Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

Why is my puppy's eye twitching and rolling? Is it a health concern?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 3 months and 15 days old

My cavachon puppy eyes twich sometimes and sometimes rolls his right eye

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on August 16th, 2017

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.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on December 2nd, 2018
This could be due either to seizure episodes caused by an intoxication or to epilepsy.
A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound and blood tests) may be needed.
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. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA
Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer
Published on November 6th, 2016
Poor pup! These are somewhat unusual symptoms, so it's hard to say for sure what might be causing them. It sounds like he may have a neurologic problem of some kind causing the jerking episodes - some problems that affect the cranial nerves can also cause increased discharge from the eye on the affected side, or drooping of the eyelids. He could also have an eye infection causing the discharge, which may also be making him painful and anxious about being touched on that side of his face.

I would recommend taking him to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to. He/she can do a complete neurologic exam to determine if there are any cranial nerve abnormalities or other problems, and can also examined the eye with a special stain to check for any injuries or infection that may be causing the discharge. Further testing may be needed from there depending on what is found.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Health & Wellness

My dog's eye is twitching in isolated spots, but he's normal. Why?

I strongly recommend you video the twitching in case you need to show it to your vet later. I would not be overly concerned at this stage if he is otherwise acting normally and the twitching is not a continuous thing. Twitching in only isolated areas is usually a partial seizure. So, I think you should monitor Baxter for now and if the twitching persists or he has multiple episodes then you should have your vet check him out.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog has red eyes and is twitching. Why is she acting so strange?

Oh no, poor Sparkles! Her eyes could be red due to allergies, infection, or injury. She could be twitching because she's in pain or she doesn't feel well. The eye is such an important and delicate structure that any problem with it should be considered an emergency. That's because leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. I would take Sparkles into a vet now to be examined, diagnosed, and treated.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

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

Blepharospasm is usually due to an injury on the cornea. You should really have him examined by a vet if he has blepharospasm. In the meantime you can put this eye gel in the eye that will hopefully soothe it:

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's eyes are rolling up. Is it normal or a vet emergency?

It could be that Jezzie's eye aren't actually rolling up into her head; rather, you may be seeing the third eyelid sliding across her eye. This third eyelid isn't normally seen when a dog is awake and has their eyes open. It's function is to protect the eye, and spread tears across the eye's surface. When it is raised, this could be due to irritation to the eye, such as injury and infection. The other possibility is that it isn't the third eyelid, and Jezzie rolling her eyes back could be due to a seizure. Given that she acts ok and responds to you, I would be less inclined to think it was a seizure. She should be seen by a vet, as any eye problem is considered an emergency. The vet can diagnose if it is her third eyelid coming out or not, or if seizures are the cause, and can treat according to the diagnosis.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why is my dog's eye twitching after a face trim? Is it serious?

If Maddie got her face trimmed at Petsmart today, it could be that some of the cut fur has gotten into her eye annoying it. I would try gently flushing that eye with cool water to see if that helps. Some involuntary twitching can be normal, but if it continues over a few days or her eye becomes red and/or develops a discharge, then I would have her seen by a vet.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My puppy's pupils are different sizes. Is this normal? What to do?

This is a medical condition called [anisocoria](https://www.tuftsyourdog.com/doghealthandmedicine/dog-has-different-sized-pupils/) - most of the time, it indicates either a neurological problem or an injury to one of [the eyes](https://www.petcoach.co/article/sight-development-in-the-dog-puppy). However, occasionally in some puppies this condition may occur intermittently with no obvious cause and no other symptoms associated with it - the cause is as yet unknown, but the puppies are otherwise perfectly normal. If this is the first time you have noticed this, I would recommend taking Tucker to a veterinarian or [veterinary ophthalmologist ](https://www.acvo.org/)for an exam to be on the safe side - he may have an eye or head injury, some type of neurological disease, or been exposed to something toxic that could cause this. If his exam is completely normal and he shows no other symptoms, then in the future you could choose to simply monitor at home for other problems.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Puppy's eye has white covering, watery, and rubbing. Is it serious?

This white covering you are seeing is likely Tyson's third eyelid, which is a normal part of a dog's anatomy but should only come out when his eyes are closed such as when he is sleeping. When you see it out while his eye is open, that is a sign of illness such as an eye infection or foreign body in the eye. Clearly his eye is bothering him if he is rubbing at it, and you need to put an Ecollar on him to keep him from doing that because he could make the problem worse. I will put a link below on how to make an Ecollar at home. Next step is get him into a vet asap. 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 his third eyelid to protrude and how best to treat it. Good luck, I hope this helps! http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share