Domestic Pets

Injury Guide

EYE INJURIES

THE EYELID

CAUSES

BITES / SCRATCHES: Resulting from fights with other animals

CUTS: From thorny bushes or sharp objects

BLOWS:

ASSESSMENT

Carefully check the upper and lower lids for injury or bleeding.Also examine the visible parts of the eye and the third eyelid. This is exposed by very gently pressing on the eyeball through the covering of the upper lid, though this is a task better left to the vet if you do not feel confident

BRUISING: The lids are highly vascular and are quite often bruised,producing slight bleeding under the skin

GRAZES: Sometimes the skin of the lid may be merely grazed.This will cause slight hair loss and bleeding

DEEP WOUNDS: Injuries to the eyelid can also be much deeper and be visible as tears in the skin. You should assess not only the depth - but also the extent and, in particular the site of any damage.Tears to the margin of the lid are more serious both as regards the animal's appearance and the interference with the function of the skin

TREATMENT

BLEEDING: If you find there is slight bleeding under the skin or a bleeding wound,put cold compresses over the eye for a few minutes.Use a pad of gauze or cloth folded several times and dip it into clean water as required

An ice pack may be used, but apply it to the eye only at intervals,to prevent excessive cooling.Take care not to apply ice directly to the surface of the eyeball - as this will stick and cause irreparable damage

ABRASIONS: Are cleaned with gauze and antiseptic.Take care not to let any antiseptic to into the animal's eye.Use a non-alcoholic antiseptic which will not sting and hurt the animal

LESIONS: Of the eyelid, especially if deep and extensive or involving the margin, must receive prompt attention from the vet, who may decide to stitch them

If there will be some delay,before a vet can help - Clean the wound with BORACIC ACID SOLUTION or another ANTISEPTIC SOLUTION for the eyes

And protect the eye in the meantime by BANDAGING it, applying a pad of gauze to the eye.Use a gauze bandage of crepe to cover the pad and pass in turn around the neck and behind the opposite ear.After a few turns of bandage, pass the bandage between the healthy eye and the ear on the opposite side.Cross over the bandage and make tow more turn around the head.Secure the bandage with a piece of adhesive plaster

THE CORNEA

The cornea is the part of the eye most prone to injury, being protected in front only by the eyelids.Corneal injury is most common in cats and dogs with large protruding eyes e.g. Pekingese

CAUSES

ACCIDENTAL CUTS: Caused by glass,sharp bits of metal,wood splinters & thorns

CAT SCRATCHES: Commom result of fights with cats

OTHER COMMON CAUSES: Injuries from blows and car accidents

ASSESSMENT

The mildest from of injury to the cornea is an abrasion which involves only the outer part.Wounds that cut deeper into the eye look like lacerations.If it is completely pierced,the liquid in front of the lens may escape.Even the part of the iris may protrude if the cut is wide enough

CORNEAL ABRASIONS: This is hard to detect because the cornea is transparent. You should suspect there might be a corneal abrasion, if the animal is greatly troubled by the injured eye.You will notice constant blinking and watering of the eye.Often the eye will become very red.A vet will be able to assess the situation by applying special stains

CORNEAL WOUNDS: These are only very obvious if they are large, then they look like fairly distinct rips.Such wounds are very painful and therefore accommpanied by restlessness, spasms of the eyelids and much watering of the eye

PIERCED CORNEA: If the injury is serious enough, the cornea may be completely pierced.In this case the eye may appear shrunken.Check whether inner parts stick out through the wound, for example the iris which is easily noticed because it is coloured

TREATMENT

CLEANSING: If abrasion is suspected, then clean the eye with an eyewash only

Do not use drops unless advised by vet.These often contain corticosteroids that are harmful in cases of injury to the cornea

DEEP CORNEAL CUTS: And above all, perforations - are subject to infection and may also cause internal damage to the eye

They therefore require PROMPT VETERINARY ATTENTION

FOREIGN BODIES IN THE EYE

These are usually located in the conjunctival sac, behind the eyelids.Small or pointed bodies can also penetrate the cornea

