Is Your Pet’s Eye a Problem—or Just an Irritation?

When To Be Concerned About Your Pet's Eye

Many people don't know how to tell if their pet has an eye problem, much less if it is something worth going to the vet office for. We are here to help!

Here is a list of common signs that your pet should be seen by a veterinarian for their eye problem:

• Squinting the eyes, particularly if they suddenly won't open them

• Pawing at the eyes

• Rubbing the face and eyes on the ground or corners of sofas/tables/etc

• Discharge from the eyes (particularly if it looks like mucous or blood)

• Pupils that are different sizes

• Suddenly bumping into objects around the house (blindness)

• Sudden changes in eye color

But Why Is My Pet Squinting And Rubbing At Their Eyes?

There are many reasons why a dog or cat might have ocular discomfort that is leading them to squint and paw at their eyes.

Sometimes it's because they have a scratch on the surface of their eye, called the cornea. Sometimes they have pink-eye, aka conjunctivitis.

Other times, it's a more serious concern such as increased pressure in the eye (glaucoma), chronic dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca), or inflammation inside of the eye (uveitis).

What Is The Vet Going To Do?

We are going to start off with a physical examination and look at your entire pet. Then we are going to focus on the eyes and use our ophthalmoscope to look into their eyes and determine what the problem is.

Sometimes we will recommend additional tests like a Schirmer Tear Test (to check for dry eye), a Fluorescein Stain (to look for corneal scratches and ulcers), or bloodwork.

If we suspect that the pressure inside the eye is high, we may refer your pet to an ophthalmologist who has a device to check the intraocular pressure.

Lastly, we may recommend doing additional tests like bloodwork or blood pressure to determine if there is a problem in the body as a whole.

Finally, we are going to recommend some medications, usually eye drops or ointments, to help!

Schedule An Appointment

If you notice any of these signs or if something about your pet’s eyes just doesn’t seem right, please don’t wait. Eye problems can worsen quickly, and early treatment can make a critical difference in comfort, healing, and long-term vision.

Our medical team is here to help evaluate what’s going on and get your pet the care they need.

You can schedule an appointment by calling us at (803) 400-6696 or booking online, and we’ll make sure your pet is seen as soon as possible.