# Help-flushing out pup's eye



## Kalico (Jan 11, 2012)

Jasmine,s eye isn't opening totally and I finally managed to get a good look-there appears to be something brownish on the surface irittating it. I'm fairly certain it is debris because it seems to move around I'd like to try flushing it out before taking her to the vet. How can I do this?

Also, she threw up a few times last night but is her usual spunky self this morning. Just wanted to include that info in case there is some eye-throwing up illness she could have!

Thank you so much for suggestions!


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## CarolWCamelo (Feb 15, 2012)

I'd suggest getting the dog to the vet, right away. This is a standard procedure for eyes; I believe for ears, too.

I would NOT flush out an eye; vet needs to see what is going on; also you risk further injury by doing that before you get a diagnosis.

Good luck with it! Please report back!

Thu, 8 Mar 2012 06:52:49 (PST)


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## Kalico (Jan 11, 2012)

Ok, taking to vet! Thanks!


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## CarolWCamelo (Feb 15, 2012)

Great! Please report back when you can!

The trick with eyes is, if it's one kind of problem, a certain kind of treatment is necessary; if it's another kind, the OPPOSITE kind of treatment is necessary. The idea in getting a dog with eye problems to the vet just as quickly as possible is to save the eyesight!

It's possible the vomiting and the eye problem are unrelated, but maybe there's a connection. I'll be most interested to learn what your vet says.

Rooting for you and Jasmine!

Thu, 8 Mar 2012 07:04:01 (PST)


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## Kalico (Jan 11, 2012)

Ok, back from vet. Turned out it was a tiny seed pod suctioned onto the eye. At first he was worried it was a burr that was burrowing through it, but thank goodness it was more minor. He had to sedate her to get it off and there is a small ulcer. I have various ointments and he said it should heal fine. Back on Monday to make sure it's ok. 

Thank you so much for the advice to go to the vet right away! He said it could have caused serious damage but we caught it very early. The vomiting is probably unrelated but funnily in a way it's a good thing she was vomitting because it caused ne to examine her closely and otherwise I may not have noticed the eye problem as soon. 

She is now happily chewing a bully, and I got one for my older dog as well. It's their favorite treat but a rare one!


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

Scary, good thing you took her right away.

Feel better soon Jasmine!


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

Glad she is going to be ok!!


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## CarolWCamelo (Feb 15, 2012)

Kalico said:


> Ok, back from vet. Turned out it was a tiny seed pod suctioned onto the eye. At first he was worried it was a burr that was burrowing through it, but thank goodness it was more minor. He had to sedate her to get it off and there is a small ulcer. I have various ointments and he said it should heal fine. Back on Monday to make sure it's ok.
> 
> Thank you so much for the advice to go to the vet right away! He said it could have caused serious damage but we caught it very early. The vomiting is probably unrelated but funnily in a way it's a good thing she was vomitting because it caused ne to examine her closely and otherwise I may not have noticed the eye problem as soon.
> 
> She is now happily chewing a bully, and I got one for my older dog as well. It's their favorite treat but a rare one!


Good job! So glad it wasn't anything more serious! Now you know - eye problem, off to the vet! Promptly!

Glad you get bully sticks for BOTH dogs. I'd never get just one if I had more than one dog - always one for each dog!

Presumably the vet gave you the ointments? Did he show you how to apply them? It's important to be religious about applying the ointments!

I never had to use ointments or drops with Camellia since she became my dog, but I've had to use them with previous dogs and cats.

I'd be interested to learn what ointments they are, if you have time to post that information!

Hope the vomiting has cleared up!

The eye recheck is important too, and I hope you'll report back Monday after that vet visit! Sounds as though your vet is very good! It's so great to Hav good vets!

Thu, 8 Mar 2012 09:32:23 (PST)


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## Becky Chittenden (Feb 4, 2009)

glad you took her to the vet. Occasionally one of mine will throw up for no reason and feel fine, guess just a mild tummy ache.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

I am just reading this so glad you got to the vet. Eye problems always need a Vet visit even if its at night or a weekend. Prompt treatment can not only save their eye but the eye sight as well in most cases. Please be sure to give the eye meds on time and until your Vet says stop even if your pup seems fine.


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## Kalico (Jan 11, 2012)

Thanks for the concern, everyone. Thank goodness for this forum! Even though this is my second dog, I did not know about how serious eye problems could be! The throwing up was apparently unrelated, and a minor thing. I probably wouldn't have taken her to the vet for that because it stopped and she was acting normally in the morning. 

The meds I got are atropine sulphate and neomycin polymixin B sulphates with bacitracin zinc. The directions say apply a thin strip to the eye. I do not rub it in. Is that the correct way?


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## CarolWCamelo (Feb 15, 2012)

*Applying ointment to the eye*



Kalico said:


> Thanks for the concern, everyone. Thank goodness for this forum! Even though this is my second dog, I did not know about how serious eye problems could be! The throwing up was apparently unrelated, and a minor thing. I probably wouldn't have taken her to the vet for that because it stopped and she was acting normally in the morning.
> 
> The meds I got are atropine sulphate and neomycin polymixin B sulphates with bacitracin zinc. The directions say apply a thin strip to the eye. I do not rub it in. Is that the correct way?


In my experience, that's the correct way. But it can REALLY help if a vet or tech demonstrates the technique for making the application. What you have is, a nozzle of the tube of ointment VERY near the eye, and you don't want to touch that nozzle to the cornea.

So it's a matter of learning how to hold the dog, and how to lay down that strip of ointment, also, without applying any undue pressure to the eye! Just a mite tricky!

Then we have the tube itself - which, in my experience, always insisted on expelling ointment - and expelling more, more, and more! This can get wasteful.

I'm out of practice! It's some years - gosh, maybe ten! - since I applied ointment to eyes.

My vet showed me to pull down the lower lid just a bit - from outside the eye, of course - doing it very gently, so as not to apply pressure around the eyeball, and to hold the tube sideways to the eyeball - almost parallel, and just lay the extruded ointment along the lower lid.

From there, natural motion by the dog distributes the ointment over the surface of the eye, if I remember right.

Then I'd use a clean tissue to wipe off the excess ointment from the tube, and cap the tube. Trying not to touch the nozzle of the tube - avoiding contamination if possible.

Maybe somebody here has better instructions than mine; please be my guest and provide them! Gosh, also, here, we can have photo illustrations!

(Hint, hint!)

P.S. I wish all vets and techs would ALWAYS ask the human client if they would like a demonstration of techniques for medicating a dog, or otherwise carrying out vet instructions.

Fri, 9 Mar 2012 06:53:02 (PST)


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

I always ask my Vet to show me...he always gives me a look and tells me I should show him (I have had dogs that need eye meds everyday for too many years), but he goes over it again. The tubes are messy but they cling on to the eye causing the dog to blink it helps get it to the back of the eye as well as over the entire eye, this is great for infections and eye injurys. You never rub their eye, just pull the lower corner of the eye down put a small dab in the corner as Carol has stated, as long as you get it in the eye the ointment will do its job. If possible you should try to do the meds around the same time everyday. Sounds like your pup is on the road to recovery.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Glad to hear that you got Jasmine to the vet and she's on the mend!


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