Cat scratched dog's eye

by Gina Henry
(Uniontown, Oh)

My cat just scratched my dog's eye. The scratch (it doesn't really look like a scratch it looks like a white area, where color is missing from the eye) is exactly in the center of the eye ball. There is no bleeding or watering but we can see a white spot.

He does not act like he is in pain. He is a 3 yr old cocker spaniel in good health. The cat is my cat who is indoor/outdoor and fully vaccinated.

Is it possible to treat this at home or let it heal on its own?

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Cat scratched dog's eye

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My Online Vet Response for Cat Scratched Dog's Eye
by: Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Hi Gina,
No, this is not something that I would recommend for a home treatment. The photo you submitted is too dark for me to tell what the corneal wound looks like.

Take him in for a veterinarian to stain the cornea. This is a diagnostic test to determine how badly the cornea has been damaged. There are fewer nerves in the cornea of a dog's eye, compared to a human. Therefore, just because your dog does not seem to be in pain, or he is not squinting does not mean the wound is insignificant. Dogs can even have a huge foxtail or grass awn in their eye and actually seem fairly comfortable, whereas if a human gets a hair in the eye, you cannot do anything until the hair is removed!

Having a cat scratch on the cornea can be very serious.

A conventional veterinarian can diagnose a corneal ulcer, and a holistic veterinarian can help give you some home remedies to use, once the injury is diagnosed. To find a holistic veterinarian in your area click here:
find a holistic veterinarian in your area

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the 'click here to add your own comments' link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the picture you submitted. The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

11 week old rotty pup with scratched eye
by: Anonymous

My cat scratched my puppy on the face and i thnk he got a scratch on hise right eye i took him to the vet and they gave me eye drops that contained the fallowing ingrediants

NEOMYCN AND POLYMYXIN B SULFATES AND BACITRACIN OPHTHALMIC OINTMENT , USP

With the ammount of germs that a cats scratch can potentially contain it is important to go get some kind of anticeptic eye drops to stop any sort of infection from forming.

My Online Vet Response for Cat Scratched Dog's Eye
by: Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Hello,
The ointment you listed for your puppy's eye, contains THREE antibiotics. (In fact, it is called a triple antibiotic ointment.) It is intended to 'kill' any bacteria that may have been put into his eye by the injury.

Use it three times daily for the next 3-5 days to help the scratch on his cornea heal.

It is important to return for a checkup, to make sure that the scratch has completely healed. If it has not healed, then you will need to continue the ointment for a longer time. In some cases that seem to be too slow to heal, it may be necessary to do a culture and sensitivity, and identify which bacteria is present, and which specific antibiotic is needed to treat it.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

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DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the picture you submitted. The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Related Pages:
- Dog Eye Problems,
- Ask a Vet Online Library - Dog Eye Problems Section

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