Frequently Asked Questions
We understand that you may have many questions about your pet’s eye health and treatment options. Our FAQs page addresses common concerns, from what to expect during your visit to understanding your pet’s diagnosis and treatment plan. We are committed to making your experience as smooth and informative as possible.
Many cataracts in dogs are hereditary and can appear in middle age or longer. Some cataracts in dogs are due to diabetes and some are secondary to disease of the retina (nerve tissue).
No. Our eye vets in Melbourne will accept patients without a referral, however we prefer that you have seen your local veterinarian so that we can get a full history and examination of your pet.
Conjunctivitis in dogs may simply be a bacterial infection that responds quickly to antibiotic cream. However dog conjunctivitis that does not respond quickly often means an underlying cause. These may be allergies or dry eye or rarely damage to nerves to the eye.
An eye vet is a veterinarian who has undergone further training to work only in the field of ophthalmology. To become a specialist you need to pass exams held by the Australian & New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists. A veterinarian in a formal training program to be a specialist is called a Resident. At Animal Eye Care we have two specialists (Robin and Matt), and two Residents (Helen and Joyce).
We offer a range of procedures for: Eyelid, Corneal, Intraocular, Cataracts. Find out more about our services.
To schedule an appointment, please contact our courteous team at 03 9563 6488. New clients are encouraged to use our online form, and a member of our team will reach out to you shortly.
All visits and surgeries are documented in a comprehensive report, which is typically sent directly to your referring veterinarian before you depart from our clinic.
Following each consultation, you will receive a comprehensive handout summarising the topics discussed for your future reference. This practice is also applied to surgical procedures. Additionally, we offer informational handouts on various conditions based on the diagnosis to enhance your understanding of these issues. Pet owners whose animals are undergoing surgery will be contacted both before and after the procedure, ensuring you are informed when your pet is entering the operating room and when they are in recovery.
Post-Operative Concerns
We only discharge our patients when our experienced veterinarians and nurses are happy that they have recovered adequately. However, there may be a few things to watch out for post-operatively after you take your pet home. Please don’t forget to read your discharge instructions as these may answer your questions.
It can be normal to experience a decrease in appetite the night after surgery as they may be nauseous from the anaesthetic drugs. They have been on an IV drip throughout the day so they will be well hydrated and may not feel the need to drink when they get home. Additionally if your pet has an Elizabethan collar to protect the surgery site this can impact their ability to eat. If you think this is the case, then refer to our FAQ on ‘Not coping with an Elizabethan collar.’ Your pet’s appetite should be back to normal the next day and if not, then this may require veterinary attention, and you should contact the clinic for advice.
Throughout your pet’s stay with us in hospital they are supported with intravenous fluid therapy. This can result in what may seem like excessive urination post-operatively, but it is completely normal.
After surgery, we often place ointments in the eye to both lubricate, provide anti-biotic or anti-inflammatory activity. These can sometimes seem like there is increased discharge from the eyes. This is normal. Please watch out for any thick, mucky yellow or green discharge in the subsequent day/weeks after surgery as this can indicate infection. If you notice these signs of infection, please contact your local emergency clinic for advice.
Sometimes it can be tricky to administer eye drops into your pet’s eyes especially if they are wriggly. You can look up video tutorials on how to administer eye drops.
We make sure to assess your patient’s heart before surgery and use appropriate medications to limit the amount of strain on your pet’s heart and cardiovascular system. When patients have heart murmurs, we are especially worried about fluid developing on the lungs. The most sensitive measure we have for this is to count your pet’s resting respiratory rate – this must be done whilst they are very relaxed or sleeping as any stimulation can artificially raise the respiratory rate. Count the number of rise and falls of their chest (one rise and one fall = a count of one). If this number is greater than 30 breaths/minute, then please contact your local vet or emergency centre for further treatment and advice.
This can be normal for your pet to not defecate as your pet has been fasted from the night before surgery. Additionally, we give strong pain relief medication (opioids) which can cause constipation and the anaesthetic drugs can increase the time the intestinal system takes to process food. Unless there is straining without any defecation occurring, we do not worry about lack of defecation unless it is persisting longer than 3 days in which case visiting your regular vet is recommended. Your pet should be urinating as we maintain their hydration on intravenous fluid therapy whilst they are in hospital. In cats, no urination is a cause of concern, particularly if your cat is going to the litter box, straining and no urination is occurring. If your cat is showing signs of non-productive straining to urinate or defecate, this can be an emergency, and we recommend you seek veterinary attention as soon as possible.
