by Derek
(Cabot, AR)

Injured eye

Injured eye

Injured eye

injured eye

injured eye

good eye for comparison

Our 2 year old Cardigan Welsh Corgi spent the weekend at a friends while we were on vacation. Their pet (large golden retriever) and ours played often. At one point there was a fight between them over a bone and our dog was injured on the eye.

Our friends told us there was a little blood from the edge (enough to drip on carpet). A day later when we picked him up there was only redness/swelling and some discharge that discolors the fur below the inner corner of eye. He seemed a little tired, but that is common after a weekend of fun.

He is a little hesitant if you get to close to the eyes but otherwise it does not seem to bother him. My guess is there is a little soreness. We did notice a little additional blinking of the eye which seems to be some irritation.

He does not seem to be bothered by light and is now running around like normal. The wet fur was dried off earlier today and within a couple of hours it is wet again so the clear discharge is continuing. It is hard to tell how red (if any) the eyelid rims are since his other eye is rimmed in black and we can’t compare. The white of his inured eye is red (bloodshot). He had no problems with me taking the photos and handling the area. Just a brief hesitation as I got close to it.

I saw some information on eye rinse/cleansing to do, but did not want to aggravate it unnecessarily. Do you think we should take him to the vet, do any home remedies or just a little TLC until it improves?

Thanks!
Derek Waterman

Comments for Eye injury after dog play

Sep 07, 2011My Online Vet Response for Eye injury after dog play
by: Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Hi Derek,
From the photos you submitted it looks like your Cardigan Welsh Corgi has had the ‘peri-orbital’ tissues bruised around his eye. This is the location of the tear gland, and of course will cause an increase in tear production if it has been bruised or damaged.

I am cautious about suggesting any home remedies at this point, since there is a possibility of a scratch on the cornea. (He was playing with a much larger dog). Therefore, I would advise taking him in to see a veterinarian to ‘stain’ the cornea just to rule out any damage. Using a saline rinse should not irritate the eye tissues, but there may be more appropriate treatments to hasten a decrease in the bruising, swelling and redness to make him feel more comfortable.

Seeking the help of a holistic veterinarian will allow the option of more natural methods, such as using homeopathic remedies to help him heal.

A conventional veterinarian may prescribe some steroid eye ointments to decrease the swelling, only AFTER making sure there has not been any injury to the cornea.

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.

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


Do you believe in holistic pet care? If so, please tell your friends about us and visit our social media pages!


Also see…

Share This