ROCHESTER, N.Y. — How could the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8 affect dogs? Paul wrote to us asking: “Is it possible a dog could look at the sun and get blinded?”

Dr. William Murphy from the Westside Animal Hospital explains how an interruption in routine, 3 minutes and 38 seconds of darkness in Rochester in the middle of the day, could impact dogs.

“They can go into their night routine, so it’s a stressor. I mean it is. Here it is, the middle of the day and all of a sudden they’re going into night routine in the middle of the day,” Murphy said.

Dr. Murphy explains that, although blindness is possible, it’s very unlikely.

“I’m not that concerned about that because these guys are not going to sit there. They generally aren’t drawn to say ‘hey, this is different, I’m going to stare at this eclipse that’s going on’,” Murphy said.

“I don’t believe that will be too much of an issue. Does it have potential? It does but I think that’s minimal.” 

If your pup is prone to stress, Dr. Murphy says you can try playing calming music or a pheromone treatment called Adaptil.

“Probably a little but of medication might help with those guys but overall they should do great,” Murphy said.

Keep in mind, it could be noisy from extra traffic on the roads during the eclipse. Dr. Murphy recommends making sure that you know where your dog is, close the gates, and put them on a leash. Do what you have to do make sure they’re not wandering around in the dark.

If you have a question you’d like answered, send an email to goodquestion@whec.com.