Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Eye injuries in pets from ear drops - what to know
By Tater, Kathy et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2023·From the Veterinary Information Network, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Eyes Instead of Ears: Eye Injuries Following Ocular Exposure to Otic Medications.
Plain-English summary
A dog or cat can suffer serious eye injuries if they accidentally get ear medication in their eyes. In a study of 79 cases, most pets showed symptoms like red eyes, squinting, watery discharge, and even corneal ulcers after being exposed to ear drops. The majority of these incidents happened because pet owners confused ear medications with eye drops. To prevent this, it's recommended to store these products separately and use clear labeling. Most pets can recover with proper treatment once the right care is provided.
People also search for: dog eye injury from ear drops · cat conjunctivitis treatment · how to prevent medication errors in pets
Abstract
To determine the epidemiology of ocular exposures and toxicoses in dogs and cats from otic products, 79 dog and cat cases with an ocular exposure to a topical otic medication were retrieved from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Animal Poison Control Center database. Prescription products were involved in 75/79 (95%) of cases, and over-the-counter products in 4 (5%). Clinical signs included conjunctivitis, blepharospasm, epiphora, ocular discharge, and corneal ulceration. Medication error, specifically involving mistaken identification (i.e., an otic product confused with an ophthalmic product), occurred in 68/79 (86%) of cases. In 4 of these 68 cases, an otic instead of an ophthalmic medication was mistakenly dispensed to the pet owner. Unintentional delivery (i.e., accidental ocular exposure in the course of an otic application) occurred in 9/79 (11%) of cases, and 2 (3%) cases involved intentional delivery of otic products to the eyes. Because mistaken identification was the most common cause of ocular toxicoses from otic products, separate storage and/or distinctive packaging for ophthalmic versus otic products could reduce medication errors. Animal poison control center epidemiological data can be used as a source of information regarding veterinary medication errors.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36584316/