Why Are the Inner Corners of My Senior Chiweenie's Eyes Red? (Vet Answered)
This question has been answered by a vet
Small Animal Veterinarian
Dr. Karyn is a small animal veterinarian originally from Australia, now based in the UK. She holds degrees in Veterinary Science (2010) and Zoology. When not helping pets, she tends to her 5 cats, 5 dogs, and garden!
The Question
The inside corners of his eyes are red. They are normally white?
Quick Info about Prince
📹 Vet's Video Reply (scroll down to see text answer)
Hi Brenda,
Thanks for writing in. The white part of the eye (called the sclera) can turn pink or red if the eye becomes inflamed. The most common reason for this is irritation or allergies, which, at this time of year, might be due to the heating being on, smoke from a fireplace (if you have one) or even increased dust in the air from winter blankets and clothing. Although allergies are often thought of as a Spring/Summer problem, there are some plants that may still trigger allergies in winter too.
If it is only some redness, Prince may enjoy some bathing of the eye, but don't use salty water. This is often something people recommend, but unless you get the concentration just right (0.9% saline) it will only make things worse! Something an opthalmologist friend once recommended to me was brewing some calendula (marigold) tea and bathe the eyes with the cooled down solution. In fact, calendula is a common ingredient in many soothing eye drops and ointments.
You can also try using some pet eye drops to help flush any irritants from the eye and add some lubrication, and I've included a link to some good products below.
Some extra vacuum cleaning or an air purifier can help reduce the allergen load in the air, and if you do have a fireplace, keep Prince away from it, even though that might seem a bit mean!
What you need to be on the lookout for are signs like:
discharge from the eyes - increased amount, thick, crusty, green or yellow
signs of pain irritation - rubbing face with paws or on the ground, squinting
one eye worse than the other
cloudiness or blue tinge to the front of the eye
If you see any of these changes, it's a trip to the vet for Prince. Any of these changes could indicate problems like corneal ulcer, infection, glaucoma, or foreign body. I've popped an article below outlining the most common issues we see in dogs' eyes, and another one on how I deal with my Chihuahua, Ned's, weepy eyes!
At Prince's age, you may have noticed a bit of opacity appearing in the pupil, and this is a normal ageing process called nuclear sclerosis, which is a non-painful change that all dogs experience once they are over the age of 7 or 8 years. However, cataracts look similar, but with a more pearlescent appearance, so it's always a good idea to have the eyes examined by your vet if you notice any changes.
If Prince's eyes do not settle down, if they get worse, or you notice any indications of pain or discomfort, be sure to have him examined by your vet ASAP. If you would like some more advice, you can also head to PangoVet.com and make an appointment to speak to one of our vets online.
I hope this has been helpful and that Prince's eyes are back to normal soon.
Dr Karyn