How to Clean a Dog's Eye

There are many things that can irritate your dog's eyes. When he puts his head out the car window, he can pick up dust. He may get his eye scratched by another pet. Most eye infections are caused by bacteria and can be treated with antibiotic ointment. Cleaning his eyes will help eliminate infection.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Determine whether your dog has an eye infection. The most common is conjunctivitis. Symptoms include redness around the eye and a green or yellow discharge.

2. Use blunt-nosed scissors to trim the hair around his eyes. Hair can sometimes scratch against his eye and deposit bacteria that can cause infections.

3. Flush his eyes out with a sterile veterinary eyewash. The goal is to keep mucus out of his eye because bacteria feeds on mucus. You can get this from the vet or from a pet store.

4. Clean his eyes with a moist cloth if you notice excessive discharge or pus. If the pus is watery, he may have conjunctivitis.

5. Cover his eyes with a moist cloth if they're sore or swollen. Use warm water, wring it out and apply it for 5 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• Always apply an ophthalmic ointment before giving your dog a bath. The same goes if you're going to apply insecticides. The ointment will protect his eyes from getting irritated.
• Get your dog a cone collar if he's scratching at his eyes. This will keep him from further aggravating them. You can buy them at pet stores.
• See the veterinarian if your dog's eyes seem abnormally dry, swollen or irritated.