Pet Eye and Pet Ear Disorders

For most eye and ear problems – ear infections, mild scratches, conjunctivitis, discharge, allergies, and visible foreign objects – urgent care is the right venue, not the ER.

UrgentPaws has the tools to examine the eye with fluorescein stain (for corneal scratches), look inside the ear with an otoscope, identify infection vs. allergy vs. foreign body, and start the right medication that night.

Bring your pet to urgent care if:

• Discharge, redness, or unusual smell from the eye or ear
• Pawing, scratching, or shaking the head excessively
• Squinting or holding one eye partly closed
• An ear infection that’s getting worse, or a new ear infection
• A visible foreign object in the ear canal or around the eye
• A bulging or protruding eye (proptosis)
• Sudden complete loss of vision in one or both eyes
• Severe head tilt, circling, falling, or sudden loss of balance
• It’s after-hours and your regular vet is closed or fully booked

Go straight to an ER instead if your pet has:

• A deep eye injury, puncture, or penetrating foreign object
• A suddenly cloudy or blue eye with severe pain (possible glaucoma)
• Blood pouring from inside the ear canal (vs. an external scratch)
• Signs of head trauma along with the eye or ear symptom

Bring your pet in if eye or ear symptoms have lasted more than 24 hours, are getting worse, or come with pain, discharge, or behavior changes. Eye symptoms can escalate within hours – don’t wait.

Don’t wait if you notice:

• Redness, discharge, or unusual color in the eye
• Squinting, holding one eye closed, or rubbing the face
• Pawing at an ear, head-shaking, or scratching with the back leg
• Foul odor from one or both ears
• Visible swelling around the eye or at the base of the ear
• Sudden behavior changes – withdrawal, refusal to eat, head tilt
• A foreign object you can see (don’t try to remove anything embedded)
• Crusting, hair loss, or skin changes around the eye or ear

Eye injuries get worse fast. A corneal scratch left for two days can become a corneal ulcer, which can become a perforated eye, which can become a lost eye. The threshold to come in for eye symptoms is much lower than for almost any other symptom on this page.

The most common causes are infections (bacterial, yeast, or viral), allergies, ear mites (especially in cats), foreign objects, scratches or trauma, and underlying conditions like dry eye, glaucoma, or chronic otitis.

Eye and ear conditions can look similar from the outside but have very different causes – and the treatment differs accordingly. A red, watery eye from allergies needs different care than a red, watery eye from a corneal scratch. A head-shaking dog with brown ear discharge usually has a yeast infection; the same dog with bloody discharge may have a torn ear drum.

Common causes for the eyes:

• Conjunctivitis (pink eye) – often allergic, sometimes viral or bacterial
• Corneal scratches or ulcers – usually from a scratch, foreign object, or rough play
• Dry eye (KCS) – more common in certain breeds
• Allergies – pollen, dust, or irritants causing redness and discharge
• Glaucoma or cataracts – more common in older pets
• Foreign objects – grass seeds, foxtails, or debris under the eyelid

Common causes for the ears:

• Ear infections – bacterial or yeast, often triggered by moisture, allergies, or ear shape
• Ear mites – highly contagious, especially in cats and outdoor pets
• Allergies – environmental or food, causing chronic ear inflammation
• Foreign objects – foxtails, grass seeds, or debris lodged in the ear canal
• Excessive wax buildup – sometimes indicates an underlying issue
• Polyps or growths – less common, more often in older pets

Most pet eye and ear infections clear up in 7–14 days with appropriate treatment. Untreated infections can become chronic, recurrent, or progress – ear infections can damage hearing, eye infections can damage vision.

How long the infection lasts depends almost entirely on whether the underlying cause is identified and treated correctly. A bacterial ear infection diagnosed and treated with the right antibiotic typically clears in about two weeks; the same infection treated with the wrong medication, or stopped early, often returns within weeks. The trickier cases are allergic ear and eye conditions – the symptoms are recurrent because the underlying allergy isn’t going away, so the focus shifts to long-term management rather than a single course of treatment. Recurring infections in either the eye or ear are usually a sign of an underlying issue (allergies, anatomy, or systemic disease) that needs investigation, not just another round of antibiotics.

We start with a hands-on exam of the affected eye or ear using an ophthalmoscope or otoscope, identify the cause, and start treatment the same evening – most cases are diagnosed in a single visit.

Diagnosis is mostly hands-on, with a few targeted tests for specific conditions. The goal is to figure out whether we’re dealing with infection, allergy, foreign body, trauma, or something deeper – each one calls for a very different treatment.

Depending on what we find, we may recommend:

• Ophthalmic exam – examining the eye structures, eyelids, and tear ducts
• Fluorescein staining – detects corneal scratches and ulcers
• Otoscope exam – looking down the ear canal to assess the eardrum and identify infection or foreign material
• Ear cytology – a quick swab examined under a microscope to identify bacteria, yeast, or mites
• Tear production test – when dry eye is suspected
• Intraocular pressure measurement – when glaucoma is suspected
• Bloodwork – when systemic disease may be contributing

Before we run anything, we’ll show you the proposed plan and the cost. You decide what to approve.

Most pets go home the same evening with topical medication (eye drops or ear ointment), oral antibiotics or anti-inflammatories if needed, and a clear care plan – only the most severe cases need an ER or specialist referral.

Common treatments include:

• Eye drops or ointment – antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, or lubricating, depending on the cause
• Ear cleaning and medication – removing debris before applying medicated drops
• Oral antibiotics – for deep ear infections or systemic involvement
• Anti-inflammatories – when allergies or inflammation are the underlying cause
• Pain management – for painful eye conditions or severe ear infections
• E-collar (cone) – to prevent scratching and self-trauma during healing
• Referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist or surgical specialist – for ulcers needing surgery, glaucoma, polyps, or other complex cases. We can diagnose the root cause at a more affordable price than the ER and can refer you, if needed

Keep the area clean and your pet from scratching, but don’t put anything in the eye or ear without veterinary guidance – over-the-counter products can make many conditions worse.

Safe home steps before your visit:

• Use an E-collar or improvised barrier to stop scratching and rubbing
• Gently wipe discharge from around the eye with a clean, damp cloth (use a fresh corner for each wipe)
• Wipe visible discharge from the outer ear only – don’t put anything inside the ear canal
• Keep your pet calm in a clean environment
• Note the timing and progression of symptoms to share with us

Don’t use leftover medication, human products, or rubbing alcohol or peroxide in your pet’s eye or ear. Old ear ointment can let the wrong infection grow; human eye drops can damage the cornea; alcohol and peroxide can cause severe irritation or chemical burns. And don’t try to flush out a foreign object yourself – pushing on it can drive it deeper or damage tissue.

We see your pet the same evening, examine the eye and ear with proper diagnostic tools, and start treatment that night – the right place for the right problem, with clinic, wait, and cost structured around your pet’s case.

What that looks like in practice:

• Walk in or “Save My Spot” online to join our waitlist
• Ophthalmic exam, otoscope exam, and cytology done in-clinic
• Treatment plan and pricing reviewed with you before anything starts
• Stay with your pet through exam and treatment if you want to
• Same-evening relief for most cases – go home with the medication and a clear plan