Can you Get Pink Eye from a Dog? All You Need to Know

Pink eye is an eye infection that is contagious and might spread from person to person. But do you know if can humans get pink eye from a dog or can a dog get pink eye from humans? Well, the answer to both these questions is yes! But dogs are more likely to catch pink eye from humans than humans are to catch it from dogs. This article is a detailed guide to pink eye, its introduction, its symptoms, its spread, prevention, and treatment. 

What Is Pink eye?

Pink eye is an eye condition that involves infection or inflammation of the conjunctiva and is also referred to as conjunctivitis. The conjunctiva is a membrane above the sclera and covers around the line of your eyelid. In common language, the sclera is the white portion of your eyes that surrounds the eyeball. This is due to the inflammation of tiny blood vessels beneath the eye surface giving a pink or red appearance which is why this condition is referred to as pink eyes.

Pink Eye in Dogs

Dogs can also get infected from this condition which sometimes involves all three eyelids making the conjunctivitis even worse. Humans have two eyelids but dogs have three. The purpose of this eyelid is to provide added lubrication and protection to the eyes by building an extra tissue layer across the eye surface. This third layer is called the nictitating membrane which is more prone to inflammation and infections.

Causes of Pink Eye in Dogs

There are different factors that might lead to the development of pink eyes in dogs. Some of these factors are:

• Entry of foreign bodies into the eyes like dust or debris.
• Growth of parasites in the eyes like roundworms.
• Defects of the Eyelashes or eyelids.
• Physical injury or trauma to the eyes.
• Spread of a viral or bacterial infection. 
• Occurrence of allergic reactions.

Symptoms of Conjunctivitis in Dogs

The symptoms of pink eye in dogs are the same as those in humans mainly including thick, watery, and clear discharge from the eyes. This is either green or yellow in color and is due to abnormal blinking or squinting by the dog leading to injury, excessive friction, and inflammation. This can also result in the infection of sclera causing more deterioration of the eye health. In most of the cases, both eyes are involved in conjunctivitis. Other common symptoms of pink eyes are sneezing, coughing, and nasal discharge. Conjunctivitis in your dog might also be an indication of another underlying health condition so you should always take your dog to the vet for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Can dogs catch pink eye from a person?

Are you searching for the most appropriate answer to “Can dogs get pink eye from a human”?. This section will answer it all! Well, the shortest and the simplest answer to this question is yes. Dogs can catch pink eye from humans because it is a contagious condition. The most common mode of transfer of pink eye from a human to a dog is via direct eye contact. If your dog looks directly into the eyes of a person already ill with pink eyes, it will also catch the infection. Another method of transfer of pink eye from a human to a dog is via coming in contact with the discharge from the eyes of an infected person. So if your dog gets in contact with your tears or eye fluid and you have pink eye then your dog will also get infected. 

Can you Get Pink Eye from a Dog?

Another common question that dog owners often have is if humans can get pink eye from an already infected dog. Well, this is not a common case observed in healthy people with dogs having pink eye condition. But in rare scenarios, this can happen. Sometimes humans can also catch infections from dogs same as dogs get infected by humans. This issue is majorly seen in people with compromised immune systems and bad health conditions. So if you have dogs with pink eye around you, always take necessary precautions. This is important to save yourself, your family, and other dogs from the infection. It is best to isolate the infected dog from people as well as other dogs to prevent the infection from spreading. 

How to Treat Conjunctivitis in Dogs?

The best solution is to take your dog to a qualified, skilled, and experienced veterinarian and get professional medical help. You can talk about the most suitable approaches for your dog with your vet and then finally agree on the best treatment plan. In most cases, eyedrops are preferred to treat conjunctivitis in dogs as they can be administered at home so that you don’t have to bring your dog to the vet every other day. The most important factor to keep in mind for treating conjunctivitis in dogs is to determine the cause first and then get rid of the cause instead of temporarily treating the infection.

This might also lead to recurrent infections deteriorating your dog’s overall eye health. Eye ointments are also used sometimes for treating pink eyes in dogs but they are relatively difficult to administer. However, if the conjunctivitis has worsened and is due to an underlying abnormality like entropion then you might have to consider surgery. The decision of the best treatment should be left to the vet.

Conclusion

The best thing to take care of your dog’s health is to maintain a clean living, sleeping, eating, and playing environment for your dog. Even then if your dog gets infected with pink eye take the help of an expert vet in this regard. Also, it is best to isolate the dog for a few days and start the proper treatment to facilitate infection control and speedy recovery. You should not allow other dogs or people to come near the infected dog as it can lead to infection spread and potential health issues. 

FAQs