So you’ve been told to do an eye rinse for your pet. Where do you start? What do you use? Where can you get it at 2 AM?? How do I do it? Well, I can answer 3 of those 4 questions for you. Where to pick up stuff at 2 AM in your neighborhood, I’ll leave up to you!
Where To Start: Preparation Is Key
First remember the directions your veterinary professional gave you about how often to rinse the eye(s). Once you have obtained the items be sure to gather all of them in one area before you attempt to bring your pet into the picture.
What To Use: OTC Rinses
There is a plethora of over the counter eye washes out there. Most are just sterile saline solution in a 0.9% concentration. Don’t worry too much about that number, what you are looking for is general eye rinse. There are pet specific ones out there, but sometimes they have additives in them that can actually cause a burning sensation to your pet, so be careful if you chose to use one of them. Another option is to find a children’s eye wash. These also will sometimes have additives in them, but are less likely to cause the burning sensation. If you are willing to do the looking, finding a sterile saline solution is going to be the safest rinse to use with a much less likeliness to cause burning. However, longer term use (more than a few days) can cause drying of the eye, so it may also be recommended to add in an eye lubricant. “Eye lube” can come in many different forms; GenTeal is my personal favorite to use because it comes in a range of thicknesses from liquid drops to ointments that stick around for hours (intended for overnight use).
Pet-Safe OTC Rinses We Recommend:
How To Rinse Your Pet’s Eyes: Ready to get wet?
So as I stated above, make sure all of your supplies are within arms reach, or have a fast assistant to hand things to you. Speaking of assistants, you may need someone to help you hold your pet still as this could be a bit of an unnerving event for them their first (or 500th) time! Remember to be gentle, you wouldn’t want to be held down and have water squirted in your eyes either, but also be safe! Don’t force your pet into a position they don’t like as they could get testy and bite or scratch – they don’t understand what’s going on, only you do. Once all of your supplies are together and your pet is comfortable, you can start by using your NON DOMINANT hand to open the eyes. Put gentle pressure on the brow and upper cheek bone at the same time with your thumb and index finger and spread your fingers apart. Don’t go too far open, just enough to get a steady stream for 2-3 seconds in each eye. If you are also using an ointment or lubricating drops, put those in before switching to the other eye! Believe me, it will save you from having to re-adjust 4 or more times!
Author: Cheryl Miller, RVT, CVBL, FFCP (Veterinary), VCC
If you’d like to schedule an appointment or discuss how to rinse your pet’s eyes, please call or text us at (843) 966-3362. You can also schedule an appointment online. You can also schedule a virtual appointment directly with Cheryl here.
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References:
- American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO). “How to Clean Your Pet’s Eyes.” Offers detailed methods for cleaning pets’ eyes, including the use of sterile saline, warm compresses, and specialized ophthalmic wipes. Available at: https://www.acvo.org/tips-treatments-tricks/how-to-clean-your-pets-eyes.
- Veterinary Specialist Services. “Cleaning Your Pet’s Eyes.” Provides guidance on cleaning pets’ eyes safely using warm water or saline, with tips for removing crusts and discharge. Available at: https://www.vss.net.au/videos/cleaning-your-pets-eyes.html.
- YouTube. “How to Clean a Dog’s Eyes.” A video tutorial from Dechra demonstrating the proper technique for cleaning dogs’ eyes with cooled boiled water or veterinary-approved solutions. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhssnEh9qpY.
- YouTube. “How to Rinse an Eye.” Demonstrates how to rinse a dog’s eye using sterile saline solution, including step-by-step instructions for cleaning debris or allergens. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lXVNMcPzhs.