to monitor it more closely and if it seems to be getting out of hand, separate them before it escalates into aggression.

Other injuries can be caused simply by playing ball with your dog if it accidently hits him in the eye.

Or a leash that rubs up against their eyes can cause injury if it scratches across his eye ball.  It's best to keep leashes, especially rope leashes, away from your dogs eyes when going on your walks.