Jaundice in Dogs' Eyes: What Yellow Eyes Mean

Name: Jaundice in Dogs' Eyes: What Yellow Eyes Mean
Creator: Dr. Zubair Khalid

By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD · 2026-10-03

Yellow eyes in dogs happen when bilirubin, a yellow pigment made from old red blood cells, builds up in the bloodstream and stains the white part of the eye. That white part is called the sclera, and when it turns yellow, the condition is called jaundice or icterus [1]. Jaundice in dogs' eyes is almost never an eye problem itself. It is a visible signal that something is wrong with the liver, the bile ducts, or the blood.

This article is educational and is not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or treatment.

Quick Answer

Yellow eyes mean bilirubin is accumulating in your dog's body, and the cause is either liver disease, bile duct blockage, or red blood cell destruction [1].
Jaundice is a sign, not a diagnosis. Your vet needs bloodwork and usually an abdominal ultrasound to find the underlying disease [2].
Some causes are surgical emergencies, especially a ruptured gallbladder or bile peritonitis, so same-day care matters [1].
Call your vet today if you notice yellow eyes, yellow gums, or yellow skin, even if your dog seems to feel fine.
Go to an emergency clinic now if yellow eyes come with collapse, seizures, a swollen belly, or severe pain.

What Yellow Eyes Look Like and What Is Normal

The white of a healthy dog's eye is white, sometimes with a faint pink tint from tiny blood vessels. In jaundice, that white takes on a yellow or greenish-yellow color. The change is usually in both eyes and often starts at the inner corner before spreading.

Jaundice does not stop at the eyes. Bilirubin stains nonpigmented soft tissues, so the gums, the inside of the lips, the skin of the belly, and the urine can all turn yellow [1]. Owners often notice the eyes first because the sclera is easy to see in bright light.

A few things can look like jaundice but are not. Some dogs have natural pigment spots on the sclera. Others get a yellow tinge from certain foods or from a condition called carotenemia, which is harmless. If you are unsure, compare the eye whites to the gums in natural daylight. If both look yellow, treat it as real jaundice.

It also helps to know what else is going on. Yellow eyes with thick discharge is a different problem from yellow eyes with yellow gums. If the eye itself looks irritated or goopy, see our guide to eye goop in dogs and dog eye goop color for help sorting out eye surface issues from systemic ones.

Why the Sclera Turns Yellow

Bilirubin is a normal waste product. Old red blood cells are broken down, the spleen and liver process the pigment, and the liver sends it out through bile into the intestine. Jaundice appears when any step in that chain fails [1].

Veterinarians sort the causes into three groups based on where the problem sits [1]:

Prehepatic: too much bilirubin is being made, faster than the liver can clear it. This is a blood problem.
Hepatic: the liver itself is too damaged or too sick to process and export bilirubin.
Posthepatic: bile cannot flow out of the liver because something is blocking or leaking from the biliary tract.

Knowing the group matters because the treatment is completely different. A dog with immune-mediated destruction of red blood cells needs immune suppression. A dog with a blocked bile duct may need surgery the same day.

Main Causes of Jaundice in Dogs

Cause	Typical clues	How urgent
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA)	Pale gums that turn yellow, weakness, fast breathing, dark urine	Emergency. Some dogs develop neurologic signs from very high bilirubin [3]
Biliary tract infection (cholangitis, cholecystitis)	Vomiting, not eating, belly pain, fever, high liver enzymes [2]	Urgent. Some cases need surgery if the tract ruptures [2]
Extrahepatic bile duct obstruction (stones, stricture, mass)	Yellow eyes and gums, weight loss, lethargy, light-colored stool [4]	Urgent to emergency. Bile backup can become bile peritonitis [1]
Congenital ductal plate malformation (Caroli-like disease)	Young dog, jaundice, weight loss, lethargy, abnormal bile ducts on imaging [4]	Urgent. Reported in a 2-year-old small-breed dog [4]
Chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis	Slow onset, weight loss, poor appetite, yellow eyes late in disease	Urgent, same-day workup
Leptospirosis and other infections	Fever, vomiting, muscle soreness, sometimes kidney involvement	Emergency. Some causes are contagious to people
Toxin or drug injury to the liver	Known exposure, sudden illness, yellow gums	Emergency
Portosystemic shunt with liver dysfunction	Young dog, small size, neurologic signs, poor growth [5]	Urgent. Hepatic encephalopathy can follow [5]

