What Is Cherry Eye?

Cherry eye is an unsightly condition that English Bulldogs are prone to.

It's not unique to bulldogs though, it's also affects other breeds of dogs with flat faces and short nostrils. Lhasa Apsos and Shih-Tzus as well as dogs with longer noses like Beagles and Cocker Spaniels can all suffer from it.

It can affect one or both eyes.

What Causes Cherry Eye?

Dogs have two eyelids, just like humans, that protect and cover their eyes. In addition, there's a third eyelid that helps with keeping the eye safe and protected.

In the corner of the eye is a gland that produces tears and it's this gland that can be problematic. When it pops out of its proper place it becomes red and swollen and looks a bit like a ripe cherry.

Because it's constricted into a ball the gland doesn't work properly, so the eye can become very dry. The dryness makes it irritating for the dog, so they may rub or scratch at it, increasing the risk of damage to the actual eye. This can lead to infection and/or inflammation and if not dealt with then can lead to permanent damage.

Symptoms can include any of the following:

• a red swelling in the corner of the eye nearest the nose
• an inflamed eye
• a dry eye
• the eye is running
• the dog is rubbing his eye

The red swelling, which appears suddenly and unexpectedly, is the "give away" sign that your pet has cherry eye. It can be perfectly fine one minute and have the condition the next minute.

How Is Cherry Eye Treated?

In many cases it seems to bother the owners more than the dogs. In one poll, the majority of owners did nothing. Just over a quarter had the vet reposition the gland and suture it into place. A little under a quarter of owners massaged it back into place.

What is clear though, is that if you don't monitor it then it can result in more serious complications. It will not kill your pet but you should get it looked at by the vet sooner rather than later. Anything that's not in its proper place is at risk of damage or infection.

Treatment Options

1. Massage the gland back into place. This is the least invasive method and something you may be able to do yourself. It would be wise to get some instruction from the vet before doing it though, just so that you are sure you aren't hurting your dog or that you're pressing in the wrong places and causing further injury.
2. Treatment with antibiotics or anti-inflammatories. If the gland or the eye is infected the vet may decide to treat with medication before taking one of the other options.
3. Surgery to hold the gland in place. The gland can be put back into place whilst the dog is under an anesthetic and held with stitches. The stitches hold everything in place whilst it heals up and will dissolve over time.
4. Surgical removal of the gland. If the gland is removed completely it can't pop out of place.

Pros and Cons

1. Massage the gland back into place. You can't change the shape of your dog's face, so it's likely that the condition will reoccur and you or the vet will need to massage everything back more than once. There is a risk of injury if you press too hard or in the wrong place. The up side is that this is likely to be the least expensive way of dealing with it. It's not invasive and doesn't require an anesthetic.
2. Treatment with antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medicine. The medication will help any initial swelling to go down but it will probably not help the gland go back into it's proper place so additional treatment may be required.
3. Surgery to hold the gland in place. This is not a cheap option and there is always a risk with anesthetics. In some cases the surgery doesn't work and the gland pops out of place again and it has to be redone.
4. Surgical removal of the gland. This is a last resort option. The purpose of the gland is to make tears, which keep the eye moist and clean. If it's removed then it can make the eye very dry. The dog's immune system will kick in and produce a discharge to protect the eye. It's likely that you will need to give eye drops daily for the rest of the dog's life.

Conclusion

As always, the best option is to discuss it with your vet. There are choices but there are pros and cons for each method. You will need to make a choice based on the particular needs of your English Bulldog and the advice from the vet.