Stupid question...pink eye?

[cleopatra20043]

My son came home from my brothers house today with pink eye. This is probably a stupid question but I figure I would be more stupid not to ask and just assume but anyway.....I know this is HIGHLY contagious but is it something the dogs can get too?

[bama]

yes! " The best way to deal with pink eye/conjunctivitis, is to treat with steroid drops, then keep the eye covered, and hands clean.
You can treat the eye naturally with salt, but oh my that is painful and offers only minimal help.
Change pillow case everyday, as well as the bandage/patch over the eye. Whatever touches the eye-mucus, bears germs.
So, if your son unwittingly touches his infected eye, then touches, say a door knob, then everyone who touches the door knob
could potentially get pink eye, including the furkids. Pink eye is easily spread to animals when they are hugged and eye mucus is transferred.
The germ can live on surfaces as long as two to three days.
Careful mom, if your son washes his face with a wash cloth or dries his face with a towel, the towel(s) should go to the wash immediately.
Then whomever handled these items should wash their hands immediately. Yes, it is that contagious!
KEEP THOSE HANDS WASHED!

[kiwani]

Excerpt:

Conjunctivitis in dogs is rarely caused by infection, and almost never by anything contagious to people.

http://www.mvtimes.com/calendar/2008/02 ... narian.php

[kiwani]

Primary conjunctivitis attributable to infectious pathogens is exceedingly rare in dogs.

http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Pr ... R00520.htm

[bama]

I think you are more likely to get pink eye than your dog, if you are the one treating your son's
eyes and doing his laundry.
I have had dogs with pink eye. I've also had horses, and cattle with pink eye.
Growing up, and having cattle numbering in the hundreds, it was pretty much routine for
us to have a round up on the weekend, run the cattle through a chute and check them
one at a time for health conditions. Other than a new mother having an infection in her utter,
Pink eye was the most common ailment. Black leg plague and anthrax were
the least common, but still occurred every now and then.
Our Border Collies and Aussies have had pink eye. I never had a dog to get pink eye,
that wasn't involved with cattle...hmm? I can't explain it?
Working as a Flight Attendant, it seems I contracted pink eye on a regular basis.
I get the creeps just talking about pink eye!
I gotta go wash my hands now!!!

[cleopatra20043]

LOL Bama! I know how contagious it is with people and I get just as creeped out as you! Anthony allready does his own laundry and I bought stock in hand sanitizer for him! I tried to tell him not to touch his eye at all but you know kids, I made him clean his hands EVERY time that I saw him do it and I also bought disinfectant spray and sprayed everything he put his hands on weather or not he had touched his eye or not, he thinks I'm crazy but oh well....he is better now and the dogs never did contract it thank god, probably because I was on top of him the whole time with keeping clean Thanks everyone future reference I now know just how contagious it is and not only in people so if anyone in my family does end up with it again they will get to see the crazy obsessed mom telling them to wash their hands every two seconds and don't touch anything including the animals

[kiwani]

Our Border Collies and Aussies have had pink eye. I never had a dog to get pink eye, that wasn't involved with cattle...hmm? I can't
explain it?

Herding breeds have had a variety of inherited eye problems, including dry eye, etc., causing them to be more vulnerable to environmental irritants, such as dust, pollens, chemicals used around cattle, etc.

I've also had horses, and cattle with pink eye.

Cattle and horses have pink eye problems caused by face flies...

Working as a Flight Attendant, it seems I contracted pink eye on a regular basis.

Flight attendants' eyes experience more blephritis due to exposure to dry cabin air, cigarette smoke, stress, runway fumes/wind, etc.

[bama]

Kiwani,

Thank you Kiwani!
I always wondered why I got pink eye so often, even though I was neurotic about
washing my hands???