Cherry eye

I have a Lhasa Apso puppy that has suddenly developed a bright red lump in the corner of one eye. She doesn’t seem bothered by it. Should I be worried?

It sounds to me like your little dog has a prolapsed nictitans gland, a condition we nickname ‘cherry eye’. The third eyelid, which is located at the inside corner of each eye, helps to keep the eye clean and moist. The red lump that you see is actually the nictitans gland of the third eyelid that has become exposed. This occurs when the fibers that attach the gland are weakened or defective, causing it to prolapse and give the eye a red, swollen, ‘cherry eye’ appearance.
This condition looks unsightly and can be very uncomfortable for your pet. In some cases, ‘cherry eye’ can cause severe irritation to the surface of the eye and may even lead to blindness.
Surgery is required to put the gland back in its normal position. Dependant on the technique used there is always a small risk the gland will prolapse again; however as it contributes to the production of tears, replacement is always preferable to removal. Chat to your vet about your options.

Dr Rachel can only answer questions through this column. If you have a question, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

 

 

 

[Originally published in Abu Dhabi Week vol 2 issue 18]