Common Causes Of Red Eye In Animals
It may not be clear to you why your pet is presenting with red, itchy, inflamed, and swollen eyes, but here are a few of the most common causes:
- A scratch or ulcer on the cornea caused by trauma, including altercations with other animals or wandering through a brush or wooded area
- A lodged foreign object, such as a grain of sand or small pebble
- Bacterial, viral, or fungal infection
- Certain eye health conditions, including glaucoma (increased eye pressure) and uveitis (decreased eye pressure)
- Allergies
- Impaired tear production
- Certain autoimmune diseases
- Cancer
What To Do If You Notice Your Animal Has Red Eyes
The most important thing you need to do if you notice your pet has red irritated eyes is to prevent your pet from scratching at its eyes. Like humans, animals who scratch or itch their eyes can actually cause more damage.
The next thing you should do is call us at Waldorf Emergency Care. We’ll ask you a few questions about your pet to get an idea of what’s going on. In most cases, we’ll recommend that you bring your pet in to see us. After all, it’s more than likely your pet is in pain! Plus, seeking emergency vet care will help us prevent the condition from getting worse.
Our emergency vet staff will perform a thorough examination and patient history in order to diagnose the root cause of your pet’s red eyes, plus initiate the proper treatment as soon as possible. This is important, because some conditions associated can lead to more serious or long-term complications if left untreated.
If you are concerned about your pet’s red eyes or if you have some other kind of pet emergency, then call Waldorf Emergency Care at (301) 705-9700
Types of Pet Eye Injury Emergencies
There are many types of pet eye emergencies, but the following are the most common.
Traumatic Pet Injuries: The vast majority of ophthalmic emergencies are due to physical injuries caused by sharp or blunt objects. For example, the pet may get injured if hit in the eye with a ball by playing children. Sometimes it can also hurt itself with its claws. Whenever that happens, the exerted sheering force can cause injury to the surface of the eye, eyeball prolapse, eyeball injury, or laceration of the eyelid, among other complications.
Injuries by Foreign Bodies: Sometimes inorganic or organic elements get trapped in the cornea or the eye orbit. When that happens, chances of penetrating deeper into the eye and blocking the tear drainage are very high, thereby making the condition an emergency.
Chemical Injuries: Chemicals like alkalis found in home cleaners can cause severe irritation if they drop into the eye of your pet. This can be very painful and may cause blindness in late interventions.
Why Treat Pet Eye Injuries Immediately
Taking your pet eye emergencies to the vet in good time prevents the problem from worsening into one or more of the following emergency eye injuries among many others.
Acute Glaucoma: This condition is brought about by increased pressure in the eye and will make it appear red. The pupil of the affected eye may also become larger compared to the other, and this condition is both painful and sight-threatening.
Acute Uveitis: This is characterized by the inflammation of the uveal tract comprising of the choroid, ciliary body, and the iris. Major symptoms include a red, painful eye with a pupil that is smaller than normal. The color of the iris may also be altered and will appear unusually darker. If unattended, this condition can lead to vision loss.
Inflammation of the Orbit: The eye orbit or socket can become inflamed due to an emergency eye injury that goes untreated in good time. Symptoms of this condition include swelling around the eye socket, reddened or swollen eyelids, and the pet may be unable to open the mouth to eat due to excessive pain.
Call Waldorf Emergency Care in Waldorf Today
Waldorf Emergency Care takes your pet’s health seriously. Our experienced veterinarians will conduct a thorough assessment of the eye emergency, and use modern technology and medicine to treat the injuries. We are available 24/7, and you can call us at (301) 705-9700. Don’t wait until the problem compounds into a major issue!