Is it safe for a dog with an empty eye socket to go swimming?

Hello. When an eye is removed, all of the supporting structures should be removed as well, including any and all tear-producing glands. If there is some sort of fluid accumulating, perhaps there was some glandular tissue left behind or some type of infection. It is also important to make sure there is no issue with an abscessed upper tooth. I would recommend that you have your veterinarian take a look to see if any treatments or antibiotics should be given. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You can try putting cotton in his ears to prevent excessive water getting into the canal. The best way is to clean the ears with an ear cleaner with alcohol (not straight alcohol) to dry the water after. Kisses to Tux!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Those dogs are amazing! It should be okay for dogs to swim if they want to, as long as it is sunny and they have access to dry bedding/towels. For the lab with arthritis, swimming is actually great exercise as it is low impact - just be careful with her getting in and out of the pool. I hope this helps and that all is well!

Oh my. This does look quite uncomfortable for your pet Lana and I would say that yes a warm water rag is ok to use, but then I would consider getting a second opinion on this eye to see if there is more that can be done to help resolve the complications that occurred. It looks to be quite a bit of swelling there, but I am unsure how many days post sx your pet is in. It is typical to see post op swelling for 3-5 days, but it should be slowly improving every day. Topical as well as oral antibiotics may be needed here if there is a suspected infection at the incision site. Even a suture reaction is possible here. I hope that Lana's eye gets better soon! Best wishes and take care.

It could be secondary to an infection, allergy, or irritant. You could try an eye lubricant, such as GenTeal drops, and see if that helps. Otherwise, he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I’m so sorry this happened to Nemi! I would say it’s not unreasonable for 4 days post-op but the swelling should be going down rapidly at this point. If it’s not improved by tomorrow, I’d pop in to see the vet who did the surgery to make sure there is not a complication such as seroma or hematoma (fluids or blood pocket). In the mean time, I recommend warm packing for 5-10 minutes 3-4 times daily. To do this, soak a wash cloth in warm water, wring it out, and put it in a plastic bag. Apply gently to the surgery site. Seepage of some clearish fluids may happen and this is just fine. Best wishes to you and Nemi!

That is generally fine, especially considering the limited depth. Unfortunately I cannot rule out completely accidents, but these are quite rare with young and healthy dogs like Max. 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.