Nausea can occur commonly after an anaesthetic and lack of appetite and vomiting the night of surgery are possible. If your pet is vomiting the day after surgery, this is less likely to be the result of an anaesthetic and may be the result of an oral medication they are taking, or some other underlying condition. If your pet is vomiting the day after surgery, we recommend getting in touch with the clinic for some advice.
Every animal reacts differently to the pre-anaesthetic sedation and the anaesthetic drugs that we administer on the day of surgery. Some animals may experience dysphoria (this may manifest as difficulty settling, restlessness, aimless wandering, not wanting to calm and lay on their bed). We recommend creating a darkened, warm, quiet environment to keep your pet as calm and safe as possible. Their demeanour and behaviour should return to normal the next day after they have processed the drugs. If this is not the case, contact the clinic for advice.
Please refer to your discharge instructions for pain relief options provided by our vets. If you are in doubt if your pet is experiencing pain, then we recommend administering the medications you have been provided with as this is safe to do so. Generally, symptoms of pain manifest as squinting, excessive blinking, holding the eye shut, restlessness, reduced appetite.
For all animals that have an anaesthetic at our clinic we place a breathing tube into their windpipe (trachea) to maintain their airway during surgery and deliver anaesthetic gases and oxygen. Sometimes this can irritate the windpipe and a mild cough for a few days post-operatively can be normal. If this persists, we recommend getting in touch with your regular vet to ensure there is no other underlying disease.
As it can be normal to experience a reduced appetite or nausea post-operatively, it is possible your diabetic animal may not want to eat the night of surgery. Our team would have spoken to you about your pet’s blood glucose whilst they have been in hospital and given you a plan about insulin dosing for the night. Your pet might have a glucose monitoring device on their skin (white disc). You can use this to measure their blood glucose and follow your regular vet’s instructions about insulin dosing. If you have any concerns about your diabetic pet, contact your closest emergency vet for further advice or treatment. If in doubt, if your pet is not eating on the night of surgery, it is better to skip this dose of insulin and wait to the following morning to try feeding again. Once they are eating again it is safe to administer their insulin as normal.
After most eye surgeries your pet will go home with drops to administer. Mostly these start the morning after surgery. Some squinting and swelling is normal in the first few days post-operatively, however if your pet’s symptoms are excessive, contact your local emergency vet for advice or treatment.
It can be normal to have gastrointestinal upset after an anaesthetic. As long as your pet is otherwise well (has a bright and alert demeanour and good appetite) we recommend feeding a bland diet that is gentle on the gastrointestinal system such as chicken and rice. It may take a few days for any diarrhoea to resolve, and we recommend gradually returning to their normal diet. If your pet’s diarrhoea is ongoing beyond this time, please seek veterinary advice with your regular vet.
If your pet has been newly prescribed either antibiotics or anti-inflammatories or both medications it is possible these can cause gastrointestinal upset that results in vomiting. Giving the medication with food can reduce this risk (and all anti-inflammatories need to be given with food). If vomiting persists after using these medications, then stop the medication and contact the clinic during opening hours.
We strongly recommend all patients that have had intra-ocular, corneal, or eyelid surgery with sutures placed wear an Elizabethan collar. It is there to protect the sutures and prevent the wound breaking down through self- induced trauma (pawing/rubbing the eye). If this happens, repeat surgery may be required. You can assist your pet to eat and drink by giving them a very large bucket/bowl of water or raising their food bowl off the ground. If the cone needs to be removed to eat, then your pet must be supervised at all times and the cone replaced immediately after.
When your pet has had eyelid surgery, this can be a common side effect, so no need to panic. You may have been sent home with a pack of gauze swabs that you can use to gently wipe away any blood. If bleeding persists, contact your local emergency vet.
This is normal for eye removal surgery for a small amount of blood to come out of the nostrils. If it is continuous and showing no signs of stopping, then this is not normal and we recommend seeking veterinary advice from your local emergency vet.
Your pet might just be adjusting to having eye drops and squinting can be normal for a very short period after. If the pain and squinting is persistent this may be a reaction to the eye drops and we recommend stopping the drops and contacting the clinic during opening hours. If you are concerned, you can apply artificial tears from the chemist such as Systane, HyloForte, or Blink Contacts tears to the eye to help soothe the eye and flush out any irritants.
It can be normal for a small amount of watery discharge to occur after eye surgery. If this watery discharge is constant and continuously flowing from the eye then this is not considered normal and we recommend seeking veterinary advice from your local emergency vet.
