Symptom Triage｜Eyes, Ears and Mouth | Evidence chain

FAQ

My dog's eye is suddenly red, swollen and squinting, and the cornea has turned white. Can it wait until tomorrow?

Waiting is not advised. Corneal and intraocular pressure problems are counted in hours and can end in blindness, so this is an emergency. Photograph the eye first, note whether the dog rubs it or avoids light, and seek care as soon as possible.

犬の眼が急に充血して腫れ、目を細め、角膜が白くなりました。翌日まで待てますか。 — 待つことはおすすめしません。角膜と眼圧に関わる問題は時間単位で進み、失明に至るため急症です。まず眼の状態を写真で記録し、眼をこすっていないか、まぶしがっていないかに注意して、できるだけ早く受診してください。

My dog's eye is suddenly red, swollen and squinting, and the cornea has turned white. Can it wait until tomorrow? — Waiting is not advised. Corneal and intraocular pressure problems are counted in hours and can end in blindness, so this is an emergency. Photograph the eye first, note whether the dog rubs it or avoids light, and seek care as soon as possible.

My rabbit's head is tilted to one side and it walks in circles. Are its ears just dirty?

A head tilted to one side, circling, loss of balance and involuntary flickering of the eyes is an emergency. In dogs and cats this may be vestibular disease; in rabbits, torticollis often suggests encephalitozoonosis or a middle ear lesion. Film the walking and head posture, note whether vomiting is present, and seek care immediately.

ウサギの頭が片側に傾き、旋回して歩きます。耳が汚れているだけですか。 — 頭が片側に傾く、旋回歩行、平衡障害、眼球が不随意に揺れる状態は急症です。犬猫では前庭疾患のことがあり、ウサギの斜頸は脳炎原虫（エンセファリトゾーン）感染や中耳の病巣を示すことが多いです。歩行と頭部の姿勢を動画で記録し、嘔吐を伴わないかに注意して、直ちに受診してください。

My rabbit's head is tilted to one side and it walks in circles. Are its ears just dirty? — A head tilted to one side, circling, loss of balance and involuntary flickering of the eyes is an emergency. In dogs and cats this may be vestibular disease; in rabbits, torticollis often suggests encephalitozoonosis or a middle ear lesion. Film the walking and head posture, note whether vomiting is present, and seek care immediately.

What can gum colour tell me?

Gum and mucous membrane colour is a window onto whole-body status: blue means lack of oxygen, pale means anaemia or shock, and yellow means a liver, biliary or haemolytic problem, all of which need immediate handling. To check, lift the upper lip to look at the gum colour, then press with a finger until it blanches, release, and time how fast the pink returns — the capillary refill time.

歯肉の色から何が分かりますか。 — 歯肉と粘膜の色は全身状態を映す窓です。紫は酸素不足、蒼白は貧血またはショック、黄色は肝胆道または溶血の問題を意味し、いずれも直ちに対応が必要です。方法は、上唇をめくって歯肉の色を見て、指で押して白くしてから離し、ピンクに戻る速さ、すなわち毛細血管再充満時間を測ります。

What can gum colour tell me? — Gum and mucous membrane colour is a window onto whole-body status: blue means lack of oxygen, pale means anaemia or shock, and yellow means a liver, biliary or haemolytic problem, all of which need immediate handling. To check, lift the upper lip to look at the gum colour, then press with a finger until it blanches, release, and time how fast the pink returns — the capillary refill time.