If you’re anything like me, your dog is the apple of your eye, and one of the dearest creatures in the world. Your dog’s ocular health may not be the first thing you think of in the morning, but your dog relies on her eyes just as much as you do. Cherry eye in dogs is a condition that doesn’t affect all pups, but can affect any dog’s tear production and eye health.
The signs of a case of cherry eye in dogs are easy to spot; caught and treated quickly, it’s possible to reverse the deleterious effects. In severe cases, though, your veterinarian or a veterinary ophthalmologist may have to perform surgery to prevent long-term eye problems. Let’s talk about cherry eye in dogs and see how to treat it!
All dogs have a third eyelid, which is also called a nictitating membrane, as well as two glands that produce tears to lubricate their eyes. The nictitating membrane, based in the lower eyelid, is a sort of secondary shield for the eyes. It protects dogs’ eyes from wind, dust, and other foreign objects as they play or work. The nictitating membrane has its own dedicated tear gland. This tear gland produces anywhere from 35 percent to 50 percent of the total moisture in a dog’s eye, and is thus an essential component to overall eye health in dogs.