Dry eyes

[Roscoe's dad]

Big boy went to the vet yesterday and was given a clean bill of health other than tarter buidup and possible dry eyes. Before doing the test for dry eyes he was prescribed a anti bacterial cream to put on his lower lid and to close his top lid over it and smoosh it around to rule out an infection.
I am working on the tartar buildup with Greenies and marrow bones.
what exactly is dry eyes? the vet said it was common in Rottweilers, that not enough tears are produced.

Oh he is great with the cream, I was looking forward to having 3 people hold him still while I put my fingers by his eyes. He just sat there and let me put it on. did not even blink. :)

[LORHEL]

Hm... dry eyes, I have not heard of it... in dogs. Does it mean they are not blinking enough? That would be the case in humans... what a good boy he is letting you do that already....I see a major bond developing already between you two...

Glad to hear he is okay other than that, and those greenies and marrow bones will get his teeth in shape in no time.

:) :)

[snakesNxD]

this happens with bulldogs :) dry eye means the eyes dont produce enough tears, for whatever reason. did he ever have a cherry eye? if so, what was done?

the test to see if the eyes are tearing properly is fairly simple. a small paper strip is put under the 3rd eyelid, and held there from 30 seconds or a minute. then you measure the tears. the dog cannot be on eye meds for 24 hours previous to the test.

are his eyes real goopy? you can use some OTC products to keep his eyes moist, just read a post on a bulldog board about "refresh liquigel"

the common medicine perscribed for dry eye is optimmune, but shering plough was fined and had to stop production in 2 of its facilities (or something)...so people are out of luck, but there are compounding places that are licenced to make it.

ask the vet about the OTC medicine. i don't use it...so i don't know if it works...seems to work for the bulldogger who mentioned it, and her vet told her to use it.

[Roscoe's dad]

Yes his eyes are goopy, especially in the morning. The test you described is the one the vet recomended if in fact it is dry eyes and not an infection. He also mentioned that the meds for dry eyes are very expensive, and he would be on them for the rest of his life, so he wants to rule everything else out first.
As far sa him ever having cherry eye, I have no idea, as he is a rescue.:)

[LORHEL]

Is there any chance it could be a food allergy or environmental allergy??

[babesmom]

I just experienced Dry Eyes in my Rottie girl and it is NOTHING to fool with. Your dog can get ulcerated cornea's. The vet thought at first it was allergies and we used a cream that I put in the lower rim of her eyes. She also took benedryl. The next thing I knew she had goopy eyes and one that swelled up and nearly closed. Soooooooooo from there we did the Shermer tear test and she had no tears. We were put on a cream that made tears and a steroid to help heal the small ulcer in the one eye. My vet makes a special drop that takes the place of the cream. We are now cleared up but will be using the drops for life.

[austin]

I just wanted to mention a ball I found at Target about a month age that helps with tartar buildup. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name but it is made by Hartz and it is a white ball with maroon colored nubs sticking up in sections all over the ball. Hannah bites the nubs with her side and front teeth and it has done a great job of cleaning the tartar. It is tough, too. She can go through a nylabone in less than a week, and this ball is still completely undamaged.