My dog's eye looks strange. What does an elevated third eyelid mean?

Poor Ella! I'm sorry to hear that she's having this problem. It's a bit hard to tell from the photos exactly what's going on, but it looks like her third eyelid is elevated in the right eye - that's the pale-colored membrane that you can see in the inner corner of her eye. It also looks like the area surrounding the eye may be a bit swollen. These symptoms could be caused by a number of different things, so she would really need an in-person exam and possibly some testing to diagnose the problem. Conjunctivitis or an injury to the eye such as a corneal ulcer can cause swelling and third eyelid elevation. She could also have an abscess or tumor behind the eye, causing it to bulge outward and have this appearance. Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to.

It looks as though Nash’s third eyelid on his right eye is elevated. The third eyelid can raise for a variety of different conditions, including viral infection, eye inflammation, a corneal ulcer/abrasion, Horner’s syndrome, among many others. Particularly since eye problems can change and progress so rapidly, it’s important to have Nash examined by your vet. Until then, be sure to put an ecollar (cone) on Nash to prevent him from scratching or rubbing at this eye, as that will make matters worse. I hope that he’s on the mend soon!

What you are seeing on Jax is his third eyelid (known as the nicitating membrane) sticking out over the rest of his eyeball. I can not say for sure why it has prolapsed. This can happen due to an injury or an infectious process. The nicitating membrane has several important responsibilities, so making sure that it is still fully functional is important. While it is not an emergency, if the membrane does not return to its normal location by tomorrow I would consider bringing Jax in for an appointment. In the mean time, I would recommend obtaining some artificial tears from the drug store and keeping the eye nice and lubricated. Do this every 4 to 6 hours in case there is a lack of tear production.

Hi, and thanks for your question. That is likely to be due to a mild to moderate conjunctivitis, probably secondary to a trauma or infection. A check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Corneal injuries must be ruled out as well. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

It can be normal for the third eyelid to appear red if there is no pigment on it, although Gunner's do look a little inflamed in your picture. If this is something new I would recommend seeing a veterinarian: elevated third eyelids can be a sign of ocular disease or some neurologic diseases. Some dogs always seem to have their third eyelids elevated due to conformation, such as Bloodhounds and Basset hounds.

It actually sounds like Oso could have facial nerve paralysis on that side that is making him unable to close his eyelid. The third eyelid is controlled by a different nerve so dogs with facial nerve paralysis will use the third eyelid to protect the eye. Facial nerve paralysis can be caused by a severe ear infection, or some neurologic diseases. I'd recommend seeing your veterinarian to see if this is a possibility. You may want to try applying an artificial tear ointment to keep his eye lubricated until you can see your vet

It's hard to tell if what you are seeing is normal or not. Some people mistake the appearance of the 3rd eyelid as a problem, when really it is normal. Suede also may have conjunctivitis, or inflammation/infection of the tissue surrounding his eyes. He could have allergies that cause the redness and prominence of his 3rd eyelid, the pink tissue present in the 2nd picture. Without doing an exam and looking at those tissues and in and around his eye, it is impossible to tell. If he starts squinting, that is a sign of pain, so I would definitely take him in asap. I would recommend you take him in to your vet for an exam to see if he needs any topical treatment for his eyes or if what you are seeing is his normal anatomy.