Why is my dog's eye twitching? What helps with blepharospasm?

Atropine, when used in the eye, relaxes the ciliary body, the muscle that controls pupil size. In this way, it often helps to treat the pain associated with corneal abrasions or corneal ulcers. It does not cause the eyelid to spasm. What you are seeing is called blepharospasm, and it's a response to ocular pain. I would say that if Ripley is having blepharospasm at this point, it indicates to me that there is still pain associated with the initial abrasion. Typically we treat corneal injuries such as she has until we have rechecked them and are sure that they have completely resolved. I would recommend getting her back on the tobramycin and continuing the atropine until you are able to get her checked; preferably Friday or over the weekend.

Poor guy. Unfortunately we see this a lot with pets that recently get groomed. It is likely Corry got some chemicals (i.e. shampoo, conditioner) in his eye, causing it to create an ulcer or scratch. He will need to see your local vet to have a stain test done on his eye to determine if our suspicions are right here. If he does have this going on, then a short course of prescription eye antibiotics should take care of the issue, as long as it has not progressed too far. You can place a cold compress on the outside lid for a few minutes tonight and then its best to get him seen by your vet first thing in the morning. I hope that your pet Corry gets well soon! Best wishes and take care!

Hello, The constant closing of the eye is called a "blepharospasm" and is often a pain induced reflex to keep the eye closed. Dogs also often show pain by becoming less active and interested in food. I'm concerned that what is going on with Spike is painful and that is causing his change in behavior. I would recommend taking him into a vet to be seen and find out what exactly is going on with his eye. They will likely recommend a trio of three basic eye tests, which can diagnose most of the eye diseases that affects our pets. The first one is called a fluoroscein stain, which is a dye that can tell us if there is any ulcers (scratches or defects) in the cornea, the outermost layer of the eye.. A tonometry test measures the pressures of the eye globe to rule out a couple of diseases called glaucoma or uveitis. A schirmer tear test can measure the tear production of the eye, as lack of tear production is another common cause of eye disease in dogs. These tests will help your vet come up with the best plan possible to get Spike comfortable again. :) I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

If there are no other abnormalities that you have noticed, this could just be a simple eye twitch similar to what we get. Sometimes it can be caused by dehydration or stress. However, if it seems to be getting worse, if there are other abnormalities, if you see squinting or rubbing of the eye, or you are very concerned about it, I recommend that you have Toby checked out by a vet. Sometimes this can be a sign of neurologic damage, electrolyte abnormalities, or malnutrition/malabsorption. Your vet will do a thorough physical exam, ocular exam, and attempt to do a neurologic exam (it can be very difficult in puppies!). The vet may recommend bloodwork or further diagnostics on the eye to see if there is a medical cause for the twitching and eye rolling.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Eevee. I recommend placing an E-collar on her to prevent her from pawing at the eye. If it is sore, she may paw and do more damage. I hope this information helps!

Hi, and thanks for your question. That is likely to be due to a mild to moderate conjunctivitis, probably secondary to an allergy or infection. A check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Corneal injuries must be ruled out as well. Hope this answer was helpful, but 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. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

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. I highly recommend that you have Tazmania evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further therapy would be based on the findings. Good luck and best wishes!