Why your dog may have a swelling on the inside of the eye
Does your dog have a red lump that looks like a cherry in the corner of his eye? If so, this could mean that your dog has something called cherry eye. It's a condition in which tear glands on the inside of the dog's third eyelid have become inflamed. If you suspect your dog has cherry eye or are just interested in learning more, then keep reading this article!
What is cherry eye?
Cherry eye is also sometimes referred to as prolapsed tear gland or cherry eye. It is a condition that usually manifests itself in the form of a pinkish-red swelling appearing in the corner of the dog's eye, the part of the eye closest to the nose. The reason it is called cherry eye is that the swelling can look like a cherry.
Cherry eye occurs when glands on the inside of the dog's eyelids become inflamed and, as a result of the inflammation, the glands swell up and appear as a red blob in the eye. The swelling can occur rapidly and sometimes become so large that it rubs against the cornea, risking corneal ulcers.
Any dog can be affected by cherry eye, however it is more common for young dogs to be affected by cherry eye than for older dogs to be affected. There are also certain breeds where cherry eye is more common.
What should I do?
Although the pinkish-red swelling may look unpleasant, it does not normally bother the dog, but you should still contact a vet if you suspect that your dog is affected by cherry eye.
It's not always that the condition needs treatment, in fact sometimes it can go away on its own. However, some individuals need more help and sometimes eye ointment may be necessary and in other cases surgery is required. A vet will only diagnose cherry eye after they have done an examination of the eye, they need to rule out other causes that could be the reason for the swelling.
Some dogs may be irritated by the swelling, if you have a dog that tries to scratch its eye you will need to put a collar on the dog to avoid it damaging the eye or making the condition worse.
