Eye Care Tips for Pets   courtesy of 

   - Flush your pet's eyes gently with eye wash after spending time outdoors, especially if it ahs been in dusty conditions. Avoid frequent flushing if your pet is not active outdoors.
   - If redness, squinting or discharge from the eye occurs, have your veterinarian examine your pet immediately.
   - If your pet rubs at it's eye(s) excessively or is losing hair around it's eye(s), it may be an indication of discomfort and should be examined by your veterinarian.
   - If there is color change to the eye(s) or if one eye begins to look different from the other eye, contact your veterinarian.
   - Be careful when introducing new pets into the household and monitor initial interactions closely. A cat claw to the eye of a new puppy can be very serious.
   - If you have to clear discharge from the corner of your pet's eye(s) more than once every two to three days, your pet may have a problem with tear production, drainage or allergies. Contact your veterinarian to have this examined.
   - If your pet will not open it's eye(s) it may be in significant discomfort and should be examined by your veterinarian right away!
   - Avoid using most over the counter drops that are designed to "get the red out". See your veterinarian if redness in the eyes persists.
   - If your pet appears to be losing vision, they might have cataracts developing or have retinal disease. See your veterinarian or eye care specialist soon.


  Symptoms to watch for regarding your pet's ocular health:
   - Squinting or holding eye(s) shut
   - Scratching or rubbing at eye(s)
   - Excessive green or yellow discharge
   - Swelling of the eye(s) or eyelid(s)
   - A change in color, especially cloudiness or redness

  Some symptoms of emergencies: 
   - A very red eye 
   - Bleeding in the eye 
   - Sudden trauma to the eye 
   - A cloudy/blue eye 
   - Blood coming from the eye 
   - Foreign body in the eye 
   - Severe squinting 
   - Swelling of the eye or lids 
   - Bulging of the eye itself

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VCA Animal Referral and Emergency Center of Arizona
1648 North Country Club Drive Mesa, AZ 85201
480.898.0001 

24-hour staffing: 24 hours/day, 7days/week, 365 days/year

Specialists are available on an appointment basis Monday through Friday to see pets as a referral from area veterinarians. VCA has an excellent team of specialists who are board certified in Radiology, Surgery, Internal Medicine and Emergency/Critical Care. Doors are always open and the hospital is always staffed with a doctor capable of handling any emergency situation, as well as specialists who are available on-call after hours for the most critical of patients. Appointments and walk-ins welcome.

VCA's hospital is an 18,000 square-foot beautiful, Southwestern-style, free-standing building located in Mesa, Arizona. Mesa is the third-largest city in Arizona, after Phoenix and Tucson. The new building first opened in July 2005 after moving its specialty and emergency services from Mesa Veterinary Hospital - a clinic that has been open for more than 50 years. It is a state of the art facility offering advanced patient diagnostics and monitoring.
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Canine Cancer Information

Land of Pure Gold has a wealth of information

National Canine Cancer Foundation, which is a local organization in Scottsdale

Pfizer Animal Health donated $1.1 million to the Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) to establish a national canine tumor biospecimen bank.