Eye Irritation

Most of you know that I have Kosmo in obedience classes. Well this morning was no exception. We are now learning how to heel and this morning my trainer decided to let us all do heal dropping the leash.

All was going well until:.. There was this goldendoodle named Casey who was in front of us at the next pylon. THere were 7 pylons and 1 dog started and then when they were finished the next dog went. Kosmo was behind Casey. So Casey got to this pylon that said "puppy push ups" which meant sit, down, sit, down.. so he does a few of those and then all of a sudden out of nowhere he FLIPPED OUT completely and attacked Kosmo!! He wasn't angrily trying to hurt him or anything but he's very hyper active and he was trying to play with him and of course Kosmo is trying to run away like a mad man but he didn't get to me fast enough and Casey pawed at him and he cried. I felt like such a bad mommy. I tried to do the rest of the pylons holding his leash, and it's a good thing because he got away from his owner AGAIN and he tried coming after Kos. Thank GOD for the harnesses because I picked him up by it and kept him in my arms after that. I was finished with that exercise and I let the trainer know my opinion on Casey. Kos was so scared for the rest of class.. He had about 4 other "new" dogs pass him and he stayed in a sit stay and wouldn't move even for a cookie. Nothing motivated him and when we got back in he'd either sit under the chair or want to be in my arms. I had to pack him for the rest of class. I understand he needs to learn to "be a man" but SHEESH! That's a little excessive.

I just felt awful for him. So we came back home and since then I've noticed that he's really been favoring his eye with the extra pigment. If I look where his tear drops are supposed to fall (you know the part that gets all crusty) and there's a bit of raw skin there and I can tell it's irritated. I am not sure where Casey pawed him, but I think he might have gotten him around his eye. I do notice excessive tearing in that eye though.

Avi seems to think that when he had a shower with me (earlier today) that maybe I got some soap in his eye by accident. He thinks it's irriatated because of soap. Have any of you guys experienced this? Would it still be irritated hours later? I don't think I even got soap in there?

I called the after hours vet (of course it has to be Saturday) and they want $200 to even see him!! If he just has a bit of irritation from a scratch and it's minor I think it will go away with time but in the mean time I don't want to take him in and pay $200 if it's nothing. I have insurance for him so anything above that cost is covered but still.. :? The good thing about this vet is that since they are an emerg. vet they are open 24 hours and whether I take him at 4PM or 3AM it's still the same price. So right now we're watching his eye like a hawk. He seems to be scratching at it a bit and his "third eyelid" seems to be a little irritated as well. I think that could just be from him scratching though.

Do any of you guys have good ideas on how to sterilize the eyes? Have you heard of soap irritation lasting more than a few minutes? If something is wrong with his eyes and it's minor will it go away quickly? I hate to sound like a sadist, but can it wait until Monday? What happens with their eyes when they get scratched? And is it an area that heals quickly? How will I know when it's time to take him in?

Thanks in advance! I'll let you all know what happens!! Right now he's sitting on the floor chewing on his plastic nylabone so it's not like he's out of commision or anything. He's acting normal except for the ever so often scratch of the eye (which I am trying to deter) and if you stare at him long enough you can see him winking a bit.

I think I am going to ask the trainer to switch me to a class that happens a different night. I don't mean to be rude or anything but Kosmo is small and precious. I feel like the dog is where he needs to be (at training) but I just wish she'd have 1 class with big dogs and 1 with small.

BTW we saw another cavalier today!! She was cute and her name was Molly. Kosmo seemed to take to her very well. I think he can really sense when he sees his "sisters and brothers." It's the cutest thing. I can't wait for another one for him! (and me!)

Take care!

Sara,
Poor Kosmo! How unfortunate he has been traumatized!

You could try this - at the drugstore by the contact lense solutions, look for a spray can of sterile saline solution. Usually these cans stored on the lowest shelf and are about as tall as a beer bottle (sometimes it is boxed), which may seem like a lot, but the solution comes in handy for daily eye cleaning anyways. The saline is just plain saline, nothing else, and in a spray can to keep it sterile. Also get a little bottle of the Allergan Refresh Tears lubricant eyedrops and a bag of cotton balls.

Wash your hands and spray a good amount of saline onto a cotton ball until it is dripping wet. Lightly wipe around and over but not directly on his eye, getting the clean solution in his eye by letting it sort of drip in. This will get the irritating soap out, if that is part of the problem. Then dry his face with a kleenex and put a lubricating drop in his eye.

If his eye still seems to be bothering him after this, I would go to the emergency vet, because he may have a cornea scratch and you don't want infection or scarring. (I once took Geordie in to emergency because he was holding his eye shut after being outside - they could not find an injury, but gave me the ointment anyways, and his eye was fine after being at the vet.)

This will do no harm, keep his eye clean and lubricated until you visit the vet on Monday. I would still have the vet take a look at it on Monday, usually they'll put some dye on his eye from a strip and use a special light to look for scratches. They may also give you a tiny tube of antibiotic ointment to put in his eye for a few days. The vet will want to check Kosmo over for other injuries, too. Did you see how the golden pawed Kosmo, like where his paw went?

I know how you feel about the golden, those of us who have little dogs in training classes really have to watch out for our babies and be proactive to prevent these incidents.

