Cocker Spaniel Squinting After a Rose-Bush Poke
by Nancy
(Moldova)
Reader Question
I have an English Cocker Spaniel. His name is Curry. He is 11 years old. He has had cataracts for 2 years now and can't see very well. My husband didn't tell me that he had trimmed the rose bushes (it was way too early in the season for it) and so I was not aware of this danger until it was too late. SO, it happened. Curry walked into one of the bushes and poked his eye. His eye was bleeding. I started administering Tetracycline eye ointment and Rimadyl tabs for pain. After 5 days of Tetracycline, he was getting better but was still having some bleeding. I continued the eye ointment for several more days. After I stopped the eye ointment, he started walking around as if his eyes are in pain. He keeps them shut when there's a bright light. There was some "gunk" in his eyes when he first woke up. The gunk was around for two days but that seemed to be disappearing. I then thought I would go ahead and give him his worm meds since it was time for them. He seems to be doing a little bit better but not totally. He keeps wanting to rub his eyes on things. His eyes are red around the cornea and he has tear stains on his face which he's never had before. I'm hoping this is all due to being time for his worm medication and not an issue from the Tetracycline. He
still tends to squint when I go to hold his head up and look in his eyes. I can't figure out if it's because he's afraid I will put more ointment in his eyes or if it hurts to look up. He seems happy and healthy otherwise so I'm not sure what to think. I wish I could send a picture but I don't know how to do that. Are there adverse reactions to Tetracyline? If so, would any of this be from that? Please help. Thanks
p.s. We did not see a vet because we live overseas and veterinarian medicine here is, well, not so great.
Answer from Our Team
Tetracycline ointment rarely causes reactions, so it's more likely the eye itself is still sore. A poke from a thorn can leave a corneal ulcer or inflammation inside the eye, and both cause squinting, rubbing, light sensitivity, redness and tearing. Worm medicine isn't likely to be related.
Keep him from rubbing his eye. If at all possible, have a vet stain the eye for an ulcer and check for inflammation inside it, because these need specific treatment. Don't use any drops containing a steroid until an ulcer has been ruled out. In an older Cocker with cataracts, a painful red eye can also mean glaucoma, which can cost vision within days, so ask the vet to check the eye pressure.
Our page on corneal ulcers in dogs explains what to watch for.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
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