My dog's third eyelid is always visible. Is this normal or a concern?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The pictures of Ziggy's eyes are hard to say for sure, but it appears what you are seeing is his third eyelid. It can become visible for a number of reasons, the most common of which in a dog his age include lymphoid hyperplasia (a condition that is self-limiting and rarely requires intervention), ocular foreign body which is usually irritating and makes them rub at it and squint, and a local allergic reaction to something in his environment. Keep watch on this, and if it does start bothering him, gets larger, or fails to subside within a week or two, please have him examined by a veterinarian. Hope this helps!

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.

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 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.

That could be Bailey's third eyelid, which is a normal part of the dog's eye anatomy. But it should not be out when the dog's eye is open, which indicates a problem. I'd have her seen by a vet for this.

Hi. The white part coming from his lower eye lid that you are seeing is Speck's third eyelid. When the eye is irritated or injured the third eyelid may be more prominent and noticeable. You can gently clean around his eye with a soft cloth and warm water to remove any discharge or any topical allergens. He may have some irritation due to allergies or dust. If he is squinting, holding the eye closed, rubbing it or otherwise acting painful he should be evaluated by his vet. They can look for any foreign body around the eye or may stain the eye to make sure Speck doesn't have a scratch or ulcer. Do not use human OTC eye drops in his eyes.

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.