What are Watery Eyes?
Complications of an ocular nature can vary greatly in a cause. Excessive tearing can result from abnormalities with the eyelids, infection, or diseases of the eye. Resolution of epiphora can involve simple or complex interventions. While epiphora is not breed specific, certain breeds are more predisposed to some ocular conditions. For example, dogs with the anatomical “flattened or squished” face can often have problems related to tear duct drainage.
Epiphora is the medical term for an excessive watery, ocular discharge. Often secondary to a variety of conditions, watery eyes become a problem when accompanied by other symptoms that indicate irritation. Eye conditions can be painful for your pet and should be investigated by a veterinarian without delay.Watery Eyes Average Cost
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Symptoms of Watery Eyes in Dogs
Veterinarian treatment is essential when dealing with eye conditions. Disorders of the eye can be extremely uncomfortable for your dog. If you notice or come across any of the symptoms below, contact the veterinary caregiver for an appointment:
- Puffiness around the eye
- Redness of the eye
- Squinting, which can mean pain
- Discharge
- Reddish brown staining of the fur
- Dampness or wetness under the eye
- Sneezing
- Eye or skin infection
- Holding the eye shut
- Odor
- Rubbing of eyes with the paw, or against other objects
- Periorbital alopecia
Types
There are several types of ocular conditions that can cause watery eyes, some of which are listed below.
- Distichiasis
- An entire row of eyelashes can be affected
- The eyelashes may grow in an abnormal direction or in an abnormal location on the eyelid
- Genetics play a factor
- Many breeds can be affected: Chesapeake Retriever, Golden Retriever, Shetland Sheepdog, Pekingese, Pug, Boxer, Bulldog, Boston Terrier, Dachshund, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, American Cocker Spaniel, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso
- Entropion
- With this condition, the eyelid rolls inward
- The lashes on the surface of the eyelid rubs against the cornea
- Some of the many breeds that may be affected by this congenital disorder are Akita, Shar Pei, Great Pyrenees, American Staffordshire Terrier, Pekingese, Newfoundland, Saint Bernard, Bulldog, Pomeranian, Mastiff, Bernese Mountain Dog, Great Dane, Labrador Retriever, Japanese Chin, Shih Tzu, Yorkshire Terrier, Dalmatian, Rottweiler, Siberian Husky, Weimaraner, Poodle, Basset Hound and Irish Setter
- Conjunctivitis
- This is an inflammation of the lining tissue that covers the eye
- Often both eyes will be involved
- Can be bacterial, viral, secondary to allergies etc.
- May be secondary to another disease
- Breed associated conditions may predispose German Shepherds and Collies
- Dacryocystitis
- An inflammation of the tear duct which can be genetic (such as abnormal development) or acquired (tumor or bacteria)
- Brachycephalic breeds are susceptible due to the shallow eye socket and the tight eyelid
- Examples of this breed, which have a flat and wide skull, are the Pug, Pekingese, Bulldog and Boston Terrier
- Corneal Ulcer
- This is the erosion through the epithelium (outer layer of eye) into the stroma (main support tissue for the cornea)
- The most common cause is trauma
- Can be secondary to other diseases like Dry Eye or Epithelial Dystrophy, which can be inherited by Boxers
Causes of Watery Eyes in Dogs
There can be many causes for watery eyes which lead to various degrees of seriousness. Several of the causes are listed here.
- Breeds with excessive hair on the face can have the hair growing into the eye
- Eyelashes growing at an abnormal angle
- Allergy to pollen, dust, mold etc.
- Trauma, punctures, scratches
- Tumor
- Irritants such as smoke, sprays, dust or perfumes
- Bacteria
- Virus
- Fungi
- Glaucoma
- Facial anatomy that causes inadequate tear drainage
- Blocked tear duct
- Congenital issues like folds on the skin that become infected from constant wetness
- Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (Dry Eye)
Diagnosis of Watery Eyes in Dogs
Because watery eyes can be the indication of a serious problem, do not delay in taking your dog to the veterinarian for an eye examination. The veterinary caregiver will want to know how long the eyes have been watering, and whether there has been the presence of an illness of late.
If your dog is showing signs of pain, a topical anesthetic may be applied directly to the eye before the examination begins, in order to make the surface numb. A fluorescein stain may be applied on the eye. This is a painless procedure to verify if there are scratches, to check for foreign objects and to assess tear drainage. Once the stain has been applied and your dog’s head is tilted slightly downward, the veterinary caregiver will assess the drainage capabilities of the nose. Normal function will allow the stain to become evident in the nose within minutes.
The veterinarian will also examine your pet’s eyes to evaluate tear production (using a Schirmer Tear Test), corneal damage, and nasolacrimal duct function. Radiographs may be included to look for possible obstructions.
Depending on the cause for the epiphora, the veterinarian may suggest further investigation with an ophthalmologist.
Treatment of Watery Eyes in Dogs
The treatment of watery eyes in dogs will vary depending on the cause.
- Distichiasis and entropion
- In the case of distichiasis and entropion, surgery is the most viable option.
- Because the eyelashes and the hair on the eyelid can rub against the eyeball, ulcers can result.