CAUSES

SMALL SEEDS, FRAGMENTS OF PLANTS OR GRASS AWN: These can become lodged behind the lids.The last-named are particularly bad, as they irritate and tend to run deep into the conjunctive membrane

Small foreign bodies, above all blunt ones are often dislodged by the eye watering

THORNS, SPLINTERS OF WOOD, METAL OR OTHER MATERIALS: When these come into contact with the cornea,they can then remain stuck

ASSESSMENT

SIGNS: The presence of foreign bodies in the eye is very distressing for the animal

It will be restless,frequently blinks, has the affected eye shut and the eye constantly waters, because of the pain the animal may rub its eye with its paws

The signs occur particularly in summer, or on following outdoor trips,especially walks in long grass - this usually indicate the presence of foreign bodies

EXAMINATION OF THE EYE: Carefully examine the eye in a good light - direct sunlight,bright artificial light or torch. Holding the animal still in a restraining manner

Part the eyelids to make the cornea more readily visible

Grasp a small fold of skin near the edge of the eyelid and try gently to lift it away from the eye to observe the conjunctival sac, do this with both the upper and lower lid

Although a delicate operation, the third eyelid can be revealed by carefully pressing down on to the eyeball from on top of the upper eyelid

How well such a foreign body can be revealed - depends on its site.If it is tucked right away under the lid or behind the third eyelid, it will be difficult to see

If this is the case, call the vet at once

TREATMENT

CALL VET AT ONCE: As the eye is very easily damaged, call a vet at once

Only if the vet is not readily available, should you see if the foreign body is in a place where you can remove it yourself

EXTRACTING THE FOREIGN BODY: Hold the animal very firmly to avoid sudden jerks of the head Try to grip the foreign body with tweezers - either flat-ended or rounded) taking care not to hold them at a right angle to the eye

Extract the foreign body gently, but not too slowly because the pain will upset the anima

Clean the eye with a gauze pad moistened with antiseptic solution - e.g boracic acid or weak salt wate solution

SERIOUS EYE INJURIES

Severe injuries can cause considerable damage. At times beyond repair and leading to blindness

CAUSES

BRUISES: From stones, hard ball etc.

FALLS FROM HEIGHTS: Often the case with cats & puppies falling from windows and down stairs

OTHER COMMON CAUSES: Heavy blows,fights or accidents

ASSESSMENT

EXTERNAL BLEEDING: Bleeding underneath the conjunctiva covering the eyeball will appear as red stains, often quite large around the cornea,in the part of the eye which is normally white

INTERNAL BLEEDING: The most frequent condition of internal bleeding - bleeding into the eyeball, mostly involves blood accumulating in front of the lens.It appears externally as a red half-moon beyond the cornea.It can vary in width and will sometimes even obscure the whole pupil

DETACHMENT OF THE LENS: The lens behind the iris can become detached following injury and lose its normal position.You will be able to recognize this condition by the pupillar opeing being deformed or becoming opaque

DETACHMENT OF THE EYEBALL: In this case the eyeball falls out of its socket

This is a SERIOUS INJURY and is most likely to occur in dogs with flat face or protruding eyes, such as the Pekingese and in cats

INJURY TO THE CORNEA & EYELIDS: Other internal eye damage, such as bleeding and detachment of the retina, can be determined only by careful veterinary examination.Even if the animal is not showing any of the signs precisely as described above.It may be best to ask the vet to check as soon as possible

TREATMENT

COLD COMPRESSES FOR BLEEDING: If bleeding from the eye continues,or haemorrhages from the eyelids are apparent,apply cold compresses at once.Fold a piece of gauze several times and dip it in cold water

KEEP DETACHED EYEBALL MOIST: If the eyeball is out of its socket

Make sure that it remains moist and clean by dripping an antiseptic eyewash on to it - boracic acid,clean water or cool-off boiled water

This will prevent any further damage caused by the drying of the cornea

BANDAGE FOR SERIOUS INJURIES: Whenever you have to deal with serious injuries to the eyelids or cornea, try to bandage over the wounded eye

Then consult vet at once

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