Another Dry Eye Question

I have not heard of that, but not my specialty :B. I'd be interested in what the ophthalmologist says.

re: dry eyes, I just remembered that firefighters we worked with used a dry eye mist or spray for themselves. Dr Doug, is that ever used for dogs that are outdoors a lot or are difficult to to treat with gel? I checked Amazon and found several brands available. I am going to ask our ophthalmologist what she thinks about it for us. Sometimes when you're out in the heat and wind, it might be handy.

Yep, classic dry eye. The cyclosporine helps stimulate the tear production. If she still gets the goop buildup, you should use artificial tears (in ADDITION TO THE CYCLOSPORINE) to help keep the eye moist. I prefer the Genteal eye gel - it's thicker and stays with the eye longer than the liquid drops.
(Have the infection issue resolved, also, with your vet.)

Another very good drop is Refresh Plus Eye Lubricating drops - made by Allergan.

You need to keep moisture in her eyes. Untreated dry eye will eventually lead to blindness in the dog. The eye lids dragging over the cornea will eventually lead to a black pigment over the eye. They can also develop corneal ulcers.

With a 6.5 yr old dog, you really want to keep those eyes moisturized. Get yourself a routine, so you remember to drop the eyes. Do it at meal times, when you get up, before you go to bed. Severe dry eye needs moisture drops every few hours (2-3).

If the dog resists, give her a small treat after she gets the drops. Try to make it something pleasant, because it's vitally important that she get these drops the rest of her life.

Cyclosporin used to be available as Optimmune. Got extremely expensive. There are compounding pharmacies around that are mail order. I've found them to be more affordable and great to deal with. I use Wedgewood in NJ, but if you are in TX, I'm sure there are some out your way.

I've dealt with dry eye in cockers. None of my personal dogs went blind from it, but I'm religious with eye drops. I had a beautiful 4 yr old boy come in to rescue who was totally blind from untreated dry eye. It's sad to see any dog go blind, but even worse with a young dog, especially when it can be prevented with eye drops.

The pus is a consequence of the dry eye. Without proper lubrication and normal flushing of the eye from tears, the eyes are more prone to infection, thus the pus. Antibiotic eye drops or ointment are often necessary to get rid of the infection, but it always comes back if the dry eye is not treated.

Doug, DVM