Can dogs and cats see in colour?

Yes, they can see in colour, but not to the degree that humans can. In some cases they rely more on contrast differences than colour differences to distinguish objects.

What does my dog/cat actually see?

Dogs and cats can see not as well as humans. They can see about as 70% as far as a human can see. Dogs and cats cannot focus as finely as we can. However Dogs and Cats have better night vision than we do. This is because dogs and cats often hunt at night time.

Are dog and cat eyes different from human eyes?

Here is a list of some of the differences between human and animal eyes:

1. Most animal eyes have a tapetum, human eyes do not. The tapetum is a reflective structure that lies beneath the retina. It acts like a mirror; reflecting light back through the retina so the retina gets more opportunities to capture light. Animals that are active at night have a tapetum. Dogs, Cats, Horses, and Cows all have tapetums. It causes the yellow or green glow you see when light hits an animal's eyes.

2. Human eyes have a fovea, or a cone rich area in the retina. Dogs and cats do not have this. There are two types of cells in the retina that receive light: rods and cones. Rods are for sensing motion and work best in low light conditions. All mammals, including people, have more rods than cones. Cone cells are adapted for vision in brighter light and can detect different colors.

3. Most animals have a third eyelid (or nictitating membrane). Human eyes do not have a full nictitating membrane only a tiny remnant at the inside corner of the eye which looks like a small pink lump. The Nictitating Membrane is a thin piece of tissue, supported by cartilage, which moves across the eyeball like a windshield wiper, to give the cornea additional protection. It is often called a third eyelid or haw. In cats and dogs, the nictitating membrane is not usually visible, and its appearance is a sign of poor health or a painful eye.

4. Dog and cat corneas are larger in diameter than human corneas.

How do I apply an eye drop?

To apply an eye drop, tilt your pet's head back by lifting the muzzle, so that the nose is pointing straight up into the air. Then pull back the upper eyelid so that you can see the white of the eye above the cornea. Let one drop fall onto the cornea keeping the tip of the bottle about 1 inch from the eye. If the tip hits the lashes or the skin around the eye, you could inadvertently suck bacteria up into the bottle, causing contamination. If the tip hits the cornea, it could cause a corneal ulcer or scratch. Avoid giving medications if you have long fingernails as they could cause damage to an animal's eyes.

How do I apply an eye ointment?

Moisten the tube in your hand, lift the dog or cat's muzzle so that it is pointing up in the air, pull the upper eyelid back and apply a 1/8-1/2" strip to the white area above the eye. You do not need to "rub the ointment in". Just let it melt. Do not touch the tip of the tube to the cornea. Do not put the ointment on a finger and rub it onto the eye. Do not let your pet rub its eye following application of the medication. Avoid giving medications if you have long fingernails as they could cause damage to an animal's eyes. It would be best to have your veterinarian and his or her staff, show you how to do this.

How do I know if an eye condition is an emergency?

Any time you notice that your pet has ocular discomfort (pain, itching, squinting, flinching), a sudden onset of ocular discharge or redness, swelling, cloudiness of the cornea or a sudden onset of visual disturbance we suggest calling your veterinarian immediately.

Why are you more expensive than my local vet?

We need to take more time and equipment to properly diagnose eye problems. We also need to report back to your local Veterinarian. All of our Veterinary Eye Specialists train a further 3 to 4 years on top of their veterinarian qualification to become a specialist in their field. It is similar to a human specialist training.

In addition the equipment we use is like the equipment found in human hospitals and is self funded.

Where else do you do clinics?

We travel to Point Cook - Animal Accident and Emergency Centre, Geelong (Belmont and Corio), Essendon (Essendon Airport - Animal Accident and Emergency Centre), Frankston - Animal Emergency Centre, interstate to Darwin and overseas to Singapore.

Is there parking at Malvern East?

Yes there is parking in Brunel Street and Darling Road (there is time - restricted parking on Darling road).

How long will my appointment take?

Initial appointments usually take 30mins, cases which require us to dilate your pets eyes will take around 45mins, Revisits are 20mins, and post op checks are 10mins and ACES breed certificates take 20mins this including dilation time.

Can we see cases at short notice if urgent?

We are fairly flexible and are able to see case at short notice if urgent, we offer two types of consults, there is a 'drop off' option where you will need to leave your pet with us at the clinic and once we have a chance to examine your pet we will phone you and discuss whats happening and what your options are. Secondly an emergency appointment which involves you being seen however there may be a slight wait depending on how many vets are on.

What is the breed scheme you are involved with?

Animal Eye Care is only involed with the ACES scheme, please see the Breeders section for more information and helpful new links.

What are your hours?

We are open monday till saturday, Monday and Friday are 8am-5pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 8am-7pm and on Saturday 9am-12pm

Do you work on the weekend?

We work every weekend, Saturdays book up well in advanced. You will need to book well ahead for a Saturday appointment.

Can my dog have surgery on the same day?

If you general vet who has referred you has mentioned that surgery is required we can book a morning appointment and also book in the same day as a possible surgery. It is important to fast your pets if this is the case. Don't feed after midnight the night before and take away water first thing in the morning.

When and what type of payment do you except?

Payment is due at the end of each consult and when you pick your pet up after their surgical procedure. We don't offer any payment plans. We except cash, cheque, credit card (American Express, Visa, Master Card) and Eftpos

Do you offer general vet services?

We are a specialist clinic and only offer services related to eyes. If your dog has any other problems these will need to be dealt with by your local Veterinarian.