A corneal ulcer is a tear or scratch in the clear outer layer, the cornea, of your dog’s eye. The cornea is comprised of several different layers of tissue. The severity of a corneal ulcer depends upon which layers are impacted and the size of the ulcer. Corneal ulcers can be very painful and, in many cases, may become infected.

Symptoms include reddening of the eye, pawing at the eye, blinking and pain. These ulcers often become infected, causing a yellowish-green discharge to emit from your dog’s eye.

Corneal ulcers are most often the result of a foreign substance or object, such as dust or even your dog’s own paw scratching the eye. However, corneal ulcers can also be caused by an underlying eye ailment.

Your vet will perform an eye exam on your dog in which a fluorescein dye is put into your dog’s eye. The dye will make the corneal ulcer turn green so that it can be easily identified by your vet.

The treatment of a corneal ulcer depends upon its severity. Milder cases are usually treated with medications to lessen pain and fight infection until the ulcer heals on its own. More severe cases may require surgery. Elizabethan collars may be used to prevent the dog from scratching at the affected eye.

Prompt treatment of any underlying eye condition and avoiding environments that contain substances able to enter the eye is the only prevention for a corneal ulcer.

No, you cannot contract a corneal ulcer from your dog.