Interesting Cases

Meet Melvin!

Melvin is an adorable, loving young black Pug who is very lucky to have quick thinking owners that are cool in an emergency!


Melvin suffered from a proptosed eyeball. Proptosis is when the eyeball pops out of the socket and becomes entrapped in front of the eyelids. It can happen in any dog or cat because of trauma, typically car accidents and dog fights. But it is much more likely to happen in brachiocephalic dogs. Pugs, like Pekinese, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, and Shih Tzus, have the lovable pushed in nose and wide, round eyes.  But because of that body conformation, their eyeballs are not held strongly in place and can be proptosed by mild trauma, in some cases just grasping the skin over the back of the head.

Melvin's owners didn't know just what to do... but they did the right thing anyway!  They immediately put light pressure on the eye with a clean, moistened cloth. While fearful, they put light, steady pressure on the eye from the outside corner rolling inward. The eye moved right back into place and they rushed Melvin to us for evaluation. By the time we saw Melvin, his eye was sore and inflammed, but his vision and eyeball were saved by the calm, cool reaction of his loving owners.

Melvin was very lucky. Not only was his vision saved, but there are no problems with eye motion or position. Often, with severe traumas of car accidents, there are complications or problems that end with the eye being saved but not the vision or in sad cases, even loss of the eye. Any proptosis is a surgical emergency, and any time wasted before seeking medical or surgical care reduces chances of full recovery.



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