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My dog's eye is red and looks rolled back. What's wrong? How to help?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Boxer | Male | neutered | 50 lbs

We live in Florida. With the hurricane, there are no vets in the area available. He has had plenty of water and food. His right eye looks like it rolled back and is very red. His left eye is fine. We would like to know what is wrong with him and what we can do to help him?

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on September 11th, 2017

It's a bit blurry, but it looks like the third eyelid (aka nicitating membrane) is covering the eye. This usually happens when the eye is damaged (scratched or punctured), in pain from an infection, or something is stuck inside the eyelid. It's best if you can flush under the eyelid with normal saline. You can make saline at home with salt and water if you don't have any, or you can't buy any. Below is a link to a saline recipe: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/ext/Dcmnt?ncid=520684503 If you have any antibiotic eye ointments or drops in the house, then it would be good to put that in the eye three times a day until healed; or you are able to get to a vet. Otherwise, keep flushing the eye three times a day with saline. Below is a video that explains how to do this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lXVNMcPzhs I hope that helps and you all get through the hurricane OK.

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    Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hello, sorry to hear about Kimbo. I looks like he has a raised/prominent 3rd eye lid also known as a nictitating membrane. This could be secondary to a protrusion of the gland, commonly referred to as a cherry eye, or it could be that Kimbo is having horner's syndrome. Cherry eye is a non-emergency disease that is intermittent due the gland not being contained within its normal pocket. This can be addressed at a future time. Horner's syndrome occurs in dogs with some sort of damage along the nerve tract that controls muscles of the face and eye. This damage can be caused by trauma, an ear infection, and sometimes it occurs without a definitive cause. It typically resolves within the following weeks and complications from this disease include dry eye and corneal ulcers (because dogs are unable to blink on that eye), a droopy face, or a head tilt. This is also typically not an emergency unless Kimbo develops an ulcer in his eye or develops a head tilt. If you happen to have lubricating ophthalmic ointment at home or triple antibiotic ointment without steroids, you can apply a 1/4 inch strip into that eye every 8 hours to lubricate the eye. Best of luck and hope this helps!

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