You can use Chloramphenicol drops to ease the eyes. We always have some in the house for us, but after buying some of the (very expensive) animal version we found it was exactly the same amounts of active ingredients as the human version which you can buy over the counter at the Chemist.
Like suggested above Vaseline around the eyes once clean and, a drop of Chloramphenicol in the eye will have happy pooch back in the house.
May I take polite issue with your post, and it's inappropriate advice.
1) The original post made no mention of corneal or conjunctival problems, simply periorbital, yet you are advocating treating the cornea and subsequently the conjunctiva.
2) The treatment you are advocating is a human drug and not licensed for animals, thus certain criteria have to be applied, before it can be used in the case of a dog. None of which will have been applied in this case.
3) You are asking the pharmacist to provide a drug illegally, all be it unknowingly.
4) Worst of all you are advocating the inappropriate use of an antibiotic, how many times have you been told to finish the course of antibiotics by your own doctor, or in the case of your dog the vet. The occasional use of antibiotics leads to increased resistance by bacteria to antibiotics, thus making the condition more difficult and more expensive to treat.
5) You say expensive, how valuable is a dog's eye, and how expensive to treat if it goes wrong??
The above can also be levied at the suggestion by Martin, which Buchan has already covered.
Matt - be careful with Vaseline, same can be said for Aloe Vera, around the eye, do not get it into the eye. Speak to your vet - fucithalmic can be gently smeared around the eye, and as it is an ophthalmic treatment does not matter if it goes in the eye. But again be aware of potential antibiotic resistance if just used for a couple of days every week or so.
Also if fine thorns are an issue be very, very careful you do not spot a thorn in the cornea, ultimate worst case the dog could lose an eye.
regards,
HL.
