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My pet's third eyelids showing after sedation. Is this normal?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 3 years and 8 months old | 9.14 lbs

Her "third eyelids" are covering half of her eyes after I got her back from the hospital. She was sedated for some tests. Is this normal? She's been home for an hour and a half now.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on December 29th, 2016

Depending on what drugs were used to sedated her, this can certainly be normal - many sedatives, acepromazine in particular, very commonly cause third eyelid elevation. If this is the case, it's not a cause for concern, and I would expect her eyes to be back to normal in the next 12-24 hours.

If they're still not normal by this time tomorrow, or if she develops any other symptoms you're concerned about, I would suggest giving her vet a call or taking her back in for a recheck to make sure everything is okay.
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