My dog's one eye looks weird or strange. When should I see a vet?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is a little difficult to tell from the photo, but it looks like one of Charlie's eyes is looking upwards and is protruding slightly. This can be caused by damage to the nerves or muscles that control the movement of the eye, glaucoma, or a mass behind the eye. i recommend having Charlie seen by a vet as soon as possible, as eye conditions are frequently painful and can quickly turn into emergencies. In the meantime, you can get him an E-collar or "cone" to make sure that he does not scratch or rubt he eye, causing further trauma. I hope this helps and that all is well with Charlie!

It looks like the right eye is a little 'wall eyed' but most pets will not have any problems with this condition. While it's not 'normal', it's also not uncommon. To be certain there are not any problems, have your vet check the neurological reflexes in the eyes and the face. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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.

The pictures you have attached from Neely show that his third eyelid is elevated. This is the pink area on the lower inside part of his eye seen in the picture. Elevation of the third eyelid can mean either something directly wrong with his eye OR problems of internal illness or neurologic disease. Regardless, if he is feeling well at home otherwise, eating, drinking, normal behavior please schedule an appointment with his veterinarian in the near future. The doctor can examine his eye to verify if there is a problem or the doctor may identify an internal problem based on the rest of his/her good thorough physical exam. If Neely is stumbling around, has abnormal mentation, squinting of the eye, decrease in appetite, vomiting and/or diarrhea he should be evaluated as soon as possible.

Where Jazzy should get her shots isn't anywhere near the nerves to her eyes, so it won't be that. She could have an eye infection or may have injured her eye. Any eye problem is a medical emergency as leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. I'd have her seen by a vet now. Best of luck.

Poor Ella! I'm sorry to hear that she's having this problem. It's a bit hard to tell from the photos exactly what's going on, but it looks like her third eyelid is elevated in the right eye - that's the pale-colored membrane that you can see in the inner corner of her eye. It also looks like the area surrounding the eye may be a bit swollen. These symptoms could be caused by a number of different things, so she would really need an in-person exam and possibly some testing to diagnose the problem. Conjunctivitis or an injury to the eye such as a corneal ulcer can cause swelling and third eyelid elevation. She could also have an abscess or tumor behind the eye, causing it to bulge outward and have this appearance. Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to.

I recommend having your pet's eyes examine ASAP. Your dog may have a condition called enophthalmos or sunken eye. This occurs when a retractor muscle spasms and pulls the eyeball back into its socket. When only one eye is affected, the most likely cause is a painful eye, often due to eyelid irritation, corneal abrasion or ulceration, or foreign material in the eye. Following a severe eye injury , the eye can also shrink and sink into its socket. Treatment is based on diagnosing the underlying cause of the sunken eye.