Eye problems in dogs

Are Dog Styes Contagious?

Max. D Gray
By Max. D Gray. Updated: January 16, 2017
Are Dog Styes Contagious?

A sty is a bacterial infection that usually appears as an inflammation in the eye area, close to eyelashes' base. Though some may be surprised, styes are not an exclusive lesion that affects humans, but can also affect dogs.

If you have noticed that your dog has a sty, then you might be wondering what has caused it and if you or any other dogs around you could get infected by this bacteria. If you're asking yourself if dog styes are contagious, keep reading this OneHowTo article to know the answer.

You may also be interested in: What Causes a Sty On a Dog's Eye

Contents

  1. What you should consider about dog styes
  2. Are dog styes contagious for humans?
  3. Are dog styes contagious for other dogs?

What you should consider about dog styes

Dog styes are exactly the same as human styes. Therefore, you will need to keep your dog monitored and its eyes clean, as it won't be able to cure this infection by itself. Though most styes last for a week, there have been cases of dogs that have had styes for months or that have recurred due to the fact that they haven't been treated properly. You should know how to cure a dog stye in order to get rid of the infection properly to ensure your dog's health.

You should also know it's highly important not to pop the sty by any means too.

Are dog styes contagious for humans?

A dog sty will not infect a human directly, there is no need to keep your dog in quarantine or keep it away from the rest of the family. Even though humans' natural defenses will block the bacteria from creating an infection, it is important to take certain precautionary measures.

If you are the person who is going to cure your dog's sty, it's vitally important you do so using latex gloves or similar in order to avoid direct contact with the sty's bacteria. This will also help your dog to contract any possible bacteria you may also have, which would make the infection worse. Though wearing gloves is a mandatory precaution, make sure you still wash your hands thoroughly with soap and lukewarm water after treating your dogs with any remedy. Make sure you also dispose of cotton swabs, tea bags or any residue used to treat the dog's infection correctly.

Ask someone else to hold your dog while treating its eye so it doesn't move too. This person should make sure he or she washes their hands afterwards too.

Are Dog Styes Contagious? - Are dog styes contagious for humans?

Are dog styes contagious for other dogs?

As you may already know, a sty involves the infection of a follicle in the eye and does not necessarily have bacteria. Therefore, styes are not directly contagious from one dog to the other, though you should try to keep your dog away from fighting other dogs as, though it is pretty rare and unlikely, if another dog touches your dog's eye with its paw and then touches its own eye, it may pass on to the second dog.

Are Dog Styes Contagious? - Are dog styes contagious for other dogs?

If you want to read similar articles to Are Dog Styes Contagious?, we recommend you visit our Pets category.

Tips
  • If your dog's sty hasn't disappeared after three to four days, it's important you take your pet to the vet.

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Are Dog Styes Contagious?