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My dog has cherry eye. How serious is it and what's the treatment?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

How serious is cherry eye. Dog Just diagnosed today ?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on August 8th, 2017

Cherry eye is the common name for a prolapse of the gland of the third eyelid. In most cases it needs to be surgically corrected or over time it will irritate the eye and can lead to decreased tear production. It is not necessarily serious but does require further treatment.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on January 19th, 2019
Cherry eye is a disorder of the third eyelid, and it's not usually painful for dogs. This does need to be treated by a vet, so you will have to take Gator into one to discuss treatment options. Best of luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Cara, DVM, cVMA
Veterinarian
Published on August 30th, 2017
It looks like Archie has a cherry eye, or a prolapsed nictitans gland. The gland is present in the third eyelid and can swell when it gets irritated. Smaller dogs seem to be more prone to it generally. Sometimes the eye itself can get irritated, and he may need medication to help with that. If it seems to be bothering him or it doesn't go away there is a surigical procedure to tack it back into place.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on May 24th, 2018
So, cherry eye is a condition where the gland of the third eyelid is prolapsed. You can put "cherry eye" into your browser and then click on "images" and that wwill give you photos of the condition. Unfortunately, even if the gland is replaced manually, it will likely prolapse again and therefore it should be fixed with surgery.
Here is some good information on the condition:
https://www.petcoach.co/article/cherry-eye-in-dogs/
Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

My puppy has cherry eye. What should I do and what are the treatments?

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog's cherry eye surgery isn't healing. Should I call the vet?

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!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's cherry eye is very large. Does it need vet attention?

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My French bulldog puppy keeps getting cherry eye. What to do?

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!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog's cherry eye surgery failed. Should I consider gland removal?

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's eye is bright red. Is it cherry eye or a different problem?

Hello, The pictures show a possible cherry eye which is a prolapsed third eyelid. This is a condition that can be surgically corrected. I would advise you to follow up with your primary care veterinarian to discuss treatment options as soon as possible. If Pepper is scratching the eye, I would advise you to apply an E-collar to prevent trauma to the cornea.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My puppy has cherry eye, what can I do at home before a vet visit?

I think this looks a little like cherry eye, or a prolapse of the gland on the third eyelid, as well but it's difficult to tell for certain from a picture. There is nothing specific to do at home - sometimes a veterinarian will try gently replacing the gland with a numbing drop and sterile cotton swab but this isn't something I'd attempt at home. You could use an artificial tear ointment to help lubricate the eye for comfort until you can see a vet. If Krypto is squinting, if the eye begins to look more red, or if you notice yellow or green discharge I'd recommend seeing a vet.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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