One of the most common eye conditions we see in our pets is conjunctivitis. It’s also known as pinkeye and is an inflammation of the membrane covering the inside of the eyelids and the front of the eye. The eyes may weep, be red, have crusty discharge, itch or show bits of pus in them. Some simple remedies can be used to reduce the discomfort.

The condition of a pet’s eyes can also frequently be an indication of the total health of the animal. It can tell us about other things that are out of balance or need attention. Runny eyes for instance could be a symptom of worms or an infection or allergies. You should always take the temperature of the animal to be sure it’s not an indication of a more serious problem like distemper. Many of the stresses we put our pets through show up immediately as eye problems: vaccinations, poor feed, physical stress, pollution, chemical medications and preservatives for starters. Other things that show up as eye troubles are liver problems and thyroid imbalances.

Some breeds also are predisposed to having eyelashes that rub the eyes or tear duct problems. Also, hair may be in the pet’s eyes irritating them. You can either trim the hair short or brush it back away from their eyes. Another thing that causes dry, red eyes is the wind. Keeping your dog’s head inside the car when driving is one way to prevent this. There’s also the possibility that something could get in the dog’s eye this way.

The first thing you need to do, regardless of the cause of the eye problem, is clean the eyes out and keep them clean. You may need to do this up to three times a day. You can use any of the solutions listed below dipped on a cotton ball, paper towel or plain tissue and wipe around the eyes.

Another use for these solutions is to use them as a compress. Soak a cloth with the lukewarm solution and gently place this over the affected eye and allow to soak for a few minutes. If your pet has hard, crusty discharges, this may be a necessary first step in softening them enough to remove them without hurting your friend.

Do not use human eye drops which contain various chemicals which can be injurious to your animal friends.

Various substances can be used as solutions to aid in cleaning the eyes. A simple saline solution is effective. Make it by dissolving ½ teaspoon salt in a pint of distilled water. To this you can add herbal tinctures like a drop of euphrasia extract.

Infusions of herbs can be soothing too. Some of the herbs that can be used are: chamomile, fennel, balm leaves, raspberry leaf, elder blossom, euphrasia (eyebright), chickweed, or ground ivy. These can be made by steeping a heaping teaspoon of the herb in a cup of boiling water, straining after 5 minutes and cooling.

Also soothing is the juice of raw cucumbers or 1 drop of olive oil, castor oil or cod-liver oil for dry eyes placed directly in the eye. Milk with an herbal infusion in it could also be used.

To administer eye drops you can either use a small dropper or dip your clean forefinger into the solution and let it drip off your finger into the animal’s eye. Also, soaking a cotton ball or bit of paper towel with the remedy and letting it drip into their eye can be done.

Herbs can be helpful when used internally as well. Adding parsley and dill to the diet can help with maintaining good eye conditions. Also, euphrasia officinalis can be used internally. It can be given as an infusion by steeping ½ teaspoon of the herb in 1 cup of boiling water. Strain and cool. This can be added to their food: 1 teaspoon for cats and small dogs and 1 tablespoon for larger dogs.

An herbal mixture that could be used as a daily tea could include all or some of these plants: bilberry to enhance the vision, echinacea root to help combat infections, euphrasia (eyebright) for inflammation, red raspberry leaf to strengthen the eyes, red root to help remove toxins and usnea lichen to help combat infections. The same dosages as for the euphrasia infusion would apply.

Nutritional supplements can also aid in keeping the eyes healthy. Vitamin A given as cod-liver oil will help. Give cats ½ teaspoon a day, medium dogs 1 teaspoon and larger dogs 2 teaspoons a day. Vitamin E should be given too: cats and small dogs get 50-100 IU a day, medium dogs 200 IU, and larger dogs get 400 IU daily. Vitamin C is another excellent supplement to give. Dosage should be raised up to bowel tolerance. Of note, is that Vitamin B complex including niacin and pantothenic acid can be helpful, but only if the formula does not contain yeast as it can cause eye allergies. 10-50 mg daily should be given. Trace minerals also may be helpful and the quantities to give are 1/8 teaspoon daily for small dogs and cats, ¼ teaspoon for medium dogs and ½ teaspoon daily for larger dogs.

Several homeopathic remedies can be helpful when treating eye conditions, but you must be sure to carefully match the remedy to the animal’s condition. Arsenicum Album can be used when the eye discharges cause skin irritation. Euphrasia can be given internally or as a homeopathic eye drop. It is indicated when there is sticky mucus in the eyes. Kali Bichromicum can be used when the eyelids are swollen and the discharge is yellow and ropy. When the eyelids stick together in the morning, Kali Carbonicum may be indicated. An injury to the eye would be helped by Symphytum. Zincum Metallicum is frequently used for conjunctivitis when there is itching and soreness with squinting or rolling of the eyes. Silicea can also be used when debris is in the eye. Apis can help with eye troubles brought on by allergies.

The remedy should be given in the form of the lower doses, under 30C. You can either place the tablets or pills directly into the animal’s mouth or mix them in a little water and give the water. The rate at which you give the remedy will vary. You can start by giving it once, and waiting for half an hour. If there is some improvement, give it again. This can be done several times, as long as you see continued improvement. If there is no improvement within 24 hours, the correct remedy was probably not used and you should discontinue use of the selected remedy.

If a substance gets in the eye that you need assistance to remove, you can rinse the eye with fresh milk. Or you can rinse with a boric acid solution made by dissolving ¼ teaspoon boric acid in ½ cup boiling water. Cool and store in the refrigerator. Keeps for about a week. You may want to take your friend to the vet if there appears to be significant scratching of the eye for a check.

A poultice of grated raw potato can be placed in gauze or other soft fabric and placed over the eyes to relieve swelling of the eyelids.

The need for a good, balanced raw foods diet cannot be stressed too heavily when trying to overcome chronic eye conditions. Of the long list of healthy foods that should be fed, a few stand out as being particularly helpful: carrots, celery including the leaves, sesame seed, honey, molasses, carob, potatoes, eggs, rabbit, cod, beef, beef liver, chicken gizzards, ground pork, brown rice, corn, spinach, lettuce, poultry, wheat.

Foods that shouldn’t be fed include yeast, or any of the foods that an animal may be allergic to including some of those listed above like wheat or poultry.