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Thread: "Gunky" Eye

  1. #1
    Puppy hallieworthington's Avatar
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    "Gunky" Eye

    I have a 5 year old yellow female lab named Lulu, who hasn't had any major health problems in the last year, other than a major ear infection in her right ear early in the year due to water getting stuck down in there. Within the last week, I've noticed she's had "gunk" in her right eye. Almost like an opaque drainage coming out of her tear duct. Doesn't seem to bother her, but it dries a dark greenish color and has more build up than normal doggie eye boogers. It's only in her right eye and my roommate's dog doesn't have any eye gunk, so I'm assuming it's not contagious (although I've been careful to wash my hands after cleaning that eye before cleaning the normal eye boogers off her left eye or touching my roommate's dog).

    She's had it for about a week and it doesn't seem to impair her vision, depth perception, etc. She's had stuff like this before that typically clears up on it's own after a few days, but this doesn't seem to be the case. I don't want to take her in unnecessarily because the vet stresses her out to the extreme (due to the major ear flushing we had to have at her last ear infection...not the vet's fault, he's the greatest, but Lulu panics every time we go to his office now). Within the last 24 hours the tearing of her eye seems to be a little more often and the eyelids seem somewhat swollen, but she still doesn't seem to be in any pain from it because she'll let me look at it without issues, which is why I'm unsure what to do.

    Any thoughts on home remedies that might help or should I just deal with the stress and take her in? Does this sound like anything that anyone else has dealt with who might could share some insights on the situation? Maybe a scratched cornea or something like that? I don't want to risk it getting worse and affecting her eye, but I'd also really hate to stress her out and have her panic at the vet just to hear it's something that will heal on it's own time.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog BeataK's Avatar
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    As it didn't clear up itself after a week I'd take her to the vets as she might need antibiotics drops.

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    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    Green or yellow is infection and requires a vet.

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    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Sounds to me like you need a Vet. Maybe you could try some Rescue Remedy or a DAP collar to calm her down a bit? Maybe ask for a Vet other than the one who flushed her ears? Lots of really good treats?

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  8. #5
    Puppy hallieworthington's Avatar
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    Thanks for the input everyone. I've already called the vet and made an appointment, but I just hate having to put her through the stress of it. The vet is giving me a mild sedative pill to give her about an hour before our appointment, hoping it'll help keep her calm. Our vet is awesome and he's always been quick, gentle, and compassionate about treating Lulu. I've never had to worry if he's doing a treatment or medication just for the money (as our previous vet did...Lulu had a minor ear infection we caught early about 2 years ago and the previous vet wanted to do several x-rays of her body to ensure it was nothing more than an ear infection...WHAT?!) and he's always provided the best care, even going so far as to let a vet tech come out to my car for her rabies booster this spring to keep her from having to come inside, so I'd hate to switch vets since we do go so rarely. Lulu is an odd lab in that she hates water, so having to get her ears flushed was probably more traumatic for her than most. Hopefully some antibiotics will do the trick for her eye though!

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    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    I'm very cautious about eye problems. Since it's been going on for a while, agree with seeing the vet.

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  11. #7
    Puppy hallieworthington's Avatar
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    After doing some research online, which I know isn't always accurate, I'm thinking she might have pink eye. From all the symptoms I've read on several different sites discussing it, she's got them all. Thankfully, it seems to be easily treatable with some antibiotics, but we'll see what our vet says. Anyone had an experience with pink eye in a pup before?

  12. #8
    House Broken Murphy's Mommy's Avatar
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    I have no experience with pink eye in my dogs. (I've had pink eye quite a few times when I taught preschool.)
    Does Lulu swim in a lake or pond? I'm asking bc my lab had the same symptoms (green liquids gunk) in one eye after he went swimming in one particular pond. It cleared up on its own and he didn't have the swollen eyelids. Hope she feels better soon.
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  13. #9
    Senior Dog BeataK's Avatar
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    Good luck at the vet. I hope the pill works and it won't be so traumatic for Lulu

  14. #10
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hallieworthington View Post
    After doing some research online, which I know isn't always accurate, I'm thinking she might have pink eye. From all the symptoms I've read on several different sites discussing it, she's got them all. Thankfully, it seems to be easily treatable with some antibiotics, but we'll see what our vet says. Anyone had an experience with pink eye in a pup before?
    Yes, when Oban was about 6 months. It wasn't yellow or green eye goop either, it was whitish. I don't like that "if it's green or yellow it's infection" saying because it gives people the impression infection is only coloured and that's wrong. Eye goop appearing where there was none before bears looking into ( ) same as any other change warrants investigation.

    Pink eye (conjunctivitis) can be contagious to other dogs and to humans. Wash your hands, as I know you would anyway.

    Oban got drops one time, ointment another time. He's easy to treat but in case it helps I do him in the bathroom with the door shut. I sit on the tub with him between my legs and facing away from me. That way I can sort of hold him with my legs and my ointment laden hands come at him from above and behind him. I make sure he knows treats are coming.

 



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