Owing to the body structure and playful nature, Golden Retrievers are susceptible to various types of infection. And as the fur of these breeds is dense, ear infections, eye diseases, skin problems, and parasitic infections are common. Since eye diseases are more common, don’t you want to know why your Golden Retriever’s eyes are red?
There several reasons for your Golden Retriever’s red-eye. Some of them are allergic reaction, trauma, corneal ulcers, glaucoma, uveitis, lens luxation, dry eye syndrome, and conjunctivitis. Along with this, entropion, cherry eye, hyphemia, blepharitis, tumor, and environmental irritants are other infection factors that make your pet’s eye red.
Since all these complicates the life of your pet, it fails to perform its regular activities. Apart from this, unmanaged eye problems can degrade its health. So, the lifespan of your Golden Retriever will decline.
So, to live a long and peaceful life with your pal, you need to be familiar with all the health issues. Therefore, I will be discussing factors that cause your Golden Retriever’s red eyes further in this article.
Red Eyes In Golden Retriever
The appealing and beautiful eyes of your Golden Retriever hold the ability to attract everyone’s attention. So, seeing your pal with red and swollen eyes might be a painful experience. Furthermore, infiltration of blood vessels results in your pet’s red eyes. Hence, owners often call red eyes in pets bloodshot eyes.
Usually, your Golden Retriever’s red eyes are a result of various health issues. And it affects both the eyes of your pet. In addition to red eyes, your pal may also discharge watery fluid from eyes and start showing aggressive behavior to cope with the immense pain in the eye.
Golden Retriever’s skin coat is dense that gives parasites and bacteria a perfect environment for growth. So, eye problems, constipation, infections, rashes, allergies, etc., are common in them. And although I can’t assure you, knowledge about this issue can somewhat mitigate these health problems.
Your Golden Retriever’s Eyes Are Red. Is It Serious?
Being a family dog, Golden Retriever instantly connects with you once you bring them home. Thus, you do every possible thing to keep your pal safe. Yet, somehow your pet may suffer from health issues like eye problems.
Although eye diseases are common in Golden Retrievers, they can lead to fatal consequences sometimes. So, you must be very cautious when you find your Golden Retriever’s eyes red. However, you can look at the following signs to detect the severity of the eye disease.:
- Tears or watery discharge from eyes
- Sneezing
- Puffy eyes
- Swelling of eyelids
- Squinting and sticking of eyelids
- Excessive blinking
- Loss of vision
- Cloudy appearance in eyes
- Red spots in the white areas of the eye
- Receding eyeballs
- Continuous pawing in eyes
- Dilated and unresponsive pupils
Besides this, your pet may also show behavioral changes like excessive barking, uncontrolled biting, grunting, and aggression to cope with the immense pain of eye problems. So, you should take your dog for an immediate health checkup if it shows any of these signs.
13 Reasons Why Your Golden Retriever’s Eyes Are Red?
Besides being outrageously popular, Golden Retrievers have to deal with a lot of health issues. And redness in their eyes is one. Since these breeds play with the kids all day, they bring several infectious agents in their dense skin coats. So, they suffer from eye problems more often.
Besides this, some other causes of your Golden Retriever’s red eyes are:
Entropion
Unlike humans, Golden Retrievers’ eyes have third eyelids. And due to irritation or allergies, they fold inward and cause your pet’s eyelashes to rub on the surface of its eyes. Besides this, sometimes hair grows inside these eyelids.
Thus, your Golden Retriever’s eyes surface suffers from irritation and becomes red, cloudy, teary, inflamed, and painful.
Corneal Ulcer
Corneas are the clear-outer layer in your pet’s eyes that allows the entry of light. So, when there is an injury in the cornea, your pet suffers from immense pain. And all other structures of your pet’s eyes also gradually fail to function. Hence, your Golden Retriever’s eyes become red, dry, cloudy, and swollen.
Furthermore, your pet also fails to picture the environment due to corneal ulcers. So, your pal loses its appetite and becomes restless, fatigue, aggressive, and sad.
Hyphema
Golden Retriever cannot stay still. So, while playing and running, your pal can suffer from several injuries. However, eye injury in your pal influx the blood vessels and pull the blood in front of the eyes. Thus, your Golden Retriever’s eyes appear red.
Cherry Eye
Another term for cherry eye in your Golden Retriever is everted-nictitans. And in this eye condition, the gland of your Golden Retriever’s third eyelid becomes swollen and protrudes. Thus, a small red bump appears in your pet’s eyes.
Blepharitis
Since these dog breeds have an extra pair of eyelids in their eyes, the exposed eyelids are prone to allergies and infections. Further, allergic reaction in the eyelids makes your Golden Retriever’s eye irritating, itchy, and red.
Tumor
Golden Retrievers have a narrow cancer-causing gene pool. So, they are prone to cancer and tumor. Therefore, benign pr malignant mass can grow within or behind your pet’s eye.
