My English bulldog puppy's cherry eye cream isn't working. What now?

Hi, I'm Dr. Johnson. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Theo! Cherry eye is a layman's term for prolapsed tear gland of the 3rd eyelid. It is common in Frenchies, English bulldogs and mixes containing those breeds. I have seen it in other dog breeds as well. Most of the time Cherry eye doesn't bother the dog just the owners because we don't like how it looks. Sometimes it can cause secondary bacterial infections or cause discharge or become inflamed or painful. I recommend you discuss with your Veterinarian surgical correction. There is a procedure where the gland is tacked back into place. It is usually curative but sometimes it fails and a second procedure needs to be done. At a minimum your vet could prescribe eye ointment if it appears infected. Theo is super cute and I wish you the best!

Poor Ivy! She needs to go to the veterinarian for appropriate treatment. You will not find any over the counter medications that can help with a cherry eye. Ultimately Ivy may need surgery to replace the gland. It is a hereditary condition that is common in bulldogs and many other short muzzled breeds. You also need to make sure to protect the area from rubbing as this will make it worse. Have Ivy wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Cherry eye cane be frustrating as you have already found out. From the second photo, I do not see a prolapsed gland but it could just be the angle. I can clearly see the prolapsed on the first photo. When in doubt, take her in. Some dogs have a more prominent third eye lid and it can be sometimes hard to tell if the gland is actually out or not. Hopefully the surgery was a success and the gland is fully covered and protected. Best of luck!

The problem with a removal of the gland of the third eyelid is that many dogs develop pannus/dry eye(because that gland is responsible for much of normal tear-film production), which then needs to be treated life long with expensive eye drops and can also impact your dog's eye sight negatively. So unless there is a medical reason to remove the gland, it is not advisable. Consult with the ophthalmologist weighing up the risk vs. the benefit of removing the gland. If the cherry eye is only a beauty fault to you , then I would not risk creating a dry eye in the dog and just leave it as it is. Unfortunately, cherry eye surgery is not always successful. Cherry eye is hereditary, so it’s best not to breed a dog that has developed this condition. You will always need to monitor your dog for "dry eye" after surgery: Signs to watch for that would indicate dry eye are: redness to the lining of the eyelid, a thick pus-like discharge from the eye, and a cloudy cornea.

Poor Sophie! I can't tell much from this photo as she has her eyes closed, but if she has a cherry eye, this is something that needs to be surgically fixed - otherwise, it will continue to cause irritation and predispose her to developing "dry eye" (keratoconjunctivitis sicca). If you aren't able to have it fixed, she may need an antibiotic eye ointment or something similar to help with the irritation. I would recommend taking Sophie to the vet for a proper eye exam. He/she can discuss treatment options with you depending on how things look.

Bailey needs to be examined by the veterinarian. Many vets will give a steroid medication to decrease the swelling and hopefully allow the gland to shrink and slip back into it's appropriate position. If it does not, she will need surgery. Get her in as soon as you can. Protect the eye from any trauma by having her wear an elizabethan collar at all times. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. While this is not an emergency, this can lead to problems such as corneal ulcers. I would recommend having this examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate treatment recommendation can be recommended. Surgical correction is the most recommended treatment. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.