Doxies may be playful and energetic puppies but not in their earliest days when they can’t even see properly. When do dachshund puppies open their eyes and what does this mean for how you should take care of them? Is there a risk that they hurt themselves accidentally as they can’t see where they are going? Should you keep them away from direct sunlight or bright lamp light?
When Do Dachshund Puppies Open Their Eyes?
Any newborn dachshund will have its eyes closed for anywhere between 10 and 14 days after birth. Some late bloomers can remain with their eyes closed for as long as 21 days or 3 weeks after birth. Most of the time that’s ok, although a quick consultation with your vet on the phone is recommended if your Doxie has started approaching the 3-week mark and still hasn’t opened its eyes.
What If My Doxie’s Eyes Aren’t Open After Its Second Week?
Most of the time there shouldn’t be anything to worry about. Some dachshunds, especially the smaller pups in the litter, can develop slower than others.
However, if your pup’s eyes keep staying open after the 21st day and/or if you’re noticing something wrong with its eyelids either before or after that, there may be a physical problem that’s plaguing your puppy. The most common culprit is an eye infection some puppies pick up called Neonatal Ophthalmia or Neonatal Conjunctivitis. Put plainly, this eye infection is caused by bacteria that have infected the eye and are multiplying behind the dog’s closed eyelids.
The way you can identify such a problem is if your pup’s eyelids are not just closed but have started secreting liquid. There may also be some matting or mucus buildup over and around the eyelids, or they may be getting swollen.
If anything like that is present and/or if your puppy is being lethargic and lacks appetite, you should definitely rush to your vet as soon as possible. The condition is usually treatable but only if you catch it in time.
When Do Dachshunds Start Seeing Clearly?
Of course, even if your pup’s eyes open normally and there are no health problems to deal with, the pup is still not going to be able to see clearly for a while. This is perfectly normal too – newborn puppies will only be able to see what’s directly in front of them for the first few weeks after opening their eyes and their eyesight will gradually get better and better with the coming weeks.
How long does this process take? Well, we don’t know for certain but it’s definitely at least a few weeks. Even when completely functional, dogs’ eyes don’t distinguish details or color as well as human eyes, and it’s not like dogs can mark the day on the calendar when their eyesight stopped improving.
However, suffice it to say that a few weeks after opening its eyelids, your puppy should be able to see well enough to go about its day without a hiccup.
Should You Protect Your Puppy From Direct Sunlight and For How Long After Birth?
Indeed. Regardless of when do dachshund puppies open their eyes, you should keep direct sunlight or overly bright lamp light away from them. That’s because their eyes and the nerve endings inside of them are still underdeveloped after birth and can be damaged by bright light.
So, both in the couple of weeks before and in the couple of weeks after your pup’s eyes open up, it’s best to keep their environment only dimly lit.
In Conclusion, When Do Dachshund Puppies Open Their Eyes and What Should You Watch Out For?
Dachshunds’ eyes will take two or three weeks to open and then a few more weeks to clear out and improve to their full potential. This is quite normal and, barring any unfortunate eye infection, the whole process should be quick and uneventful.
You will need to keep direct bright light away from your pup’s eyes for about a month until its eyes are both open and well-developed, however. And, naturally, you’ll need to keep your puppy safe until both its eyes and legs work properly. Needless to say, leaving a blind puppy unsupervised on a tall table is not the best idea.
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