Swelling of the dog’s eyelids is one of the symptoms that owners tend to notice. If you feel something is wrong with your eyelids, it may be some kind of illness. Here, we will introduce possible causes and remedies for swelling of the dog’s eyelids.
What are the possible causes of swollen eyelids in dogs?
Possible causes of swollen eyelids in dogs include eyelid illness and allergic reactions.
Eyelid disease
Blepharitis is a disease that causes swelling of part or all of the eyelids. Symptoms include swelling, redness, tearing, and convulsions. Over a long period of time, itching can scratch the dog and cause scratches or hair loss.
Blepharitis is caused by infections caused by bacteria, mold, and parasites on the eyelids. Others include allergic and immune-mediated.
Allergic reaction
Like humans, dogs can develop allergic reactions. In allergies, an immune response occurs excessively against a specific antigen (allergen), and dogs exhibit various symptoms such as itchy skin and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Be careful if you have these symptoms when your dog’s eyelids are swollen.
It is considered painful when tears are shed or the eyelids are cramping. Infection is suspected when there are many rheumatisms.
Special care should be taken if the eyelids appear swollen, breathing hard, or loose after vaccination. If an allergic reaction to the vaccine occurs in a short period of time, it is likely to become severe, so immediate action is required.
What are the possible illnesses when a dog’s eyelids are swollen?
Possible illnesses that cause the dog’s eyelids to swell include the following:
Meibomian gland inflammation
Meibomian glands on the edges of the eyelids become infected or become inflamed due to obstruction of the meibomian glands, which is called meibomian gland inflammation.
There are two types of meibomian glands: hordeolum, which causes acute inflammation of the meibomian glands due to bacterial infection, and chalazion, which causes chronic inflammation when the meibomian glands become clogged.
As you get older, you may develop “Meibomian adenoma,” in which the meibomian glands become tumorous and swollen.
Allergies
Dog allergies include “food allergies” caused by food and “vaccine allergies” caused by rabies and mixed vaccines.
With food allergies, the areas around the eyes, ears, and mouth become red and itchy, and symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and hair loss appear.
Vaccine allergies include symptoms such as swelling around the eyes, “moon face” with swelling of the face, dyspnea and collapse. It is more likely to occur in small dogs, especially miniature dachshunds.
Cherry eye
Inside the inner corner of the dog’s eye, there is a third eyelid, the “third eyelid,” which is not seen by the human eye, but this third eyelid gland may pop out for some reason.
It is called a cherry eye because it is inflamed and swollen red in this state, which resembles a cherry.
What should I do if my dog’s eyelids are swollen?
What to do if you see swelling of your eyelids depends on the cause.
Wear an Elizabethan collar as it can make it worse if you care about your eyes and scratch it with your forefoot or rub it against the floor.
Vaccine allergies require treatment such as giving injections to control allergies, so go to a veterinary clinic immediately.
If your dog’s eyelids are swollen, go to a veterinary clinic
If a dog has swollen eyelids, it can be annoying and the eyelid artifacts can hurt the eyes. Depending on the cause of the swelling, you may lose your eyesight or be life-threatening if you do not treat it early, so get treatment at a veterinary clinic as soon as possible.