HELP Would be great, dogs got a cut...

[Leleanne]

We got home and our dog jack got a little cut below his eye. It looks like he and Owen got to playing too rough and maybe he got scratched. It's pretty swollen and kind of bigger than usual. Should we take him in or let it heal? Is there anything we can do for him?

[Sara]

I'd flush it with some saline, get rid of a scap so you can get it clean in there and just do a saline flush twice a day morning and night basically.

Saline kils bacteria and also promotes healing by getting circulation to the area. Make sure the dog isn't bugging at it himself too if that's the case you may have to go with an e-collar like sams has on her girls in that thread...

Doesn't sound serious to me though. It's a surface wound it sounds like. If it were a puncture I would recommend the vet just to take a look. They'll likely tell you to do the saline flush even then but you never really know.

Sara

[Chezza]

Yea Agreed with Sara, flush it out, you dont want it to get infected or anything and get a whole lot worse. If you in yourself have ANY concerns, then by all means a visit to the vet..

[Shineillusion]

I have to disagree with the above advice. If the cut were anywhere else on the dog, I'd just keep it clean, wait, and see if it resolves on it's own. But it's near the eye. There could be injury to the eye itself, which you can't see without an ophthalmascope and a special dye that will reveal scratches on the cornea. Corneal scratches can turn into corneal ulcers, and leave scars that can seriously affect your dogs vision. It's much easier to treat before they become infected and ulcers develop.

The chances are good that there's no injury to the eye, but only a vet can tell you for sure.

[Sara]

Very True Shine. It's hard to say it depends where near the eye it is too but you do bring up a very good point.

Sara

[Chezza]

Is the eye swollen itself???? Or just under the eye???