The Importance of Vision Health for Your Dog

Hey there, pet lovers! We’ll be giving you a couple speedy tips on how you can make sure your dog is healthy; today, we’ll be talking about the eyes!

As humans, you know that eye care is very important, since eyes are one of the most important sensory organs in the human body. Likewise, we also want our pooches to have clean eyes, which is why we recommend you routinely check your dog’s eyes to ensure there aren’t any infections or issues occurring in those retinas. But don’t take your dog to the vet just yet - as recommended by Pippa Elliot on, MRCVS, there’s a simple way to check whether or not your dog has healthy eyes! 

1. Wash your hands
2. Put your dog in a well lit area, and have him sit or lie down. Reward him if you can, so he’s able to stay more still! You can find lots of goodies here!
3. Look into your dog’s eyes, and check for crustiness, discharge, or tears in the eyes. Ensure that the eyeball isn’t red.
4. Check to see that the eyes don’t seem cloudy or irritated, and ensure that the third eyelid (yes, dogs have third eyelids!) is not visible.
5. Check the linings of your dog’s eyes and ensure there isn’t any redness or swelling
6. Check your dog’s menace reflex: according to Wikihow, you can do this by “holding your hand open so that the palm of your hand faces your dog. Hold your hand about 18 inches from your dog's face and then quickly move your palm so that it comes to about 3 inches from their face. If your dog is not having vision issues, they will blink.” However, if your dog does not react to the test, then it might be time for you to schedule a trip to the vet’s.
7. Clean your dog’s eyes regularly and make sure to trim any hair that might be disturbing their vision.

If you notice that something is off about your dog’s vision, whether it’s after checking their eyes or whether it’s been indicated by other symptoms, such as a fever, loss of appetite, less energy, or confusion, then book an appointment with your nearest veterinarian. It’s better to get the problem solved sooner rather than later, so that your dog can continue being healthy and happy. The vet may run additional tests on your dog and check for further symptoms to access your dog’s health. Until this is done, we recommend that you refrain from giving your dog any over the counter medications, especially anything for the eyes, since the eyes are a delicate organ and it’s best to get consulted before choosing to take any action.

We hope you found this article helpful, and that your pets are safe, healthy, and happy during these unprecedented times! Keep being awesome Le Pet Luxe readers, and we hope that you join us for our next blog post!