Dog care: eye injuries

By Dr. Cerny

Surprisingly, dogs have few serious eye injuries. Any injury to the eye can lead to permanent scarring or blindness if penetrating or ulcerative lesions develop. Eye injuries can include scratches, perforating injuries, foreign bodies, and chemical or contact corneal trauma. Any condition that causes your pet to squint or protect his eye, any suspected trauma to the eye, any abnormal appearance of the eyeball or any time the eyelid cannot cover the eye are all absolute medical emergencies.

If you suspect there may be debris or irritation affecting your pet`s eye, you can use an eye wash to clean away foreign objects and to visualize the seriousness of the situation. If your pet is squinting, hiding its eyes from the light, has a raised third eyelid, or has any blood within or around the eye, its time to see the veterinarian without delay. Most veterinarians look at any eye issues as needing priority rather than a wait-and-see approach. Even a minor scratch on the cornea from a thorn or a cinder can lead to consequences that would be disastrous for the pet. Home treatment of eye injuries is not recommended without a veterinarian`s inspection.