Eye Injuries

Is your pet giving you a loving wink or is there something going on with their eyes? Eye issues can escalate very quickly!

Eye injuries or problems should be seen by a vet immediately at the time they are noticed, changes to the eye and it's associated structures can occur quickly after an accident, even over a few hours.

- If one eye is affected, it is often due to an injury

- If both eyes are effected it could be due to an infection or chemical burn to the eyes

- Redness, swelling, increased tear production, squinting, closing of the eye/s, cloudiness or blueness of the eyeball, discharge, change in the size of the eyeball, uneven pupil size, a membrane (third eyelid) across the eye, pawing or rubbing the eye are all signs of an eye problem.

- First Aid -

Prolapsed Eyeball (when the eyeball 'pops' out)

- Do NOT attempt to replace the eye back into the socket

- Place a moist cloth over the eye, use a clean cloth soaked in saline or water, apply loosely

- Transport the pet to the vet immediately

Foreign Body

- If a foreign body has punctured the eyeball, is not mobile or is not removed by flushing, see a vet immediately

- If the foreign body is small and mobile (ie grass seed, dust or hair post grooming) flush the eyeball with a gentle stream of saline or tepid water, also flush under the top and lower eyelid.

- The scratching effect from a foreign body can cause small scratches on the surface of the eye, this can then turn into an ulceration on the surface of the eye and allow infection to enter

- See a vet promptly