My dog has hair in its eye. Will it be okay if I leave it?

HI, thanks for using PetCoach! Most cats and dogs that get thick mucous or a hair stuck on their eye are just fine. They eventually are able to blink enough to get the hair off the eye. These animals do not even notice it meaning the eye is open and not red. If Oliver is keeping his eye closed and seems painful then he needs to see a Vet. It could be something stuck irritating the eye or he could have a scratch on his eye, uveitis or glaucoma. You can use an eye safe flush to try and rinse the eye but other wise he needs a Vet to examine the painful eye. https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=1229 I wish you the best!

Hello. So sorry that Frodo is having this issue. You can certainly try to rinse the eye with saline solution. You can buy it at any chemist. Just like you would use for humans: http://www.pharmacyonline.com.au/reclens-normal-saline-500ml?icn=SLI-Search&ici=Reclens%20Normal%20Saline%20500ml Rinse the eye thoroughly with it open and then close the eyelids and massage gently. If the "fluff" does not come off then you should take him in to your vet for an exam. You don't want to mess around too much with an eye at home because you can really injure the eye if you do not know what you are doing. What you think is "fluff" may actually be a foreign object in the cornea or something worse. I hope this helps. Best wishes, Dr. Amber

To get fur out of the eye you can use saline solution, which is usually available at a store or pharmacy near the contact lens solution. You can gently flush the eye and massage the eyelids to try and clear the fur. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would take some sterile saline and flush Riley's eye out. Move the eyelids around and see if you can dislodge and wipe out whatever that is. If worms are present, they will be found WITHIN the eye, not on the outside. So you will not be able to dislodge them. If you cannot dislodge the object, then take him into the veterinarians. You can;t use too much saline and use something soft like a cotton ball to gently wipe the corners of the eye. Hopefully its just hair surrounded by mucus. Monitor the eye for any redness or squinting. I hope this helps Riley!

Aww poor guy! It will likely resolve on its own over the next 24 hours. Rinse his eye thoroughly with tap water to make sure residual soap is gone. If it’s not resolved in 24 hours or if it starts to seem like it’s bothering him, take him to your vet. It’s possible there is enough irritation to cause an ulcer on his cornea. (Though not likely.) Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. These lines are likely to be hair that got stuck to the eye. Please try to rinse the eye with warm water (using a syringe makes it much easier) and the lines should disappear. Hair on the eye are surprisingly well tolerated by dogs. They do not cause any discomfort or irritation.

Without a photo it would be hard to say. Irritation from rubbing, minor allergies, etc can all be potential causes. If the area becomes bothersome, doesn't heal, changes in size or shape, becomes red, or oozes debris, then it should be checked out by your vet.