The dog's eye is a very delicate region that can suffer from unexpected problems, such as cherry eye. The condition is characterized by inflammation in the third eyelid and is often confused with other eye diseases, such as conjunctivitis in dogs. However, although their initial symptoms are similar, it is important to know how to identify the cause.cherry eye: dogs with cherry eye need to be diagnosed as soon as possible to start treatment.

Cherry eye is not very common, but there are breeds that are more prone to developing the problem, so you can't be too careful. In addition to significantly affecting the pet's vision, cherry eye in dogs requires surgical intervention.

What is cherry eye in dog?

Cherry eye is defined by the prolapse of the gland of the third eyelid. In practice, the gland increases in size and protrudes outwards, forming a small red ball in the corner of the dog's eye. This characteristic is what gave the disease its name, since the ball resembles a cherry.

But what is the third eyelid of dogs and what is it for? It is good to understand a little bit of canine anatomy at these times. Also called the nictating membrane, it has the function of mechanically protecting the ocular region, assisting in the immune defense of the eye and is also responsible for tear production. Therefore, when inflammation of this region occurs and the gland is exposed, the protection of the eye is reduced.of the dog is compromised and needs to be treated.

How to identify if the dog has cherry eye?

Cherry eye in dogs is easy to detect: usually the animal has a swelling of the third eyelid, causing a red bump in the corner of the eye that can vary in size. The disease can affect one or both eyes of the pet, the latter being the most common case. It does not usually hurt, but it can make the dog very uncomfortable. In addition, other symptoms that are usually present arepresent are the dog with red eye, due to excessive tear production, or with dry eye.

Cherry eye: Bulldog, Shih Tzu and Pug are among the most affected breeds

Although there is no specific cause for this condition, it is known that some breeds are genetically predisposed to developing cherry eye. This is the case with brachycephalic dogs, for example - but it is worth remembering that they are not the only ones. See below for a list of the main breeds that suffer from cherry eye:

• English Bulldog
• French Bulldog
• Shih Tzu
• Pug
• Basset Hound
• Rottweiler
• Beagle
• São Bernardo
• Shar Pei
• Lhasa Apso
• Boxer

So, if your dog belongs to one of these breeds, you should be even more careful with him. The recommendation is to visit a veterinarian specialized in ophthalmology regularly to find out if everything is fine with your friend's vision.

How to treat cherry eye in dog?

One of the biggest doubts of those who have a pet that suffers from cherry eye in dogs is: how to treat the problem? The first step is to take your puppy to a specialist consultation, who will perform a clinical and ophthalmological evaluation of the patient. With the diagnosis closed, the doctor will indicate the best treatment, which usually includes the use of eye drops to reduce eye inflammation combined with the use of eye drops.Yes, the cherry eye needs surgical intervention to preserve the animal's eyelid and the procedure is usually simple, just to reposition the gland in the right place.

For those who are concerned about price and already want to search for "cherry eye dog surgery price" on the internet, here is the information: the surgery usually costs between R $ 500 and R $ 1500.