Why can't my dog open his eye? It's lighter and he has cherry eye.

Sorry, I see this was posted 3 days ago - not sure why it took so long for this question to be answered. The eye tends to close when it's in pain. A painful eye can be due to trauma to the outside of the eye; such as a scratch or possible bump on something. This breed tends to get these types of injuries, because of how much their eye sticks out. It could also be due to an infection of the eye and/or increased pressure in the eye. These conditions tend to be rather painful, so that would explain why Romeo is not as energetic. It is best to have a veterinarian look at the eye, so they can identify the problem and give him some medication to make it feel better. I hope that helps and Romeo feels better soon.

This could be caused by trauma to the eye, the nerves leading to the eye, or even the brain. It could also be caused by an infection. It's very concerning when there's a problem with the eye such as this, and it requires an immediate vet visit. That's because leaving it untreated can lead to permanent vision loss. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

Hello, The constant closing of the eye is called a "blepharospasm" and is often a pain induced reflex to keep the eye closed. Dogs also often show pain by becoming less active and interested in food. I'm concerned that what is going on with Spike is painful and that is causing his change in behavior. I would recommend taking him into a vet to be seen and find out what exactly is going on with his eye. They will likely recommend a trio of three basic eye tests, which can diagnose most of the eye diseases that affects our pets. The first one is called a fluoroscein stain, which is a dye that can tell us if there is any ulcers (scratches or defects) in the cornea, the outermost layer of the eye.. A tonometry test measures the pressures of the eye globe to rule out a couple of diseases called glaucoma or uveitis. A schirmer tear test can measure the tear production of the eye, as lack of tear production is another common cause of eye disease in dogs. These tests will help your vet come up with the best plan possible to get Spike comfortable again. :) I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

A closed eye is often a painful eye, and a painful eye should be seen by a veterinarian. A scratch or ulcer of the cornea is the most common reason I see this, although many other problems can cause it as well. Good luck and I hope he improves soon.

Hello, The pictures show a possible cherry eye which is a prolapsed third eyelid. This is a condition that can be surgically corrected. I would advise you to follow up with your primary care veterinarian to discuss treatment options as soon as possible. If Pepper is scratching the eye, I would advise you to apply an E-collar to prevent trauma to the cornea.

Yes, if he is reluctant to or struggling to open the eye, I would be very concerned that he may have a scratch or lesion on his cornea. His eye should be examined by a veterinarian to determine if that is a possibility. If so, he would require prescription eye medication. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, and thanks for your question. That is likely to be due to a mild to moderate conjunctivitis, probably secondary to an allergy or infection. A check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Corneal injuries must be ruled out as well. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!