How Do Dogs Get Pink Eye?
Nikki Graham, DVM from Nottingham Animal Hospital in Hamilton, N.J., explains that pink eye is usually either allergic or bacterial in dogs. She says, “They can get it from inhalant allergies, such as pollen or grass, or from a secondary bacterial infection from a topical irritant, like smoke, sand, or wind from hanging their heads out the car window.”
Graham goes on to explain that other causes of conjunctivitis in dogs can include factors such as entropion, or rolled in eyelids, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, also known as dry eye, in which dogs dont produce enough tears. Pink eye can be a condition on its own, or it can be a symptom of a different eye disease.
In addition to physical irritants in the eye, abnormal eyelids or eyelashes, dry eye, and allergies, other possible causes of conjunctivitis in dogs include certain parasites, tumors, and trauma. In most cases, the cause of pink eye will determine the treatment, so its important to consult your veterinarian before attempting to treat your dogs pink eye on your own.
Staying on the lookout for common conjunctivitis symptoms means that you may catch cases early, potentially leading to easier treatment and overall better health outcomes for your dog.
These symptoms are very similar to the symptoms we associate with pink eye in humans, including:
If you notice your dog rubbing or pawing at their eyes, or squinting or blinking more than usual, this can also be a sign that they are experiencing irritation that might not yet be visible to you.
These symptoms can appear in both eyes or in just one, and are sometimes accompanied by other symptoms, such as nasal discharge, coughing, or sneezing.
Pink eye is notoriously contagious in humans, but luckily, Graham says most cases in dogs are not contagious to people or other dogs.
However, as always, its best to consult your veterinarian about your dogs specific case to determine how careful you should be until their conjunctivitis clears up.
Graham adds that this is not usually the case for conjunctivitis in cats, which she says is “usually caused by a virus (herpesvirus) or other infectious agent that can be contagious between cats and can occasionally be spread to humans.”
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Can you get pink eye from animals?
Most of the time, pink eye is caused by a virus or bacteria. Viral pink eye is the most common type. You can also get pink eye from allergies to things like pollen or pet fur — or from other things that can bother your eyes, like pool water with chlorine, air pollution, or makeup.
Is pink eye really caused by poop?
You CAN get pink eye from poop
Poop — or more specifically, the bacteria or viruses in poop — can cause pink eye. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , if your hands contain fecal matter and you touch your eyes, you can get pink eye.