- If the ulcers are left untreated, vision loss can occur
- Conjunctivitis
- If not taken care of, conjunctivitis can lead to impaired vision
- Treatment involves flushing the eye, and a course of local antibiotic therapy
- Eye drops and eye ointments are usually given
- Dacryocystitis
- Treatment will mean flushing out the eye with sterile water or saline solution
- Antibiotics will be prescribed
- If the damage is too severe, surgery might be needed to create a new drainage pathway
- The new drainage route will empty tears into the nasal cavity, mouth or sinus
- Corneal Ulcer
- It is important to care for an ulcer without delay because the eye can be damaged beyond repair
- Antibiotic eyedrops and ointments are required
- Atropine may be used locally for pain relief
- There's a decent likelihood that your dog may be required to wear an Elizabethan collar so as to not rub the eye
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Recovery of Watery Eyes in Dogs
Return visits to the clinic will be necessary in the case of epiphora. Complete resolution of any primary problem is critical. Recurrent intermittent episodes of conditions related to watery eyes are not uncommon; therefore, even if you feel that your dog is back to normal, the veterinarian will need to confirm that the therapy has been thorough and sufficient. It should be noted that multiple flushings may be needed in some cases.
You may need to administer eye drops or ointment at home for a period of time. The veterinarian will be able to coach you on the best method of giving the eye drops.
For the breeds who have fur that may interfere with preventing a recurrence, diligent grooming by a professional is needed.
Watery Eyes Average Cost
From 62 quotes ranging from $200 - $1,000
Average Cost
$450
Top
Watery Eyes Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Mixed
Max
1 Year
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Watery Eyes.Clear Eye Sleep
Recently my dog's eyes have started being runny watery with sleep it's clear your eyes aren't red and there's no odor could it just be allergies or another issue there's no other problems
April 17, 2018
0 Recommendations
Watery eyes may be due to allergies, small foreign objects (including stray hairs), other sources of irritation or the start of an infection. I would flush the eyes out with sterile saline twice per day to see if there is any improvement; if the eyes continue to water I would suggest popping into your Veterinarian for a general check to make sure there isn’t something more serious. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
April 18, 2018
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Shar Pei
Mia
7 Months
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Eye Clouding
Eyes Red
My Shar pei, 8 months old has been squinting, mostly at the end of the day. Blinking a lot as well. She had one eye tacked at 2 months old, but both her eyes are being affected. She is white in color and has the brown staining coming from both her eyes as well, which I cannot remove from her fur.I feel so bad fir her. I havnt taken her in yet but I'm reading surgery is probably what will be needed. Something I probably can't afford. But I will do anything for her. Any advice.
Dec. 3, 2017
1 Recommendations
There are many causes for excessive tears which may include allergies, trichiasis, small foreign objects in the eyes, infections among other issues; you should make sure that the eyes are clear of any foreign material and visit your Veterinarian to explore your options. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Dec. 3, 2017
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Maltipoo
Cooper
10 Months
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
Our Maltipoo puppy is now 10 months old and has watery eye discharge since the day we brought him home. The discharge is clear and his eyes do not appear gooey but the hair medially and inferior to his eyes now has an odor that is not pleasant. There is pink staining where the wetness of both eyes occurs. What should we do?
Sept. 6, 2017
1 Recommendations
Light pink tear staining is usually caused by porphyrin which is an iron containing compound which is sometimes excreted in tears; it would be best to visit your Veterinarian to check over Cooper’s eyes and to check if the nasolacrimal duct is clear (blockage can lead to excessive staining). Infections, foreign bodies, blocked nasolacrimal duct among other causes can make the problem worse which is why a visit to your Veterinarian would be the best course of action. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Sept. 6, 2017
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Labradoodle
Planning on naming her Bailey
8 Weeks
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Reddish Brown Sticky Drainage From Eyes,
I am considering purchasing a white with random black spots pardi Labradoodle. I currently have a 2 year old apricot Labradoodle that has never shown any symptoms of eye problems and something my trainer mentioned about the pardi pup has me concerned: The pardi pup has white hair around both her eyes and the hair appears to be stained w/very light red streaks. My trainer warned me that this might be a sign of allergy issues in the future. A number of the other pups from the same litter have similar light reddish streaks. Is this something I should be concerned about? (The breeder is very reputable and well known in the Australian Labradoodle community. I haven't yet spoken with her about the concerns raised by my trainer - I wanted to do a bit of research on my own first.)
Additonally, off the subject of eyes, my trainer also mentioned that sometimes pardi doodles can experience random health issues. She said this is because they are often bred for the look and the combination of the parent's genes can create health problems. (As an FYI, this pup is the only pardi pup in the litter. A couple others are multi-colored, but the color variation is - for example - is white socks on a cream pup, a white blaze on another's forehead. Should I be concerned?
Note: Both parents have excellent health - no problems with hips, knees, eyes or otherwise.
Thank you in advance for your input!
July 26, 2017
0 Recommendations
Too many dogs are bred for appearance and not for health; when you have people trying to achieve certain traits in dogs, a lot of inbreeding occurs (in order to get the desired results) which leads to recessive genes becoming more prominent which can cause health problems. Whilst the parents may be healthy, they may be carriers of recessive genes which wouldn’t show until a double recessive gene pair is born (I’m writing very simply here); sometimes double recessive genes produce an appearance which is desirable (like my two blue eyes) and other times they may produce health problems. Some pups are born healthy only to develop problems as they grow, without genetic testing you cannot detect these problems early. Please see the links below. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVMwww.embracepetinsurance.com/dog-breeds/labradoodlewww.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2564373/The-hidden-suffering-dogs-bred-cute-Adorable-looks-Cuddly-names-like-Labradoodle-But-trend-cross-breed-dogs-raises-disturbing-questions.htmlwww.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2554214/Ive-created-lot-problems-Why-Labradoodle-creator-blames-puppy-mills-breeding-Frankenstein-versions-designer-dog.html
July 26, 2017
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Watery Eyes Average Cost
From 62 quotes ranging from $200 - $1,000
Average Cost
$450
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Easily compare quotes from the most trusted pet insurance companies in the United States.
