# Cherry Eye



## denek9 (Apr 11, 2010)

Has anyone ever had a dog with Cherry Eye and Know the expenses to get it removed?


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## pitbullmamanatl (Jun 1, 2010)

*So weird I just read an article today about Cherry Eye. Here is some information from it:
*
It's not understood why some dogs get cherry eye, but it's thought the cause could be from a parasite, some kind of bacterial infection, dermatitis, possible sun damage, cancer, fungal infection or it could be a result of a problem with the dog's immune system. Whatever the case, cherry eye is hereditary, so it's best not to breed a dog that has developed this condition.

Cherry eye is usually seen in younger dogs between 6 weeks to 2 years and is more commonly found in Newfoundlands, Bloodhounds, Bulldogs, Cocker Spaniels, Shar-Peis, Shih Tzu, Beagles, Pekingese, Lhasa apso, Miniature Poodles and Neapolitan Mastiffs. It's also seen in some breeds of cats. The Persian and Burmese cats are more likely to develop cherry eye than other breeds.

Treatment for cherry eye is done under local anesthesia to push the gland back into place. Some vets will elect to remove the third eyelid, but it's not recommended. There's nothing wrong with getting a second opinion if it's needed. Removing the eyelid can adversely affect proper tear production which keeps the eye from becoming dry. Dogs who have had the eyelid removed are at risk of developing a condition called "dry eye" later on. The third eyelid should only be removed as a last resort. If it's removed, you are compromising your dog's eye health as they age.

If your dog develops cherry eye, the other eye should be watched closely and you may want to consider having both eyes corrected surgically at the same time. After surgery, you will need to watch your dog's eyes to make sure they don't develop dry eye. 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.


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## aus_staffy (Nov 10, 2009)

Roxy had it when she was a puppy. It used to come up when she had been running around and overexerting herself as puppies do. It was only in one eye. She didn't have to have the third eyelid removed, we just got some eye drops for it from the vet and it went down. It would come up every now and again but we'd just use the eye drops and it would sort itself out.

As she got older it became less and less frequent and it comes up very very rarely now.

Is your vet recommending surgery?


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## Nizmo (Jan 15, 2009)

i know a dog with one. it wasnt too much. a good 2-300 dollars because you have to do it under anesthesia. i would do it if you had an option of S/N since you wouldnt have to pay to get the dog back under again.. (idk your case tho)


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

I have had to do several rescues that had cherry eye. Cost is about 2-300 like Nizmo said and an easy procedure. There are a few ways to repair it just talk to your vet and he will know what to do.


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## FloorCandy (Feb 19, 2009)

Sometimes they do a less pricey procedure under local anesthesia where they just tack the gland back into place. I have seen it many times in bulldogs, and since EBs are high anesthesia risk, the less invasive option is often tried first. Sometimes it can be treated by simply rubbing it back into place, and as the dog gets older it fixes itself. If your vet jumps right to having the gland removed, the dog will need drops for the rest of its life to treat dry eye. I have a friend with an EB who had both glands removed, and gets drops every day, it's not a huge deal, but she does it like 2 or 3x a day. How old is your pup?


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## denek9 (Apr 11, 2010)

turnning 4 months on the 18


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## FloorCandy (Feb 19, 2009)

At 4 months I would think tacking the gland back in place is probably the best solution rather than jumping into the full removal surgery. Have you talked with your vet about the various options? Some vets don't see a lot of cherry eye and are quick to suggest removal, if your vet isn't giving you a full spectrum of options, I would get a second opinion. A vet that sees a lot of bulldogs, shar pei, or neos would be my choice.


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## denek9 (Apr 11, 2010)

Yeah i called my local vet they said removal.. But i called another vet in puyallup and they are gonna tack it back in so im gonna go to them because i think thats better imo thanks for all your comments though guys


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

I would opt to remove it and heres why. The times I have seen them tucked back in, later on in the future they pop back out and have to be removed again. The dog can do just fine without it and I would opt to have them removed if it was my dog. I have done the surgery several times on rescues and I never had a problem with a full removal but that is just my personal experience with cherry eye.


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