There are several types of eye injuries that can affect dogs. From eyelid lacerations to cornea scratches, dogs can sustain these injuries easily, so it’s important for pet owners to be able to identify when their dog is in distress. Crescent Springs Animal Hospital, which provides the best pet emergency services in Crescent Springs, KY, says if you own a dog, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with these common eye injuries they can suffer from:

Corneal Lacerations

Your dog’s cornea is very delicate and can become scratched easily. Being poked by sharp objects like a stick or getting scratched by a cat’s claws can cause corneal lacerations. To treat corneal lacerations, your dog’s veterinarian will fit them with an Elizabethan collar to prevent further irritation. However, if they injury is more serious and cannot heal on its own, your dog may require antibiotics and need to wear soft contact lens until it heals. Surgical treatment may be required for deeper corneal wounds.

Dog Bites

If your dog was in a fight with another dog, they could sustain an eye injury. Dog bites can cause lacerations to the eyelids and other surrounding eye tissues, but if your dog’s eyeball is squeezed or bitten in any way, it may pose more serious complications. While it can be hard to tell from looking, your dog’s eyeball may be injured internally. Other complications include a hemorrhage or glaucoma. Depending on the severity of the eye injury, your dog may need stitches and antibiotics. In more severe cases, your dog’s eye may need to be removed completely.

Proptosis

Proptosis is a common eye injury that often affects flat-faced dogs, like pugs and Shih Tzus. Because they have shallow eye sockets, they are at a higher risk of proptosis, which is when the eyeball is forced out of the eye socket. Proptosis can happen for several reasons, including if your dog has sustained blunt force trauma to their face or head, like being hit by a car, or if an object like a baseball has struck them. Dog fights can also cause proptosis.

Proptosis is a pet emergency, and you should take your dog to their veterinarian right away to seek treatment. They will likely give your dog an anesthetic and put their eye back into the socket. Because this is such a serious injury, there is a chance that they will lose sight in the affected eyeball. In some instances, they may lose their eye completely.

To learn more about eye injuries in dogs, call the pet emergency doctors at Crescent Springs Animal Hospital today. Reach their clinic at (859) 331-6608, or visit their website for more information.