Why does my Frenchie puppy twitch and sleep with one eye open?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Otis. From the picture, it looks like his third eyelid is sticking. This is a normal structure of the dog's eye, but it should not be out when the eye is open. When this happens, it's a sign of an eye infection, an injury to the eye, or a condition called Horner's syndrome among other causes. Any eye problem needs to be checked out by a vet promptly as leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. I'd take him into the vet in the morning. I hope this helps!

Hi and thanks for visiting Petcoach. Your puppy's third eyelid is a bit elevated, which is covering the white part of his eye. This may resolve over time as the puppy grows more, but it is best to keep an eye on it to see if this is a persistent "cherry eye" situation, which can lead to necessary eye surgery. However, at this time the puppy is simply too young to know for sure. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951447 I hope that things work out well for your pup Yeti. Best wishes and take care.

I wouldn't be concerned about Euro sleeping with his eyes open, as many dogs do this. If you notice any squinting/ rubbing at the eye/redness or discharge from the eye, then I would have Euro checked by a vet to make sure his eyes aren't irritated, but otherwise I wouldn't worry!

If he is otherwise normal I'm not concerned. He may be stressed from moving to a new home or dreaming. If it was a seizure you would notice him going from normal to having muscle spasms, then getting back to normal in a few minutes. It's a good idea to video the behavior and write down when it occurs so you have a history to discuss with your veterinarian should it get worse. I like to write down the episodes on a calendar so I can go back and check the frequency. Willis may stop this as he becomes settled in your house and as he gets older. If he appears agitated, weak or ill please take him right in for an exam. You may want to double check with his breeder to see if any other pups or the parents are doing this. Cavaliers do get heart disease, but usually when they are old, and purebred dogs can get epilepsy but seizures often don't start until they are six months to a year old. Again I would just watch him to make sure there are no other symptoms. Enjoy your new puppy! I love Cavaliers, it's a fun, gentle and loving breed. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Willis.

Thank you for providing the pictures of Piggy they were very helpful! It can be a normal variation from dog to dog on the color of scleras. While yes, they are typically white with some blood vessels present, some dogs may have different concentrations of pigment cells (melanocytes) that can make some sclera darker than the other or even just a portion of it. It will be important to take Piggy to see your veterinarian or an ophthalmologist if you notice him squinting his eye, scratching at it, increased tear production (weepy eye) or you notice that he has any obvious defects on the surface of his eye. These signs usually indicate irritation or damage to the eye and can be quite painful for Piggy or others.

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.

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. 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.