How do you treat eyeworms in dogs?

When we happily welcome a dog into our family, its lively eyes light up our lives like stars. However, once a dog unfortunately gets eyeworm disease, its originally bright and clear eyes may be clouded. Seeing them in discomfort, our hearts ache with worry. Eyeworm disease is a distressing condition for dogs. Nevertheless, as long as we understand the relevant knowledge and take active measures, we can help our dogs regain their healthy and bright eyes.

Eyeworm disease in dogs is mainly caused by the Thelazia callipaeda nematodes parasitizing in the dog's eyes. These pesky nematodes live and reproduce in the dog's conjunctival sac, under the nictitating membrane, or in the lacrimal duct, causing great harm to the dog's eyes. Dogs with this disease will show obvious abnormal symptoms in their eyes. They will tear frequently, with the tears flowing ceaselessly as if silently expressing their pain. The fur around the eyes will become wet and messy due to being soaked in tears for a long time, and the tear stains may even become more prominent. Upon careful observation, you will find that the dog's conjunctiva becomes congested and swollen. In severe cases, there will be edema, and the originally delicate pink conjunctiva turns bright red, which is truly heartrending to see. The dog will frequently scratch its eyes with its paws in an attempt to relieve the discomfort, but this often makes the condition worse and may even lead to corneal damage, resulting in more serious consequences.

When we notice the above symptoms in a dog, we must take it to see a veterinarian immediately. The veterinarian will conduct professional examinations to determine if the dog has eyeworm disease. Generally, the veterinarian will use specialized ophthalmic instruments to carefully examine the dog's eyes and check for the presence of nematodes. Sometimes, if the nematodes are deeply hidden, the veterinarian may use special methods, such as flushing the eyes with normal saline to wash out the nematodes for better observation and diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment must be carried out without delay.

The first step in treating eyeworm disease in dogs is to remove the nematodes from the eyes. This is not an easy task and requires the veterinarian to have excellent skills and a great deal of patience. Since dogs tend to be resistant when their eyes are uncomfortable, the veterinarian may administer an appropriate amount of anesthetic to the dog first during the procedure to keep it calm for a smooth operation. The veterinarian will use tweezers or other specialized tools to carefully remove the visible nematodes from the eyes one by one. This process requires great concentration, as a slight carelessness may damage the dog's eyes. Each nematode removed is like alleviating a bit of the dog's pain, and we can feel a little more relieved.

After removing the nematodes, the dog's eyes need to be treated with medications to prevent the further development of infection and inflammation. Usually, the veterinarian will prescribe some eye drops or eye ointments for the dog. These medications have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help the dog eliminate the inflammation in the eyes caused by the nematode parasitism and promote the repair of the damaged eye tissues. When applying eye drops or eye ointments to the dog, we also need to know the correct method. First, hold the dog gently to keep it still. Then, use one hand to gently open the dog's eyelid and the other hand to drop or squeeze the eye drops or eye ointment into the dog's eye. After dropping, gently press the corner of the dog's eye to ensure that the medication is evenly distributed in the eye. It should be noted that we must give the dog the medication on time and in the correct dosage as the veterinarian instructed. Do not randomly increase or decrease the dosage or stop the medication, as this may affect the treatment effect.

During the treatment of the dog's eyeworm disease, daily care is also crucial. We should keep the dog's eyes clean and hygienic. Gently wipe the secretions around the dog's eyes with a clean wet towel every day to prevent the accumulation of secretions and the worsening of the infection. At the same time, prevent the dog from scratching its eyes with its paws to avoid secondary injuries. We can put an Elizabethan collar on the dog, which can prevent the dog from scratching its eyes without interfering with its normal life. In addition, provide the dog with a quiet and comfortable resting environment so that it can rest well, which is beneficial for its physical recovery. In terms of diet, ensure that the dog gets enough nutrition and give it more foods rich in vitamin A, such as carrots. Vitamin A plays an important role in the dog's eye health and can help the dog's eyes recover more quickly.

Watching the dog suffer from eyeworm disease, we feel heartbroken and self-blaming. But as long as we actively cooperate with the veterinarian's treatment and take good care of the dog in daily life, we will definitely be able to help the dog overcome eyeworm disease. Every time we drop eye drops for the dog and every time we wipe its eyes, it shows our deep love for the dog. Dogs are our most loyal companions, and they have given their whole lives to us. When they are sick, we have the responsibility to do our best to take care of them and help them regain their former vitality and health.