Two patterns are worth remembering. First, hemolytic disease often makes the gums look pale and yellow at the same time, because red blood cells are being destroyed. Second, obstructive disease often makes the stool pale and the urine dark, because bile is not reaching the gut.

Biliary infections deserve special attention. They are being recognized more often in dogs and should be on the list for any dog with vomiting, loss of appetite, and jaundice, especially with belly discomfort or fever [2]. Ultrasound is a central part of the workup because it can show which dogs need urgent surgery for a ruptured biliary tract [2]. In one reported case, a dog with bacterial cholecystitis also had hypothyroidism, and the gallbladder infection only fully resolved once the thyroid disease was treated [6]. That is a reminder that two problems can exist at once.

Red Flags That Make It an Emergency

Some signs mean you should stop reading and call an emergency clinic.

Collapse, extreme weakness, or difficulty breathing
Seizures, stupor, or a dog who is not responding normally. In dogs with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia and high bilirubin, neurologic signs including stupor, weakness in all four legs, and generalized seizures have been reported [3].
A distended, painful belly. This can signal bile peritonitis, which is a surgical emergency [1].
Vomiting that will not stop, or vomiting blood
Very dark urine or black, tarry stool
Yellow gums plus a fever
Known exposure to a toxin, human medication, or spoiled food

Bile peritonitis is confirmed when the bilirubin level in abdominal fluid is more than ten times higher than in the blood [1]. That finding means bile is leaking into the belly and the dog needs surgery, not watchful waiting [1].

Safe Things You Can Do at Home While Waiting

There is no home remedy that clears jaundice. Your job is to keep your dog stable and get to the vet.

Do not give any human medication. Pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen are toxic to dogs, and many other drugs are processed by the liver.
Offer water often. Small, frequent sips are better than a large bowl if your dog is nauseated.
Offer small bland meals only if your dog is eating and not vomiting. Do not force food.
Keep your dog quiet and warm. Limit stairs and jumping if there is weakness.
Collect a urine sample in a clean container if you can. It helps the vet and costs nothing.
Take photos of the eyes and gums in daylight. Color changes can be subtle and shift through the day.
Write down every medication, supplement, and possible toxin exposure, including dates.

If your dog is vomiting yellow fluid, that is a separate clue worth reading about in our articles on what does a dog throwing up yellow mean and dog vomiting yellow meaning. Vomiting plus jaundice raises the odds of a biliary or liver problem [2].

What Your Veterinarian Will Check and Test

Your vet will start with a full physical exam, including the color of the gums, sclera, and skin, plus a belly palpation to check for pain, fluid, or an enlarged liver. They will also check for fever, which points toward infection [2].

Bloodwork

A complete blood count shows whether red blood cells are being destroyed, which supports a prehepatic cause. A chemistry panel measures bilirubin along with liver enzymes, and it also checks kidney values, protein, and electrolytes. In dogs with biliary infection, common findings include increased liver enzyme activity, high bilirubin, and an inflammatory white blood cell pattern [2]. Clotting times may be checked because the liver makes clotting factors, and one reported dog with a biliary malformation had coagulopathy on lab work [4].

Imaging

Abdominal ultrasound is the most useful next step. It can show gallbladder wall thickening, gallstones, dilated bile ducts, and free fluid [2][4]. It also lets the vet guide a needle into the gallbladder to collect bile for cytology and culture, which guides the right antibiotic choice [2]. In one young dog, ultrasound and CT together revealed stones in the common bile duct, diffuse bile duct dilation, and a cystic structure connected to the intrahepatic ducts, which led to a diagnosis of a congenital ductal plate malformation [4].

