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Cat scratched my dog's eye. Is it an emergency if I can't see a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 2 years and 6 months old | 26 lbs

My dog got scratched by the cat and he got her eye. She didn't yelp or make any noise. I just looked over and she was bleeding and squinting. It looked like she was crying blood. It stopped bleeding in less than 10 minutes and I was able to look at it. It appears there is a cut on the inner eyelid. Her inner eyelid is currently pink and a little swollen. She's not messing with it or squinting anymore. The problem is I can't get her to a vet until Friday.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on January 18th, 2017

Unfortunately, Daisy can't wait until Friday to see a vet. Because the eye is such a delicate and important structure, any injury to it should be considered an emergency. That's because leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. Because she's suffered a scratch to her eye, it can easily become infected and lead to an ulcer. Daisy needs to see a vet right away. If you can't take her, I would find someone to take her for you. If money is a problem, I can give you some resources that may help you afford a vet. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ Please take Daisy into a vet ASAP.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 4th, 2018

    It's difficult to say what the appropriate treatment is without seeing the extent of the injury. It's always best to have a vet examine it and provide treatment, but I understand that this is not possible for you at this time. The first thing you should do is flush the wound using a syringe or other dispensing device with warm water for five minutes. This may not be easy, because dogs tend to hate water getting near their face. I recommend having someone help you with holding Rocky to make sure the wound gets flushed well. Infection is the biggest concern with these wounds; so after flushing, it's best to apply an antibacterial cream to the wound. In order to keep the wound clean, it's best to flush the wound 1-2 times a day and gently wipe away any big crusts - make sure not to scrub the wound, because this can make it worse. Apply the antibacterial cream after each flushing. If the wound starts to swell or have pus oozing from the wound, then I'd recommend he goes to the vet for treatment. I hope that helps and Rocky gets better soon.

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