Join Marty and Laura as they “scratch the surface” of dog eye health, breaking down everything from painful corneal ulcers to the right way to safely wrestle your pup for their eye drops!
We might be a little punch-drunk from a busy weekend of seminaring, but we are absolutely thrilled to kick off our new mini-series all about your dog’s eyeballs! Today, we are keeping things focused on the cornea—that beautifully clear window at the very front of the eye.
In this episode, we dive into:
- Eye Anatomy 101: Why the cornea needs to stay perfectly clear and why sudden cloudiness, redness or brown pigment means you need to get to the vet yesterday.
- Pigmentary Keratitis (PK): Why flat-faced cuties with protruding eyes (we’re looking at you, Pugs and Frenchies!) are so prone to this dark pigmentation and how to manage it.
- Corneal Ulcers: The super painful reality of grass seeds, bush scratches and even car airbag injuries (PSA: Please keep your dog out of the front seat!).
- The Golden Rule of Eye Meds: Why you must never use a leftover steroid eye drop on your dog without a vet checking for an ulcer first.
- Vet Tests Demystified: What to expect at the clinic, including why that agonizingly long 60-second Schirmer tear test always has to be the very first step.
- Pro-Tips for Meds: Marty’s expert advice for getting eye drops into a squirmy dog—hint: back them into a corner and straddle them.
- Doggy Contact Lenses? Yes, you heard that right! Learn how vets use human soft contact lenses as a “bandage” to save your dog’s vision while an ulcer heals.
A quick reminder: If your dog’s eye is slammed shut, watering or looks “steamy” (like a bathroom mirror after a hot shower), treat it as an emergency and get to a vet or ophthalmologist immediately!
Sponsor Shoutouts: Check out Dogg!t to help find responsibly bred, health-verified puppies. Also, don’t forget to head over to martyandlaurashow.com/kids-corner for our free weekly downloads and the fun Color Me Pets coloring packs!
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