My dog's red third eyelid won't retract, but it's not cherry eye. Why?

This looks normal to me. When dogs are tired or drifting off to sleep its common to see the third eyelid. When he is sitting up and awake, the normal appearance confirms this is normal. It is not cherry eye. Is he having any discharge from his eyes? If so, he may have an infection or some allergies that are making it more prominent. If he is having discharge from his eyes or they seem to be bothering him, take him in to your vet. Otherwise, there isn't cause for concern. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It can be normal for the third eyelid to be slightly visible in some dogs, due to the shape of their faces and skull bones. In the photo, Ziggy's eyes look normal to me. If this is how he has always looked, and he does not have any other signs of an eye problem such as redness, squinting, or discharge, I would say that this is probably normal for him and not a reason for concern :)

That is a very good looking puppy! It can be quite normal for some breeds,including beagles, to have a little bit of droopiness in the lower eyelids. This allows you to visualize their third eyelid, which is the bright pink membrane that you see in the photos. Your pet’s eyes appear normal. Signs of a problem would include squinting, rubbing the eyes as if they are itchy, or a discharge. As Your puppy grows, the droopiness gets less and less. Thank you for your question.

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.

The pictures you have attached from Neely show that his third eyelid is elevated. This is the pink area on the lower inside part of his eye seen in the picture. Elevation of the third eyelid can mean either something directly wrong with his eye OR problems of internal illness or neurologic disease. Regardless, if he is feeling well at home otherwise, eating, drinking, normal behavior please schedule an appointment with his veterinarian in the near future. The doctor can examine his eye to verify if there is a problem or the doctor may identify an internal problem based on the rest of his/her good thorough physical exam. If Neely is stumbling around, has abnormal mentation, squinting of the eye, decrease in appetite, vomiting and/or diarrhea he should be evaluated as soon as possible.

I think that he looks normal. The red part in the eye is the third eyelid that is raised up just a bit. That pink color to the third eyelid and his gums is normal. If the third eyelid becomes more raised you should have your vet examine the eye.

Yes it can and from your description it seems that there is no problem at all affecting Bleu third eyelids or conjunctiva. I would not be worried at all. 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.