First Aid and Emergency Care for Dogs and Cats by Cats Are People Too - HTML preview

Eye Injuries

Any condition that causes your pet to squint or protect his eye; any suspected trauma to the eye; any abnormal appearance of the eyeball; any time the eyelid cannot cover the eyeball, these are potential emergencies and veterinary attention should be sought immediately.

What to Do

**     If the eye has been dislocated from the socket (proptosis) or the lids cannot close over the eyeball, keep the eyeball moist with contact lens wetting solution, K-Y jelly, water, or moist compresses. An old home remedy that works is keeping the eye moist with pure honey.

**     If an irritating chemical or other product accidentally gets into the eye, flush it with running water, or water (or saline) squeezed from a compress or a sponge for a minimum of 15 minutes. (Saline: dissolve 2 teaspoons of table salt in I quart of water)

**     Always seek veterinary attention immediately. Eyes are quite fragile and just a few minutes could mean the difference between sight and blindness.

What NOT to Do

**     Do not attempt to treat the eyes, or remove a foreign object, yourself.

**     Do not try to push a proptosed eyeball back into the socket. This must be done under anesthesia so as not to cause damage to the eyeball's interior.