Hence, your pal’s eyes become itchy. Due to which your pal might starts frequently pawing in its eyes. Thus, your Golden Retriever’s eyes become red.
Environmental Irritants
Since Golden Retrievers are highly energetic, they are the perfect playing companion for kids. And after playing and running around all day, they collect several foreign particles in their dense fur like dust, dirt, bacteria, virus, etc.
As these particles are infectious, it causes eye problems in your pal. Thus, your Golden Retriever’s eyes become bloodshot red.
Allergic Reaction
The digestive of a Golden Retriever differs from that of humans. So, human foods can be harmful to your pal. Furthermore, the skin of these breeds is sensitive. Thus, household chemicals, dust, dirt, and even direct sunlight can cause an allergic reaction in your pet.
As a result, your Golden Retriever’s eyes become red, swollen, and itchy.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition in which the tear ducts of your pet produce excessive fluids. So, it causes swelling, pain, redness, and a cloudy appearance in your pet’s eyes. Further, ignorance of glaucoma leads to fatal consequences like optic nerve damage and blindness.
Uveitis
Uveitis is a disease condition that affects the middle layers of your Golden Retriever’s eyes. Usually, trauma, tick-borne disease, immune-mediated disorders, contracts, and cancer lead to inflammation of your pet’s eyes. And as the inflammation proceeds to severity, blood collects in the anterior chamber due to the influx of blood vessels in your pet’s eyes.
As a consequence, your Golden Retriever’s eyes become red and painful.
Lens Luxation
Usually, the lens of your pet’s eyes is responsible for focusing lights into the retina to form images. But lens luxation causes involuntary movement of lens around your pet’s eyes. As a result, your Golden Retriever’s eyes become painful, swollen, red, and lose response to light.
Dry Eye Syndrome
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCCS) is the common term for dry eye syndrome in your pet. In this condition, the tear gland of your dog fails to produce enough tears to moisturize and reduce the friction in the eyes during movement.
So, your Golden Retriever’s eyes become red due to drying out of tissues in their eyes.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis or pink eye has two forms, infectious and non-infectious. If your Golden Retriever’s eyes are red due to bacterial or viral infections, it is infectious conjunctivitis. And it can also be contagious.
But, when the redness in your pet’s eyes result due to allergies, injury, irritation, and illness, it is non-infectious and non-contagious conjunctivitis.
Moreover, if you fail to manage the cause in time, the eye problem in your pet worse. And it may lead to permanent damage of eyes and blindness of your pal. Hence, if you want a healthier lifestyle for your Golden Retriever, diagnose and treat these issues as soon as you notice them.
How To Diagnosis Your Golden Retriever’s Eye Problem?
Early prognosis results in successful and effective treatment. So, immediately consult with the Vet after your notice your Golden Retriever’s red-eye. Being an expert, the Vet will check, diagnose, and analyze the severity of your pet’s eye condition.
And the diagnosis procedures of the Vet are:
Examination Of Golden Retriever’s Red Eyes
Your Golden Retriever’s eyes may be red due to several reasons. So, the Vet needs to conduct a complete eye examination to know it. The Vet studies the eye structures (like tear duct, eyelids, retina, cornea, conjunctiva, etc.) of your pet during ophthalmic or eye examination.
Hence, a thorough examination of your pet’s eyes gives a better picture of the severity of the disease. And thus, it will help the Vet in prescribing medication and its dose.
Tonometry
In this diagnosis, a specific device measures the internal pressure of your pet’s eye. Generally, it detects glaucoma and other diseases associated with internal eye globe pressure.
Firstly, the Vet numbs your pet’s eye surface to comfort the pet before the procedure. Then, he puts a tonometer bounce back and forth on your pal’s eye surface to detect the pressure. Finally, the average of several measurements gives the internal pressure of your Golden Retriever’s red-eye.
Fluorescein Dye Test
As the name suggests, this test uses a yellow-green dye (fluorescein dye) to detect corneal ulcers or scratches in your pet’s eye. The Vet puts the fluorescein dye in your Golden Retriever’s red eye and views the damaged areas with a black light. Usually, this test gives a clear picture of the damaged part and the extent of severity.
Schirmer Tear Test In Golden Retriever’s Red Eyes
For this test, the Vet puts a small test strip in between your pal’s eye to measure the production of the tear. The Vet can measure the amount of tear produce and severity of dye-eye syndrome of your pet through this test.
Blood Examination
Sometimes your Golden Retriever’s eyes may be red due to the effect of several underlying health issues like thyroid disorders, diabetes, allergies, liver diseases, cancer, etc. So, an examination of your pet’s blood measures the functions of different organs. And thus, it helps to detect the diseases.