Other Tests

Depending on the findings, your vet may recommend bile culture, leptospirosis testing, thyroid testing, or a liver biopsy. A thyroid problem can hide behind a biliary infection and delay recovery until it is treated [6]. If a portosystemic shunt is suspected, further testing may look at how the liver is handling gut-derived toxins, since dogs with shunts and neurologic signs show measurable changes in blood metabolites [5].

Prevention and Monitoring

Not all causes of jaundice are preventable, but you can lower risk and catch problems earlier.

Keep all human medications, especially pain relievers, locked away.
Follow vaccine and leptospirosis prevention advice from your vet, since some liver infections are contagious to dogs and people.
Ask your vet before starting any supplement. The liver processes almost everything your dog swallows.
Watch for early clues: yellow tinge in the eyes or gums, dark urine, pale stool, weight loss, or a drop in appetite.
For dogs with known liver disease, keep every recheck appointment. Bloodwork trends catch relapse before the eyes turn yellow again.
If your dog has a chronic condition like hypothyroidism, treat it consistently. Poorly controlled disease can complicate recovery from biliary infections [6].

Limitations and When to Contact a Veterinarian

This article cannot tell you what is causing your dog's yellow eyes. Only your veterinarian can, using an exam, bloodwork, and imaging. Individual cases need a veterinarian, and the timing below is a guide, not a rule.

Call an emergency clinic now if you see collapse, seizures, trouble breathing, a swollen or painful belly, uncontrolled vomiting, or yellow gums with fever. These signs can point to bile peritonitis, severe anemia, or bilirubin-related neurologic problems [1][3].

Call your vet the same day if you notice yellow eyes, yellow gums, yellow skin, dark urine, or pale stool, even if your dog is acting normal. Early jaundice is easier to work up than advanced disease.

Schedule a routine visit soon if you have seen a mild yellow tinge that comes and goes, or if your dog has known liver disease and you want a recheck. If the eye itself is red or irritated instead of yellow, our article on why are my dog's eyes red can help you sort out eye surface problems from systemic ones.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is yellow eyes in dogs always a liver problem?

No. Jaundice can come from liver disease, bile duct blockage, or red blood cell destruction, and the three groups need different treatments [1]. Bloodwork and imaging are how your vet tells them apart.

Can jaundice in dogs go away on its own?

It can improve if the underlying cause is treated, but it does not resolve on its own without addressing that cause. Waiting risks missing a blockage or a leaking biliary tract that needs surgery [1].

Is jaundice in dogs painful?

Jaundice itself is not painful, but the diseases behind it often are. Biliary infections commonly cause abdominal discomfort, and bile peritonitis causes severe belly pain [1][2].

Can I catch jaundice from my dog?

Jaundice is not contagious, but some infections that cause it can spread to people. Leptospirosis is the main one to ask your vet about, especially if your dog has fever and liver or kidney involvement.

Does yellow eye color mean my dog is dying?

No. Yellow eyes mean bilirubin is building up, and many causes are treatable when caught early. The outcome depends on the specific disease, how quickly it is diagnosed, and how well your dog responds to treatment [1][2].

References

Jaundice in Small Animals - Digestive System. Merck Veterinary Manual.
Biliary Tract Infections in Dogs. The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice, 2025.
Hyperbilirubinemia and neurologic signs in dogs with non-associative immune-mediated hemolytic anemia: 81 cases (2015-2024). Journal of veterinary internal medicine, 2026.
Imaging diagnosis of Caroli-like disease with concurrent extrahepatic biliary obstruction in a young small-breed dog: case report. Frontiers in veterinary science, 2026.
Changes in metabolomic profile in dogs with hepatic encephalopathy secondary to congenital portosystemic shunt suggests mitochondrial homeostasis disturbances. American journal of veterinary research, 2026.
Bacterial cholecystitis with concurrent hypothyroidism in a mixed-breed dog. Tierarztliche Praxis. Ausgabe K, Kleintiere/Heimtiere, 2026.