Why is my dog listless with gummy eyes and a visible third eyelid?

This can be a sign of dehydration or an eye infection. Make sure Lou is drinking plenty of water, adding water to his food to get him more moisture. If his third eyelids are still showing in the morning, have him seen by a vet.

Hi. The white part coming from his lower eye lid that you are seeing is Speck's third eyelid. When the eye is irritated or injured the third eyelid may be more prominent and noticeable. You can gently clean around his eye with a soft cloth and warm water to remove any discharge or any topical allergens. He may have some irritation due to allergies or dust. If he is squinting, holding the eye closed, rubbing it or otherwise acting painful he should be evaluated by his vet. They can look for any foreign body around the eye or may stain the eye to make sure Speck doesn't have a scratch or ulcer. Do not use human OTC eye drops in his eyes.

Hi! Yes, for sure there is something wrong with Lily's eyes. She looks like she is squinting, and the third eyelids are up. Sometimes dogs look like this when they are feeling unwell in general, especially if they have a fever. Or, the eyes could be the main problem. She could have scratched the surface of her eyes (this is called corneal ulcers), or possibly an eye infection. Ideally, she needs to be checked out by her vet. They can examine her, and have a close look at her eyes. There a few tests your vet can run on Lily's eyes, to help sort out what the problem is. I hope she feels better soon!

I would have Maggie seen by a vet immediately. The eye is such a delicate and important structure that any problem with it should be considered an emergency. That's because leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. The vet can diagnose what is causing her third eyelid to cover her eye, and can give her medication to treat it. I would take Maggie into an ER vet or find a vet on call to see her now.

Did your veterinarian give any treatment? That is likely to be due to a mild to moderate conjunctivitis, probably secondary to a trauma or infection. A check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. 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.

A closed eye is often a painful eye, and a painful eye should be seen by a veterinarian. A scratch or ulcer of the cornea is the most common reason I see this, although many other problems can cause it as well. Good luck and I hope he improves soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be a very non-specific sign that does not mean much as it could be transient. However, this is sometimes seen in patients that are overall sick as a sign of illness. Because it is possible that this does not necessarily mean that he is sick, I would continue monitoring him for now. If he develops any other signs of illness such as lethargy, inappetence or vomiting, have him evaluated then. Hopefully, this is nothing serious. Good luck!