There are various injuries that your pet may sustain to their eye including foreign bodies in the eye, scratches, chemical exposure or contact corneal trauma.
It is important that you take your pet to visit a vet and be assessed as soon as you notice the signs of an eye injury.
Your pet will require immediate eye injury care because a number of eye conditions can lead to permanent scarring or even blindness if not properly treated.
Common Causes of Eye Injuries in Pets
Some of the most common eye injuries in pets include:
- Cat eye injury from fights
- Dog eye injury caused by cat scratch
- Other types of altercations with animals
- Running in the woods - branches scratching eye
- Digging in brush - damage to eye caused by brush
- Dangerous projectiles such as fireworks
- Riding in a car with head out the window
Symptoms of Pet Eye Injuries
If your dog or cat is experiencing any of the following eye injury symptoms, get to your vet right away:
- General Discomfort
- Squinting
- Rapid Blinking
- Inability to Open Eye
- Tearing Eyes
- Bloodshot Eyes
- Pawing at Eye / Face
- Cloudiness or Discharge
Diagnosing Pet Eye Injuries
You can help your vet determine the diagnosis by providing specific information including when your pet’s symptoms began, if they seem better or worse, and any details you may know about the situation that caused the injury.
If your vet can’t immediately see a foreign object in your pet's eye or other damage to the eye, they’ll conduct a thorough ocular exam to determine if there’s a deeper injury, irritation or bruising as a result of trauma.
Cat & Dog Eye Injury Treatment
Treatment options will depend on the severity of your pet's injury and what caused the injury to your pet's eye. In many cases, a simple injury can be treated by having your dog or cat wear an e-collar to prevent rubbing and prescription antibiotics or drops. More complex injuries may require surgery to repair your pet's eye and restore its function.
If your dog or cat is suffering from an ongoing or severe eye issue contact our veterinarians at Animal Emergency Clinic.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.