Eye injury in a dog or cat (squinting, pawing, or visible damage)

Recognise the signs

• Squinting or holding eye closed
• Pawing at the eye
• Tear overflow, redness, or discharge
• Visible scratch, foreign body, or cloudy area on the cornea
• Eye appearing larger than usual (glaucoma) or partially out of socket (proptosis)
• Bloodshot eye or visible blood in front of the iris
• Reluctance to open the eye in bright light

First aid steps

1. Stop the pet rubbing — fit a buster collar (cone) if you have one, or improvise with a clean towel wrap for short-term restraint.
2. Do not try to flush the eye except with sterile saline (contact-lens-style saline, no preservatives). Do not use tap water unless flushing a chemical splash.
3. For a chemical splash: flush with cool tap water or sterile saline for 15–20 minutes, then drive to the vet.
4. For a proptosed eye (eye out of socket): cover with a damp gauze pad soaked in saline, prevent the pet from rubbing, and drive to the vet immediately — every minute counts.
5. For a visible foreign body: do not try to remove with tweezers; cover and go to the vet.
6. Phone ahead for any eye injury beyond minor watery eye.

While transporting to the vet

• Buster collar or covered eye if rubbing is a problem.
• Damp gauze over a proptosed eye throughout the journey.
• Phone ahead so the vet can prepare an ophthalmic examination.

Signs that can usually wait for a routine appointment

• Mild watery eye with no squinting and no rubbing in an otherwise bright pet can be observed for a few hours, but should be vet-checked within 24 hours if not improving — many 'mild' eye issues are actually corneal ulcers.

Common causes

• Cat-claw scratches (one of the commonest eye injuries in dogs and cats)
• Foreign body — grass seed, thorn, dust
• Trauma — fight, RTA, fall
• Chemical splash — household cleaners, garden chemicals
• Corneal ulcer following a scratch or untreated dry eye
• Glaucoma flare (very painful, usually a known eye)
• Proptosis — eye displaced from socket (brachycephalic breeds, especially after head trauma or even rough handling)
• Conjunctivitis from infection or allergy

What the vet will need to know

• When the problem started
• Any known trauma — fight, fall, walk through long grass
• Any known chemical exposure
• How quickly signs are worsening
• Pet's pain level and behaviour
• Photos of the eye if non-painful to take

Aftercare

• Treatment depends on diagnosis — antibiotic drops, pain relief, surgery for proptosis or deep injuries.
• Buster collar usually for 1–2 weeks.
• Frequent recheck appointments — eye injuries can deteriorate quickly even on treatment.
• Some injuries lead to permanent vision changes; pets adapt remarkably well to single-eye vision.

Prevention

• Manage cat introductions carefully in multi-pet homes.
• Avoid letting dogs charge through long grass or stubble in seed season.
• Lock away household chemicals.
• For brachycephalic breeds prone to proptosis, never lift by the scruff and avoid rough play that bumps the head.
• Routine eye checks on breeds prone to dry eye (Cavalier, Shih Tzu, West Highland).

Breed-specific notes

• Proptosis risk: Pug, French Bulldog, Pekingese, Shih Tzu, Boston Terrier — shallow eye sockets predispose them.
• Dry eye and chronic ulcers: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, West Highland White Terrier, Boxer.

Frequently asked questions

Related topics

• Grass seed in dog's paw, ear, eye, or nose
• Suspected poisoning in a dog or cat