Furthermore, after diagnosis, the Vet can decide the required medications and their doses to treat your Golden Retriever’s red-eye. Thus, if you want to resolve your pet’s health issue, follow the advice and prescription of your pet.
Do you know some general treatments for your Golden Retriever’s red eyes?
How To Treat Your Golden Retriever’s Red Eye?
Since eye problems are common in a Golden Retriever, you should be aware of different treatment methods. Further, eye diseases can disturb the regular activities of your pet. So, they will be lesser active and playful.
However, sometimes due to irritation in the eyes, your Golden Retriever shows aggressive behavior. Therefore, some of the treatments for your Golden Retries red eye are:
Topical Medication For Your Golden Retriever’s Red Eyes
Usually, the topical medications used to treat Golden Retriever’s eye problem are ointments and eye drops. You should apply them thrice daily for about one week or maybe unless your pet’s eye condition resolves. Further, as topical medications contain antibiotics, steroids, pain relievers, dilators, and artificial tears, they are safer and easy to use.
Oral Medication For Your Golden Retriever’s Red Eyes
When the cause of Golden Retriever’s red eyes is some underlying diseases, you should give them oral medications. But consult with the Vet before using them. Furthermore, ensure the dose of these medications is as per the Vet’s prescription to avoid side effects.
Moreover, the Vet prescribes oral antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and NSAIDs as oral medication when topical medication fails to treat your Golden Retriever’s red-eye.
Surgical Procedures For Your Golden Retriever’s Red Eyes
Topical and oral medications cannot cure some eye problems of your pal like cherry eye, entropion problems, tumors, etc. Therefore, your pet might need to undergo a surgical procedure to treat its red eye.
Besides this, some eye problems might frequently relapse after medication. So, your pal needs surgery to reset the glands and repair the tissues.
Further, if your Golden Retriever’s eyes are red due to untreatable problems like third eyelid reformation, medication alone cannot be beneficial. Hence, surgical removal to reform the eyelid will be the best option.
However, your pal may experience some adverse effects after this procedure, like loss in a degree of depth perception. So, frequently consult the Vet about the management of these issues.
How To Keep Your Golden Retriever’s Eyes Healthy?
If you want your Golden Retriever to enjoy their life, you should be conscious of their overall health. Therefore, you should clean the ears, eyes, teeth, and paws of your pal along with regular brushing and bathing.
However, protecting your pet from every possible infection, irritant, illness, or disease is impossible. But you can take some preventive measures to help your Golden Retriever live an active life. Thus, some of the ways to protect the eyes of your pal are:
- Golden Retrievers’ hair can grow longer in unwanted areas like around eyes, ears, and paws that may halt regular activities. So, you should carefully trim the hair in those areas.
- Always observe your Golden Retriever’s eyes while brushing its skin coat. And clean the eyes with a soft and damp cotton wipe.
- Give nutritious meals with food supplements. And always use healthy natural snacks as treats.
- Take your pet for professional grooming every two months.
- Don’t leave your Golden Retriever unsupervised.
- Clean the paws of your pet after playing. And check for injuries and irritation.
- Take your pal for frequent health checkups.
How Can You Clean Your Golden Retriever’s Eyes At Home?
Although professionals are experts in grooming, you can’t always rely on them for cleaning your pet’s eyes. So, here are some tips for cleaning your Golden Retriever’s eyes at home:
- Make your Golden Retriever comfortable before starting. You can keep your pal between your legs to prevent them from moving.
- Then, use a cleanser ( TropiClean Spa Tear Stain Cleanser for Dogs) to remove the tear stains from your Golden Retriever’s eyes.
- Further, remove gunk from your pet’s eyes using an eye comb. Like Dog Comb – Tear Stain Remover, Mindful Pets Tear Stain Remover Combs, etc.
- Check your pal’s hair around the eyes. If you find its hair long, trim the hairs. You can buy a simple grooming kit for convenience. Some grooming kits are Ceenwes Dog Clippers grooming tools, Pet Grooming Clipper Kits, Sminiker Professional Grooming Kit, etc.
- Put some eyewash in your pet’s eye. Since the wash acts as lubricants, it moistens your pal’s eyes and prevents irritation and redness. And the most common eyewash is Vetericyn Plus All Animal Eye Wash, Nutri-Vet Eye Rinse for Dog, Cliny Universal Pet Eye Wash Cleaner, etc.
- Use a soothing voice while you clean your pet’s eyes. And don’t forget to treat your pet with healthy natural snacks after completion.
I hope these ideas were helpful for you.
Since Golden Retrievers are needy breeds, you must give them enough affection and care. Besides this, your ignorance can further reduce the short lifespan of your pal.
Therefore, be very careful while deciding for your pal. If you give a little time and effort to grooming and caring for your pet, you can undoubtedly make millions of memories with them.
Further, if you have suggestions and queries about the eye problems of Golden Retriever, feel free to mention them in the comment box.
