APPLICATION OF EYE MEDICATION

Your veterinary surgeon will have discussed the frequency and application of the eye medication prescribed but it may be useful to have these notes as an aide memoir.

Applying the medication

It is always useful to have someone to hold the dog for you if at all possible.

Hold the head firmly but gently and tilt the nose upwards.

Remove any dried discharge from the corners of the eye with a piece of cotton wool moistened with clean water.

Applying ointment

If eye ointment has been supplied in a tube, do not point the nozzle directly at the eye. Gently part the lids between your finger and thumb and holding the tube with the nozzle parallel to the eye and approximately half a centimeter from the eye, gently squeeze a small amount of ointment across the already held open eye. Your dog will immediately close his eye. Gently stroke your fingers across the closed lids to disperse the ointment which will rapidly liquefy when in contact with the warm tears.

Applying eye drops

If a liquid has been prescribed the technique is, if anything, a little easier. The lids are parted as before and the nozzle is held vertically, approximately half a centimeter above the eye and one drop gently ejected on to the eyeball. Following this the procedure is exactly the same.

General Tips

Sometimes although only one eye is affected your veterinary surgeon will have advised you to apply the drops to both eyes. Please remember to apply the preparation to the unaffected eye first. It is also important to avoid touching the eye with any part of the nozzle of the eye preparation in order to reduce contamination as much as possible.

If you find it difficult to apply the medication, sometimes a simple muzzle takes the dog's mind off what is happening and will be of great assistance. If you contact your veterinary surgery they can supply a suitable muzzle or alternatively one can be improvised from a piece of bandage or an old tie. Your veterinary surgery will gladly assist with a demonstration of how to apply this.

If you happen to own one of the flat faced, brachycephalic breeds, Boxer, Pug, Peke etc. muzzling is more difficult but techniques using a towel or in some cases a special muzzle can be effective.

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