Dog has a runny eye.

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi there Margie! Thanks for using my website!

It's not uncommon to see a dog have a runny eye and often we don't know why. I generally don't get worried as long as the eye is not red, inflamed or bothersome and as long as there is no green or yellow discharge.

The cause can sometimes be a blocked tear duct. When this happens then tears that are supposed to be drawn out of the eye through the duct end up spilling out of the eye. If I have a dog with this problem I will sometimes try flushing the tear duct but this is something that needs to be done under an anesthetic and it is not always successful.

Some Goldens will have runny eyes because of a condition called entropion where the skin around the eye curls in and hairs irritate the eye. But again, I don't usually treat this unless the eye is really sore (i.e. squinting and redness). The treatment is a plastic surgery to stop the skin from rolling into the eye.

The dark colour you are seeing is the result of tears staining the fur. I usually recommend a product called optixcare for this. It is not prescription and if the vet in Arnprior doesn't carry it they can order it for you. It's not terribly expensive. I usually recommend using it to wash the area every day or two.

Regarding Ned...Metacam is prescription and he would need to have an exam done in order to get it. It is possible that if he has had an exam in the last year your vet may prescribe it, but usually we need to do an exam first. It is generally a safe medicine but if there is an issue with the liver or kidneys then it can make that worse, so usually we like to do some bloodwork before starting and again a few weeks into treatment. Most dogs that start on Metacam see a great improvement in arthritis.

If you do decide to put Ned on a medication like Metacam you can ask your vet about Previcox. It is very similar in effect and safety but it is less expensive. I don't know the exact price but for a 80 lb dog you may be looking at about $50-$65 per month for Previcox and about $80 or more for Metacam.

Regarding the glucosamine, keep it up...it usually helps. A dog of Ned's size can have 3 x 500mg per day.

I hope that helps! You know you can always send me an email or a message on facebook if you have questions.

You can also reply to this question using the button on this page...it gets emailed to me and I see it on my blackberry immediately.

Bless you!
Marie


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Dr. Marie replied:

You're welcome Margie! Bless you guys! Say hi to Kenny for us!

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