Bulldog Cherry Eye

What it is, what the effects are, and how to fix it.

Cherry Eye Description

Unlike humans, dogs have three eyelids.  This third eyelid is known as the “nictitating membrane,” and it plays a vital role in the dog’s ability to see by supplying nutrients and oxygen to the eye via tear production.

Cherry eye is simply the non medical term for the prolapsed nictitating membrane – or the third eyelid.  Essentially the eyelid, or gland, comes out of place and mispositioned, resulting in a heavily red/pink swollen mass.

Unfortunately for us Bully lovers, this is a common condition found in Bulldogs.  Current studies indicate that cherry eye is a genetic problem mostly, but identifying a dog pre-exposed to this issue would be nearly impossible – especially if your breeder was not upfront with you whether or not the mom or dad of your Bully had these similar issues.

Keep in mind that cherry eye is usually seen in younger dogs between the age of 4 months to two years.  Typically, owners will experience most of their issues during this time period.

Brachycephalic breeds are most likely to experience issues with their nictitating membrane, hence the common cases of cherry eyes in Bulldogs.

Causes

The third eyelid gland is usually anchored to the lower inner rim of the eyelid by a fibrous attachment.  Genetics could be the cause for this particular attachment to be weak, which would increase the chances of cherry eye.

Because it is a congenital issue in Bulldogs, if it happens in one particular eye, it is likely to happen in the other.  So be sure to keep a lookout for both eyes if you know your Bully has an issue with one eye.

Once the fibrous attachment becomes weak and breaks, the tear gland moves more freely and causes irritation in the gland even more.  This irritation leads to swelling and will eventually form the red/pink swollen mass.

What to Do when Found

It’s best not to wait if you spot cherry eye.  Sometimes, cherry eye can correct itself but if it does not, this can lead to worse problems in your Bully. The more swollen and irritated the cherry eye becomes, the more difficult it is to correct.  Therefore, seeking the medical expertise of a veterinarian may be your best option.

Treatment

There are several options for treatment which include surgical and non-surgical procedures.  Largely this will vary dependent upon the severity of the issues.  Let’s take a closer look at what you can do.

Non-Surgical

Non surgical treatment is possible if you detect cherry eye in your Bully early enough in his/her symptoms.

According to the Fundamentals of Veterinary Ophthalmology, Massage treatment can be applied to his/her eye with a downward-diagonal massage of the affected eye towards the Bulldog’s snout.  This can effectively return the third eyelid into place and reduce irritation.

There are some medications available to help cure your Bully of their cherry eye symptoms in addition to the eye massaging.  See a vet for medication if the situation persists after eye massages.

Occasionally cherry eye can correct itself, but as stated before, this is a gamble not worth taking.

Here is a youtube video of an owner correcting his Bully’s cherry eye.  We recommend consulting your Veterinarian before attempting if you are not comfortable doing the procedure.

Surgical Treatment for Cherry Eye

There are surgical options for your Bully’s cherry eye when needed.  In fact, this is the most common method to correction.

Check out our article where we talk a little about the cost to this procedure.

In one method, a surgical procedure is completed to effectively replace the third eyelid gland.  Replacement of the gland will greatly reduce your dog’s risk to “dry eye” later in life, and tear production should remain similar – if not the same – to previous levels.

In another method, known as the “pocketing method,” requires suturing of tissue around the prolapse and encasing it in a layer of conjunctiva.  This is another common method that surgeons will frequently use.

Another procedure is removal of the gland which used to be the old standard.  However, today this is not recommended because it has been shown that complete removal of the gland will reduce tear production in the eye.  This reduced tear production leads to other issues later in the dog’s life, including “dry eye.”

Consult your vet/surgeon for the best options for your pup.

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