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My dog got flea shampoo in eye. How to treat irritation and pain?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog got flea shampoo in his eye this morning during his bath. What can I do? It's real irritated and painful.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on July 30th, 2017

Poor pup! Flea shampoo can be extremely irritating and may even cause chemical burns or corneal ulcers in the eye due to the chemicals in it. You can try to help by rinsing his eye thoroughly with plain saline eye wash, or plain warm water if you don't have any eye wash handy. After that, if the eye continues to look red and irritated, he really needs to be seen by a vet for treatment - if he does have a burn or corneal ulcer, he will need prescription eye drops to treat the problem.

4Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM
Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident
Published on August 20th, 2018
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This depends on how the eye looks. If it is a dog shampoo, it should not be harmful if it touches the eye other than causing irritation. Eye irrigation with an eye saline solution would be indicated and if it is already looking better, there is no need to have him evaluated by a veterinarian. However, if there are any concerns about eye discharge or discomfort, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jessica Keay, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on June 15th, 2017
It depends on the shampoo used. Most mild shampoos purchased at a pet store (i.e. puppy shampoo or oatmeal shampoo) may cause some mild irritation but won't damage the cornea (this is the surface of the eyeball). Some medicated shampoos may be more irritated. If your dog got shampoo in his eyes, you can rinse with a sterile eye wash (available at the pharmacy/grocery store) and observe closely. If your dog's eyes appear irritated after this, or you see a cloudiness over the surface of the eyes, excessive tears or redness, or your dog is scratching/rubbing at the eyes or squinting the eyes then a vet exam is needed.
3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My dog's eye is irritated and squinting after bath, is it shampoo?

It's very likely some shampoo got into her eye, try to gently rinse the eye with running water then try to leave it for a few hours to calm down. if within 4-6 hours you do not see any improvement in the eye condition you should then take her to your vet in order to get it checked and treated, she might need eye drops to reduce the irritation.

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My dog's eye is red after grooming. How do I treat the irritation?

It is likely that some shampoo, air from the dryer, or even small bits of hair from trimming got in your dog's eye and caused irritation. You can try to rinse your dog's eye gently with saline solution (like you use for contacts). However, there could be a scratch on your dog's eye (the cornea) as well. If it doesn't look better in 24 hours, see your veterinarian for testing to see if there is a scratch on your dog's eye and get appropriate medication.

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My dog's eye is red and swollen from shampoo. What should I do?

Ouch, poor Sam! You did the right thing by rinsing his eye immediately. The redness and swelling of his eye could be a result of irritation from the shampoo. In some cases of irritation, the cornea can also become scratched, particularly if Sam is scratching his face or rubbing it on the ground. A vet should examine Sam's eyes and will likely need to perform a fluorescein stain test to determine if any scratches are present. If there are no scratches, Sam may need a prescription for a steroid based eye medication to decrease the inflammation in his eye. However, if a scratch is present, steroids in the eye are not safe and a different anti-inflammatory medication may be needed. Make sure Sam is wearing an e-collar (cone) to prevent him from irritating his eye further. I hope that he's on the mend soon!

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What to do if kitten got flea shampoo in eyes and they're swollen?

Poor Tikiii, It could have been from the shampoo causing eye irritation. You can use warm water to wash her eyes (or you can purchase eye wash solution for humans from the drug store) to rinse her eyes. They should return to normal in 24hrs, but if she is still holding them shut or they look irritated still, you should take her to the vet and they might test her for injury to her corneas (outer surface of the eye) called a corneal ulcer. A simple eye drop that is soothing and safe is called "BLINK CONTACTS" - this is also available a the drug store.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Dog got apple cider vinegar in eye from flea bath. What should I do?

It's best if you can flush under the eyelid with normal saline. Saline flush can be bought at the pharmacy, or supermarket in the eye care section. You can make saline at home with salt and water if you don't have any, or you can't buy any. Below is a link to a saline recipe: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/ext/Dcmnt?ncid=520684503 Flush the eye for one minute and gently wipe away the discharge with a warm/moist cotton or cloth. This can be repeated daily as needed. Below is a link to a good video that demonstrates how to flush the eye. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lXVNMcPzhs The vinegar bath may help to remove some fleas, but is not expected to rid her of the infestation. It can also be very damaging to the skin and make things worse. There are better options for treating fleas and a local vet would be the best person to ask. Treating for fleas is not just restricted to the host, because fleas can reproduce and nest in the environment and continually cause an issue. Below is a link to a short article that explains the best way to treat your dog and environment for fleas: https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas/ I hope that helps and all is well with Sky.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My puppy is squinting one eye after a flea bath. Should I worry?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to getting the product in the eye. It could also be due to an eye injury of some sort like a corneal injury for instance or a corneal ulcer. If this continues, Luna should be evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My puppy got shampoo in eye, third eyelid showing. What should I do?

The protrusion of the third eyelid is common when the eye is in pain. I'm a bit worried that the saltwater may have caused this if the salt content was too high. Saline is a salt water solution, but is balanced in a certain way. I only recommend flushing the eye with saline (can find at the pharmacy or supermarket in the eye care section). Below is a link to a saline recipe: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/ext/Dcmnt?ncid=520684503 This can be done three times a day. His eye should return to normal within 24 hours if it was not badly damaged by the soap or salt water. If his eye still looks abnormal after two days, then it would be best to have a vet examine him. I hope that helps and Luxe gets better soon.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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