PLEASE Help

[Melimar]

Hello, I accidently got some shampoo in my dogs,Gizmo, eye while bathing him yesterday around 3PM. His eye got irritated and soon was closed. I flushed it with a saline solution but he kept it closed. I flushed it again before putting him to bed. This morning it was full of "gunk". Yellow stuff. I cleaned it with warm water but did not flush it. Didn't want to cause more iiritation. He does open it half way today. I would appreciate any advice. Thank you kindly, Melinda
PS I apologize that I haven't been here for a while. I know this is a loving place that I can come to anytime.

[chachi]

He needs to go to the vet and get meds for his eye. dont flush it anymore. I would go to a vet today

[kjc]

Best to rinse it with human 'Natural Tears' product or Sterile Saline Solution.. Do not use any Visine product or similar. Then see your vet...

[Melimar]

Thank you for your quick responses. His eye is half open, I just played fetch with him. I am a big believer in letting the body use its God given healing first before going to any vet, or doctor. I will wait a few hours to see how he is progressing and then decide. I will post again. Thank you.

[chachi]

Originally Posted by Melimar

Thank you for your quick responses. His eye is half open, I just played fetch with him. I am a big believer in letting the body use its God given healing first before going to any vet, or doctor. I will wait a few hours to see how he is progressing and then decide. I will post again. Thank you.

His eye is chemical burned. It is time for a vet.

[LunasMomma]

He needs to get some eye ointment from the vet to help heal the chemical burn from the shampoo. I wash my girls' faces with diiuted baby shampoo in case it gets in their eyes. It's tear free

I hope your baby is all better fast!

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Melimar

Thank you for your quick responses. His eye is half open, I just played fetch with him. I am a big believer in letting the body use its God given healing first before going to any vet, or doctor. I will wait a few hours to see how he is progressing and then decide. I will post again. Thank you.

That's easy for you to say because when your hurting and uncomfortable you can say something your dog can't. He could be hurting and you would just be letting him be uncomfortable? Why would you want to do that? I would never mess around with something as important as the eye.

[kjc]

Originally Posted by Melimar

Thank you for your quick responses. His eye is half open, I just played fetch with him. I am a big believer in letting the body use its God given healing first before going to any vet, or doctor. I will wait a few hours to see how he is progressing and then decide. I will post again. Thank you.

I think that way too, but sometimes when the eyes are concerned, it's better to seek treatment quickly, to prevent permanent damage.

I just reread your 1st post and saw you did use Saline Solution as your first rinse, which is good. For future reference, the optimal time to take him to the vet would have been right after that. Also, I put a single drop of mineral oil in each eye prior to bathing, or AB eye ointment in a pinch if I don't have mineral oil on hand. This will protect the eyes from bath products getting in there and doing any damage.

It is normal for the eye to produce a lot of gunk the morning following such an episode. If the eye continues to produce gunk, I would get him right to the vet.

As shampoos tend to be alkaline, they can cause burns to the eye, so treatment and medication from the vet would neutralize the shampoo (or chemical) and promote healing.

The only way to tell if his eye has been damaged, or to tell how much damage was done, is by having the vet look at it. If the eye is still producing gunk or pus, or if he is unable to open the eye
completely, there is definitely a problem and he will need to be seen.

[chachi]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

That's easy for you to say because when your hurting and uncomfortable you can say something your dog can't. He could be hurting and you would just be letting him be uncomfortable? Why would you want to do that? I would never mess around with something as important as the eye.

Have you ever had a burn to the eye. Its pretty painful and not something I would put the dog through self treatment for

[Danirenae]

I definitely agree. A vet is needed.

I have never had a burn in my eye, but had a scratch on it. Worst pain! And I could speak and take myself to the doctor. After dealing with how stressful and painful that was, I definitely agree taking him to the vet. The eye is not something to mess with.

[zedhead]

Hmm, I've gotten shampoo in my eye a thousand times.

[chachi]

Originally Posted by zedhead

Hmm, I've gotten shampoo in my eye a thousand times.

Did your eye get so bad it closed up and had yellow gunk coming out of it. I bet if it did you would be going to a doctor so why any different for a dog

[zedhead]

I dunno, maybe all the flushing etc, has some effect? Scratched?

I do concrete work and have been in this situation a lot of times. Concrete actually causes chemical burns. Flushing is usually all that is needed.

I would almost bet that the vet will prescribe saline wash.

[gemy]

Originally Posted by kjc

I think that way too, but sometimes when the eyes are concerned, it's better to seek treatment quickly, to prevent permanent damage.

I just reread your 1st post and saw you did use Saline Solution as your first rinse, which is good. For future reference, the optimal time to take him to the vet would have been right after that. Also, I put a single drop of mineral oil in each eye prior to bathing, or AB eye ointment in a pinch if I don't have mineral oil on hand. This will protect the eyes from bath products getting in there and doing any damage.

It is normal for the eye to produce a lot of gunk the morning following such an episode. If the eye continues to produce gunk, I would get him right to the vet.

As shampoos tend to be alkaline, they can cause burns to the eye, so treatment and medication from the vet would neutralize the shampoo (or chemical) and promote healing.

The only way to tell if his eye has been damaged, or to tell how much damage was done, is by having the vet look at it. If the eye is still producing gunk or pus, or if he is unable to open the eye
completely, there is definitely a problem and he will need to be seen.

KJC - can you elaborate on the alkalinity of shampoos? Does the bottle give ph balance - I've never noticed. One reason I'm asking is that we camp/hike and swim in the summer; and I often use a biodegradable shampoo and wash pups in the lake. I've not yet had any eye problems, but when they are self rinsing themselves I suppose some shampoo could get in their eyes. In my emergency kit I always have a saline solution,actually one under pressure, that I can use for paws to help rinse out the paws if they get abraded from the terrain. I have another saline solution just in the regular squeeze bottle for eyes.

I may have to rethink the head shampoo if so. Just do the body, and then wade in and hand shampoo and rinse head.

To the OP: it is possible that somehow your dog scratched his eye and that is the root cause of the eye irritation. I do agree with everyone else though, about a quick trip to have eye examined. Better safe than sorry is my motto.

[Roccosmommy]

Originally Posted by chachi

Did your eye get so bad it closed up and had yellow gunk coming out of it. I bet if it did you would be going to a doctor so why any different for a dog

OP, if you're a "big believer in letting the body use its God given healing first", why did you keep rinsing with saline, possibly irritating it further and/or doing more damage? Please, please, use your God-given common sense and take the little guy to the vet before he has permanent damage. Good luck and best wishes...keep us updated please.