Expert: Jana Connell RVT, CVT - 12/30/2009

Question
QUESTION: I have a one year old German Shepherd-Pitt Bull mix who was recently skunked. My dad washed him with laundry detergent and baking soda mixed together, and I think it may have gotten into my dog's eye. He has been keeping his left eye shut, or squinting, and he rubs it against his bed, my leg, the couch, etc. I looked at it and it seems just a little red, but it's clearly causing him a great deal of discomfort. I tried rinsing it with water but my dog is vehement in his refusal to allow me to do so, making it very hard to get the water into the eye itself. Should I be worried about it or will it go away on it's own? I read that neither the detergent or baking soda will cause permanent damage to the eye, but I'm not sure, as it is clearly making him feel terrible. Do you recommend any techniques for rinsing his eye if it is needed more?
Thank you very much,
Bob

ANSWER: Get a bottle of the kind of eye wash that people use for contact lenses and you can then sort of squirt dribble it into his eye. It burns less than plain water also as it is buffered and made for the eye.

Both detergent and baking soda can cause some serious eye damage. You should have the vet look at it if it doesn't clear up. If you have any kind of sterile eye ointment (without steroids) then you might want to try and get some of that into his eye to soothe it.

The vet will have drops or ointment for it if it gets infected.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you very much for your response. It has now cleared up in that he is no longer squinting (he did once during dinner though). I checked his eye, there is no visible difference between the two. However, I am worried because you said the detergent and baking soda can cause serious eye damage. Is there any way to be sure that the eye is ok (without calling the vet)? Or do you it's ok already?
Thank you once again for your response and help, I will definitely continue to use allexperts in the future.
Bob

Answer
Hi Bob,
If his eye is clear and shiny, and there is no roughness on the surface, and he is no longer squinting, then he is probably fine.

If you got this stuff in your eye you would squint too!! Since you rinsed it well you saved his eye from serious damage.

Good Job!!