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My dog's eye moves back when yawning or stretching. Is it serious?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 5 years and 11 months old

Hi, my dog on every yawn, I noticed, his left eye seems to move at the back.. Its the second day he keeps doing it, but he doesnt seem to have sight problems. Its only happening on every single yawn and stretching. :/

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Christie Long, DVM

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on December 19th, 2016

Dogs can get abscesses in the socket of the eye, behind the eyeball (globe) itself. These occupy space, and can cause the eye to have abnormal positions. It's especially common to see them be a bit painful when they open the mouth widely, to yawn or eat. Hector needs a thorough exam by a veterinarian to determine if this is the case with him. He could also have some type of tumor in the eye socket, or a foreign object, such as a stick or piece of bone, stuck in the roof of his mouth (which you might not even be able to see if you look in there). I'd recommend an exam as soon as possible - sedation might be needed to thoroughly assess the situation.

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    Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

    Veterinary Technician

    Published on December 19th, 2016

    If the strange eye movement started recently, it is a good idea to get it checked out by your vet. Problems with the nerves or muscles surrounding the eye (connected to the face, which may become irritated during a yawn), injury, or illness may all cause the eye to behave oddly. Your vet can examine the eye and perform a neurologic exam as needed to make sure everything is OK.

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Hi, my dog on every yawn, I noticed, his left eye seems to move at the back.. Its the second day he keeps doing it, but he doesnt seem to have sight problems. Its only happening on every single yawn and stretching. :/
If the strange eye movement started recently, it is a good idea to get it checked out by your vet. Problems with the nerves or muscles surrounding the eye (connected to the face, which may become irritated during a yawn), injury, or illness may all cause the eye to behave oddly. Your vet can examine the eye and perform a neurologic exam as needed to make sure everything is OK.
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