My dog had an eye removed. Why can I see a membrane, not sewn shut?

No....you absolutely can not glue this shut. In order to close this, all of the tear producing structures and the rim of the eyelids have to be surgically cut back until you can just see the skin Then the skin edges are sewn together. . It does not appear from the photo that any of that tissue was removed. This will not seal or close on its own. It will remain open and it will continue to produce tears and remain moist. Unfortunately, the only solution is to have the surgery properly completed. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

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.

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I agree with your veterinarian. Sometimes bleeding can be noticed from the nostril in the same side as the removed eye. The reason is that there is some connection in between both structures through the nasolacrimal duct. This should improve within days of surgery. Good luck and have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to an eye injury or conditions such as a corneal laceration, corneal ulcer, conjunctivitis, dry eye (also known as KCS), among many other conditions. This is possibly related to the anesthesia he received yesterday. I recommend that you have Bubba evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further therapy would be based on the findings. Good luck and best wishes!

I would not touch it. Make sure she has an Elizabethan collar on so she doesn’t bite at it. I would call your vet in the morning to have them evaluate the incision to make sure it is completely closed. They may just have you keep the collar on for another 5 days. The incision is healing well according to the picture. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.