I once had an american bulldog in class show way too much interest in India, to the point where I picked her up and faced the wall to protect her. Also, in agility an off leash dog came after Geordie, I picked him up in time, but the dog was trying to bite Geordie's tail - needless to say that particular dog did not return to our class!

Poor Kosmo!

I guess he's too handsome for his own good. Hope his eye is on the mend and there are 'less enthusiastic' dogs at his new classes.

Poor Kosmo, hope his eye heals well.

Thats something I have noticed since owning a cavalier - they are forever being attacked. Up to now, Merlin has been attacked at least 5 times in his short life ( by a jack russell, a minitaure schnauzer, brown labrador, black westie thing, cairn terrier ) Fortunately, he has never been injured ( thank goodness for harnesses!)

Last night was another example - out on the "lodge" we were on our way back when Tess (his friend- golden crossbreed ) a westie and a black westie thing! cmae towards us. Tess and the westie said hello nicely and then bam the black westie type thing was trying to bite merlin's back!

My OH grabbed this dog's collar and sort of threw it backwards.

At training class there ia a whole variety - not one of them has tried to attack him ( we do know that one of the GSD is partial to small dogs but its owner is well aware and knows how to stop her dog)

Do you think its because they are roughly the same size as a large cat?

Not a good start to the morning.

First off I found a flea so I put some advantage on him. I was trying to avoid it if he didn't have any fleas because a) he HATES it put on him (runs around and cries) and b) it stinks and it's like pesticide. If I don't have to put it on him, then I won't.. but I did so now he's mr. oil back for a while.


Secondly, when I woke up this morning and looked at Kosmo's eye it looked like this:



Grey and green discharge. . . :? That to me means he's going to have to go in first thing tomorrow morning if I can't find a clinic that's open Sunday. He doesn't seem to be scratching at his eye anymore or really winking, but the off colored discharge can't mean anything good I am assuming. I wiped it down with some water this morning and some saline lense solution. Thank you Cathy Moon for your suggestions. I am trying to clean his eyes at least 2-3 times a day to keep them clean at least until we can get to a vet. Whenever we get back from walks it gets cleaned no matter what because who knows what's gotten in there and if it's already infected . . .

I am trying not to feel this way but I am just so angry that this even happened. It seemed so preventable and I told her specifically I didn't want to be in a class with BIG HUGE dogs and it seemed to have gone in one ear and out the other. There are a few labs in my class, but they have been with us from the beginning and they are friends with Kos. This other dog went to another training place, was trained using incorrect methods (choke chains and prong collars) and is just too hyperactive for the lady to be able to control him all the time. I realize my trainer can't be descriminant but I do think there are some dogs that should never be allowed off leash, even in class. I know I am preaching to the choir but it makes me feel better to vent a litle bit.

If I can't get him in today then tomorrow will be alright, for sure. He doesn't seem to be in pain but I think something must have happened. It had to have for his discharge to change so suddenly.

This lady told me that casey just freaks out when he sees small dogs and he wants to chase them all the time. I don't know the reason, but I suppose it could be because they are kind of like cats? I wonder if she has any? That's a good question and I never thought of it.. .. !

Boy, don't you wish we could all move to Dublin and be in Karlin's cavalier-only obedience class that she is setting up?!

There are going to be these big dogs no matter where you go, just have to be prepared to keep little Kosmo safe, yet not let him become aware of your reaction - or he will pick up on it! These pups read body language better than we do!

I know this is difficult to do, but if you can get to class early, you'll have more control over who you have to be near - maybe you could position yourself and Kosmo away from dogs like Casey. :flwr:

Poor Kossy and Merlin - it must be because they are sooo good lookin!

Cathy is right, they do feel your tension down the lead, unfortunately you just can't help feeling protective. We have a Casey at training class - he's adorable, flat coated retriever and he's fine - his owner is very confident with him and knows his dog inside out, whilst there is one lady with a doberman that she just cannot control and even the experienced trainers/trainees are apprehenisve when working off leash . No one wants to be near her or her dog........

Its a shame but thats the way the cookie crumbles I suppose!

Poor Kosmo!
My Murphy was attacked at an obedience class also. She always was submissive , but after that she just does not like other dogs. I have tried to socialze her with nieghborhood dogs, but at best, she just tolerates them. She would much rather be with humans.
I hope his eye is recovering. At the local drugstore you should be able to buy a plain eye ointment that humans use at night for dry eye. If this is a minor corneal abrasion keeping the ointment in for about 24 hours should clear it up. Good Luck!

Poor Murphy too! Its cos she's a little poppet and all the other dogs are jealous!

I would also wipe the eye with warm water....as something is not right -

If his eye has a little scratch on it it will not be visible to eye, the vet will put some dye on it and shine a light to see the scratch... or he may have an infection due to being pawed.... either will need eye drops.

I am sure the shampoo would not do anything like this but is not a good thing.

How is the little man doing? How is his eye? What did the Vet say? I think I'd give the bill and a darned good talking to to the other dog owner.

In case you hadn't noticed I am not nice when upset :badgrin:

Want me to come and fight Kos's corner for him? I'll sort that horrible stupid big dog out - and it's owner