A Practical Decision Guide: What to Do the Moment You Notice an Eye Problem

In this guide

This piece complements the earlier article on common eye injuries and infections with a simple, step by step way to decide how quickly to act the moment you spot something off with your dog's eye.

Step one: look, but do not touch

Get your dog into good light and gently examine the eye without pressing on it. Note whether both eyes are affected or just one, whether the eye is open normally or held partly shut, and what the discharge, if any, looks like.

Step two: sort what you see into one of three categories

• Watch and monitor: mild redness, a small amount of clear discharge, no squinting, the dog is otherwise behaving normally
• See a vet within 24 hours: persistent squinting, coloured discharge, visible redness that is not improving, excessive pawing at the eye
• Go now, same day emergency: sudden cloudiness, a visibly bulging or sunken eye, one pupil looking different in size to the other, an object visibly stuck in the eye, or any sign the eye itself has been physically injured

What never to do while you decide

• Do not apply any human eye drop, ointment, or home remedy, including boric acid solutions sometimes suggested in old home remedy lists
• Do not attempt to remove an object embedded in the eye yourself
• Do not force the eye open if the dog is holding it shut in pain
• Do not delay if there is any change in pupil size or shape, these often signal something more serious than surface irritation

Why speed matters more with eyes than most other problems

The eye is one of the few areas of the body where a seemingly small problem can cause permanent damage within a day or two if it is the wrong kind of problem, corneal ulcers being the clearest example. When in doubt, treating an eye issue with more urgency than it might turn out to need costs little, while treating a serious eye issue too casually can cost your dog's sight.

Common Questions

Q: Can I wait until morning if my dog's eye seems fine otherwise? A: Only for the mildest, clearly improving cases. Anything matching the same day emergency list should never wait overnight.

Q: Are certain breeds more prone to eye injuries? A: Yes, breeds with prominent, protruding eyes such as Pugs and Shih Tzus are generally more vulnerable to both injury and certain eye conditions.

Article content © Ravi Teja. All rights reserved.