Any experience w/ dog scratching eye?

17 years ago

We have a 5 year old Shih Tzu.

He first scratched his one eye two years ago at Christmas. It was early in the morning and DH and I heard him yelp and then heard a bell on the tree tinkling. I went to look at Hunter and found his eye was all red and within a few hours it was looking really bad. Of course this was Sunday and the Vet isn't in and could not be reached. At first we thought he just got something in his eye so I found saline and started washing his eye out. It got better but it wasn't that much better. I took him to the Vet Monday morning and he told me that Hunter had scratched both eyes and would need eye drops twice a day for two weeks and he would be better. It worked.

A month ago we were away during the day for a few hours and came home to find Hunter's eyes all goopy and disgusting. I cleaned them and trimmed his hair even shorter, thinking that possibly his hair was poking his eye or maybe allergies or a cold. I also started flushing the eye out again. They looked MUCH better but I could see the little marks on his eye so off to the Vet we went again. The Vet gave me the drops again, told me to give them to him three times a day for two days and back down to two times a day. He told me then that IF I ran out before the eyes cleared, I could come back for more drops and he would not have to see Hunter.

Sure enough, last week, I ran out of drops and his eyes weren't better. They were better but not 100%. So the kids and I made a quick trip to the Vet's after school. I continued to give the drops but the eyes were not looking 100% better. I have been worried about him but the Vet says he's fine. So I read the bottle of drops and it suggests you give the drops every 4 hours. Then I did research and found that for maximum effect you have to give them 4 times a day. Two times are sufficient and the Vet usually prescribes that because people can't give the drops 4 times a day. So I started 4 times a day and guess what? 75% better in a day!

Any one else have this problem with your dog and what does your Vet suggest? I think if I kept on the twice a day, it would be another month until he was better at that rate!

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Comments (6)

joepyeweed
17 years ago
You may want to get a second opinion. Not all vets are created equal. Many are good at administering shots, but when somehting is wrong they tend to be lacking.

Perhaps your dog has entropion which can be corrected with simple surgery.

Here is a link that might be useful: Entropion
Meghane
17 years ago
Not such a "simple" surgery, one that costs quite a bit of money and has a somewhat high failure rate, meaning you may be paying for it more than once.

I do think that the vet assumed too much in Rx the eye drops twice a day instead of asking if you could administer them 4 times a day. Some people can, some can't, that's just the way it is. But one should always strive for the best possible care, and if money, time, etc. get in the way (which it usually does), then work with that. But you were willing to give the drops 4 times a day, if only you had known. The vet should have asked.
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sweets98
Original Author
17 years ago
The information on the Entropian's say that it's something that becomes noticeable by the time the dog is a year old. This never happened until he was 3 and again now that he's 5. I can see the scratch....it's really a small indent on his eye ball. It cleared up last time. This time they are in different spots. So it's a scratch.

The eye looks so much better in just a day. I'm going to keep administering the drops as I have been. I just listend to the Vet because I thought it was what was best but found out through research. I do like the Vet, though. I've known him since I was quite small because he used to take care of my parents and grandparent's cows and also our cats and dogs. I trust him.
cindyx
17 years ago
Below is a link to the different eye problems in dogs and cats. Check it out see if anything sounds familiar. In the meantime you might want to check out a good Veterinary opthamologist.

Here is a link that might be useful: different eye problems in dogs and cats
joepyeweed
17 years ago
I think it depends upon how one defines simple and expensive.

I think we paid around $400, (maybe more) but it was a long time ago, for the old hound dog's eye surgery.

We did have to go back for some touch up electrolysis... And I have been known to pluck out an eyelash very carefully with a special tweezers on occaision. But haven't had to lately.

I was trying to point out that there could be an underlying cause to why the dog is scratching his eye. I definitely would get the dog's eyes looked at by another Vet. I would try to find out WHY your dog is scratching his eye... I tend to prefer prevention over continual treatment.
ilovepoco
17 years ago
Ask the vet to prescribe a different kind of eye drop or ointment (or try a different vet.) I had a cat years ago who scratched his cornea. It took almost a year to resolve, because the first 2-3 things we tried did not completely clear it up. I finally took him to a veterinarian opthamologist, who prescribed a human eye ointment, and it cleared up in no time and never came back.

Be sure to write down what you've already tried (or save the containers) so that you can keep track of what has been tried and failed.

Susan

Any experience w/ dog scratching eye?

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joepyeweed

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Any experience w/ dog scratching eye?

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