Veterinarian at Greenfield Veterinary Clinic Treats Eye Injuries in Pets
Eye injuries are common in pets, especially dogs and cats that spend time outdoors. Dogs who ride in the car with their heads hanging out of the window in Greenfield are, particularly at risk. Many eye injuries in pets occur when sticks, grass, dirt, or sand gets into their eye and causes irritation or injury from rubbing on the eye. Breeds with pushed in faces or bulging eyes usually see these problems more than others. When irritation in the eye occurs from debris, the eye becomes red because of congested blood vessels. This is known as conjunctivitis. This irritation can also lead to a more serious bacterial infection. If you see inflamed eyes that are weeping or producing a thick white or yellow fluid, call our Greenfield Veterinary Clinic right away. Our veterinarian will need to see your pet. This is quite often a product of bacterial infection.
Treatment for Eye Injuries
Our veterinarian will want to get a good look at your pet's eyes. An ophthalmoscope is often used to look for the cause of the irritation, such as a splinter or other debris stuck in the eye. The veterinarian will also check for deeper damage, often with a fluorescent dye to look for scratches on the cornea. If nothing serious is found and the eye is just irritated, antibiotic drops are often used. These can soothe the eye and make sure it does not become infected. Corticosteroid drops are another option to alleviate inflammation and irritation. Other natural treatment options include applying a warm compress to the outside of the eyes and rinsing your pet's eyes with an eyewash. An eyewash could be a good idea after a car ride or time spent running around outside as a preventative measure.
If the injury is more serious, for instance, ulcers or deep scratches on the cornea, special care needs to be taken to protect the eye until it can heal. A surgical procedure to sew the third eyelid to the upper eyelid or sewing the eye shut completely may need to be done to protect the eye. This will act as a patch since a pet is not likely to leave a patch on. Topical drops may be prescribed to relieve spasms and to relax eye muscles that often occur with corneal damage.