French Bulldog Eye Care
French bulldogs have very expressive, lively eyes that require special care. And although the “French” cannot boast of keen vision for most of their lives, the quality of eye care will be reflected in the general well-being of dogs of this breed.
Eye care rules
Normal vision in French Bulldog puppies develops by the age of one and a half months, when they begin to distinguish objects well, navigate in space and follow moving objects.
However, unfortunately, over time, “Frenchmen” develop myopia . This happens closer to a year. It is important for the owner not to aggravate this process by poor care of the organs of vision and not to speed it up due to neglect of the pet’s health.
A healthy dog’s eyes are shiny but do not water. But when walking or staying in dusty rooms, particles of dust, dirt or small fragments of foreign objects or bodies can get into the eyes. Because of this, small clots of purulent discharge accumulate in the corners of the eyes.
Therefore, after walks, as well as in other cases when these discharges appear, it is necessary to clean the dog’s eyes with a piece of clean cotton cloth or a napkin, removing this particular clot.
Eye discharge may stain the fur underneath the eyes pinkish-brown or coat the fur with a brown sticky substance. This exudate itself is not dangerous, but the color of the fur indicates the action of bacteria and yeast. Therefore, it is enough for a healthy dog to wipe the eyes and fur underneath them every morning with a clean piece of cotton cloth or a napkin soaked in warm, clean water.
If discharge from the eyes has started to bother the dog, a consultation with a veterinarian will help to understand the cause: perhaps the lacrimation is associated with irritants affecting the organs of vision, or infectious eye diseases are possible.
Excessive lacrimation may appear due to strong wind, draft. In this case, it is necessary to wipe the eyes from the outer corner to the inner one also with a soft fabric base or napkin. It is not recommended to use synthetic types of fabric for these purposes. Also, in the future, you should monitor your eyes and in the event of repeated profuse lacrimation without any apparent reason, seek help from a specialist.
Eye care when sick
If your dog has excessive tearing, redness, clouding of the eyes, or the presence of abundant purulent exudate in them, this is a reason to contact a veterinarian for consultation and examination, as these symptoms may indicate an eye disease in your pet.
Important! Often dogs with such almost bulging eyes suffer from prolapse of the third eyelid, as well as eye trauma due to punctures, foreign bodies. Cases of conjunctivitis caused by infections are common.
Eye irritation, blocked tear ducts, inversion of eyelashes or eyelids, abnormal eyelid structure – all this can cause profuse and frequent lacrimation, which, together with bacteria and fungi, can lead to eye disease in dogs and long-term treatment and recovery. Therefore, if the above symptoms are detected, a visit to a specialist will make life easier for both the owner and his pet.
Allergies may cause prolonged and abundant discharge from the eyes, as well as sneezing, anxiety, and itching on other parts of the dog’s body. It is necessary to analyze the dog’s condition and remove the source of the allergy from its environment. Antihistamines, sorbents, and hypoallergenic food are used for treatment.
Lacrimation caused by blockage of the tear ducts, inversion of eyelashes or eyelids, abnormal eyelid structure is sometimes treated only by surgical intervention, the need for which can only be recommended by an experienced specialist. He will also prescribe restorative therapy.
If a foreign body is found in the dog’s eye, you must not remove it yourself, but contact a veterinarian . Under sterile conditions, the doctor will help remove the foreign object from the eye and prescribe appropriate healing, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory drugs. It should be remembered that it is inadmissible to use healing drugs before removing the foreign object from the eye.
Only a doctor can diagnose a dog with conjunctivitis, and only after appropriate tests. Symptoms of this disease include abundant purulent discharge from one or both eyes, the formation of dried crusts on the eyelids and eyelashes.
For treatment, microbe-sensitive drugs and restorative therapy are used. The crusts are removed with a soft cloth or napkin soaked in warm boiled water.
Important! Do not wash dogs’ eyes with aggressive solutions or tea.
When prescribing eye drops, they should be instilled into each eye with a pipette, for which it is necessary to fix the dog, then slightly spread the eyelids with the fingers of one hand, and with the other hand, instill the eyedropper, bringing it to a distance of 5 mm. from the eyeball. It is better to apply the gel to the inner edge of the eye.
Prevention of eye diseases
Prevention of eye diseases in French Bulldogs involves, first of all, a thorough daily examination to identify possible problems, as well as following the rules for the care and feeding of the animal to maintain its immunity.
If signs of eye disease are detected in a Frenchie, timely medical attention will contribute to the pet’s speedy recovery and minimize damage to its health, as well as save the owner’s nerves and money.
This is interesting! The structure of the eyes of French bulldogs is such that they cannot distinguish colors, and sometimes distinguish flat objects from three-dimensional ones.
Because of these features, injuries and damage to the eyes can often occur . This should be kept in mind and the space around the dogs should be protected, protecting them from possible injuries during walks or in other places where they stay.
Since a strong wind or drafts can lead to profuse lacrimation or inflammatory processes of the organs of vision, it is necessary to monitor the direction of the wind during walks and, if necessary, adjust the places or time of walks. For the same reason, you cannot allow “Frenchmen” to stay in a draft on the street or in a home for a long time, and also not allow them to stick their muzzles out of the window of a moving car.
To prevent the formation of brown crusts under the eyes and further infection of these areas, it is enough to wipe these areas with a damp cloth or napkin once a day, and also to cut the hair around the eyes short.
Do not use any detergents to clean the eyes and the fur around them to avoid irritation of the visual organs; it is enough to use clean warm boiled water or special products designed for the care of the pet’s eyes.
