What can I do for my dog that has a cherry eye?

There's a difference between pink eye and cherry eye. There's also a difference between dogs and people because to get a cherry eye, you've got to have that third eyelid where you've got that gland that pops up and out. It's down in that middle portion and it bulges out. If your dog has a cherry eye, surgery is typically recommended. It used to be that you'd go in and they cut it out. If it's not there, the problem is solved. But that created all kinds of new problems because there's a gland there that's important with tearing. So typically, it's tucked and secured back in. If the cherry eye is out for a long time, surgery becomes less effective down the road. In some cases, we have to send you to a specialist and have them take care of it.

Cherry eye is a condition where there's a third little eye gland that you usually can't see. This gland is there to help produce tears, and in some dogs, the ligament that holds it down in place can be a little stretchy, and the gland can pop out. Cherry eye is like this bright red gland. It'll look like there's a little red tumor right here on your dog's eye. They are typically not bothersome to the dog as long as they're not traumatized. They can traumatize them, in which case they need to come in and have meds, and you'll know because it'll be even redder or even bleeding. It can be surgically repaired. It's recommended to not remove the gland as it can lead to dry eye later in life. Surgery performed by a veterinary ophthalmologist to tack the gland back down has a better prognosis.

Dogs actually have 3 eyelids. Cherry eye is a term for when a dog's third eyelid, which is usually tucked up into the inner corner of the eye, pops out. The gland in that eyelid can look like a red, inflamed cherry. There are various treatments for this condition, so you should consult your veterinarian.