Dog eye removal: How long for pain & behavior to return to normal?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Lily! Removing a few lumps isn't the same as removing the eyes. She could be more painful than you think or is reacting to the pain medication or the antibiotic. I would start to worry 3 days after surgery. Give her time. It's barely been 24 hours after this major surgery. And even if we though she was 100% blind before she may have seen some light and now her world is dark. I have seen dogs we thought were blind have both eyes removed and they were depressed for a while. I wish you and Lily the best!

First off, I'm sorry Molly had her eye removed, but I'm sure it will make her feel much better to have it removed. Most animals will be back to their normal selves within 5 days, and because the removed eye would have been a constant source of pain, many dogs are happier within 24 hours after surgery.

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.

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!

Hello. I would not be annoyed at your veterinarian as things can happen, but it is clear that there needs to be either a treatment change, or the surgery site may need to be reexplored to make sure all infected material was removed. Previcox is a good pain reliever, but gabapentin is much better adjunct to pain management than tramadol. The antibiotic you are using is usually adequate, but your vet may also choose to augment this with something else, like a fluoroquinolone. Under normal circumstances, an eye should not look like this 1 week post surgery. You do need to contact your vet to make them aware of Pearls' condition. I do hope she is feeling better soon & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes the eye could be painful. Most dogs do great after eye removal and he may become perkier afterwards. You are the one that sees him everyday and are the best one to evaluate his quality of life. Personally if he’s eating and getting around I’d do the surgery so he’s more comfortable. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Jingles.

It sounds like he needs some pain medications. I am not sure if he is already taking pain medications but you should call the vet who did the surgery to see if he/she can prescribe or adjust medications to help control the pain.