My dog's eye removal site isn't healing after a week. Is this normal?

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!

Unfortunately eye pain can be difficult to treat - oral medications sometimes don’t seem to make much difference. There is some evidence that tramadol is not metabolized well in dogs so I think gabapentin might be a reasonable alternative. Ultimately healing the ulcer will be most important - if it does not seem to be healing well you may need to see a specialist to have a burr procedure or keratotomy in order for it to heal. Topical pain medication might be another option but can sometimes slow the healing process.

If it is an abscess, it should resolve once the antibiotics start to take effect in a day or two. Another possibility is a seroma, which is simply caused by the fluid that is filling the space where the eye once was. This fluid should also decrease in a few days. Wiping gently to help keep the area clean is a good idea, as long as Pearl doesn't seem bothered by the gentle wiping. If the skin where the fluid drips starts to look irritated, you can use a thin layer of vaseline to keep the draining fluid off of the skin. The amount that actually gets to her mouth is gross to us, but it isn't harmful and she probably isn't bothered by it too much.

The serious pain is gone now, and she is feeling good. There likely is still some wound pain and of course, she cannot see on that side. So she still has to adjust her vision. This is likely why she is irritated when you get near the area. Best leave her alone and let her adjust, eventually this will be no problem. And, btw, the incision looks excellent.

I sympathize with you. Painful eyes are very difficult to deal with. The answer to your question depends on if the reason for the problem is that the antibiotics aren't working because of the type of bacteria or the underlying disease. Unfortunately, it is difficult to know that information. I think your best option would be to see a specialist. Veterinary ophthalmologists have 4 years of specialized training in treating only eyes, so they have a much greater knowledge of eyes than normal vets. I actually took my 15 year old dog to a veterinary ophthalmologist last month because I want to avoid removing one of his eyes. She used medication that I have never used in my practice in 15 years and my dog is doing great now. I have included a link below for you to search for a veterinary ophthalmologist near you. http://member.acvo.org/search_results Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hello, depending on what caused the purulent material on her eye, what you are seeing now may be consistent with scar tissue. Now, if she is having any discharge, if the normal white part of the eye (sclera) is red, or if she has bright red conjunctiva, then she should definitely be evaluated by a veterinarian. I would not recommend putting anything else into her eye until you have your veterinarian evaluate her. If she has an ulcer or an infection, putting the wrong medications in her eye may lead to a worsening condition and even the loss of her eye. I would definitely have her seen by your veterinarian if you are concerned she could be in pain or if you think her eye is not looking any better by tomorrow. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Although a picture would be essential to determine clinical development, if you think there is no improvement at all, I would recommend to have it checked again immediately. Certain type of corneal ulcers can actually start melting and get worse very rapidly. Different type of antibiotics or treatment may be needed. 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.