Cairn Terrier's Corneal Scratch Is Still Cloudy and Painful After Two Weeks
Reader Question
On January 9, 2013, I came home from work to see my seven-year-old Cairn Terrier (mix?) holding his left eye shut. I rushed him to the vet, right then. The vet said he had a mild corneal scratch and prescribed Gentocin eye drops and an oral antibiotic. We had to stop the eye drops because, after one application, my dog was still in pain, now five hours later. I can tell because he becomes reclusive, won't eat, sits up, won't go outside, and is restless. So, one day later, the vet put him on some other eye drops -- Remend -- until the cornea healed enough to allow use of the Gentocin again. Today is January 21, and we tried one application of the drops at 11:30 this morning; he is still in pain. The vet is concerned because Duffy's eye is still clouded. I've read on the Internet that it should only take four to five days for the cornea to heal, but his is not, or, at best, is only getting a little better. Could it be something else? Perhaps an ulcer or something in the eye, though, upon examination, the doctor didn't see anything? Is there an alternative to Gentocin? What should I do?
Thank you so much for your help.
Answer from Our Team
Simple scratches usually heal within about a week. One that is still painful after two weeks may be an indolent ulcer, which has a loose edge that doesn't stick down, or may have something else slowing healing such as infection or a problem with the eyelids or tears.
Because he is still in pain, please have the eye rechecked promptly, and ask whether a referral to an ophthalmologist would help. Some dogs find gentamicin drops irritating; ask your vet about a different antibiotic. Indolent ulcers often heal after a simple procedure to remove the loose edge. Some cloudiness can remain as a scar after healing.
See eye ulcers in dogs for more on slow-healing ulcers.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
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