My newborn puppy's eyes just opened and look black. Is this normal?

Some puppies will open their eyes later than other puppies. If there is no discharge from the eyes, mucus or matting over the eyelids, it seem like the muscles around the eyes 'blink' even though his eyes are not open, and he's eating and otherwise thriving, he may just be slow to open his eyes. If you see any of the signs I mentioned above, there is a medical reason behind why he isn't opening his eyes, and you need to take him into your vet.

Puppies do not generally open their eyes until 1-2 weeks have passed since their birth. They will sleep a lot as puppies as well since they are growing and using a lot of energy. If the mom is there and he is feeding from mom, he should be nursing every 2 hours or so. If he is not nursing or mom is not around, I would feed every 2-3 hours with a puppy formula. Once he is 6-8 weeks of age, I would take him in to be seen by a veterinarian for his first set of vaccinations and deworming. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Joji. How lovely of you to rescue her! Yes, they can appear to be sealed shut, and it take take between 2-3 weeks of age of them to open their eye. As long as there is no discharge coming from her eyes, it's likely normal. I hope this helps!

You can try bathing very gently with cooled, boiled saline and cotton wool but do not pull or pry them open. It is not impossible for pups to be born with no or deformed eyes and a full vet check would be recommended if not opening within the next 72hours

Eyelids in puppies typically open between 10-14 days of age, and I can see that Pumpkin Pie is just past that point at 17 days. At this point, his eyes may simply be opening later than normal, or may have a congenital or infectious issue occurring. It would be best to take him to a vet (or ideally, a veterinary ophthalmologist) for further evaluation. If he does have a congenital issue leading to blindness, there are plenty of dogs that happy, full lives without sight. It just takes some dedication, consistency in training/routine, and extra caution around new people and children. Give it more time before worrying about having a blind dog! :-) I hope that all goes well for Pumpkin Pie!

Sometimes it takes a few days longer for a puppy to open its eyes. Looking at the photos it looks like he is starting to open his eyes. Be patient. Should he have not opened them by the third week, then have him examined by your veterinarian.

If she is nursing well and alert otherwise then it is less concerning and would point more to an eye injury or infection (conjunctivitis) which will need treatment. If she is weak and not wanting to nurse or interact then she needs to be seen by a vet immediately.m to see what is going on. Make sure she is kept warm and you can gentle clean her eyes with sterile eye wash. If you see any redness, mucus or cloudiness to the eye then it is best she get seen by a vet