Cherry eye: an odd name for a painful canine condition

Cherry eye: an odd name for a painful canine condition


Anything that looks off about your pet is reason enough to contact your veterinarian. Take cherry eye, for example.

It may sound funny or cute, but it’s not. Named for the red lump that appears in the corner of an affected dog’s eye, cherry eye is a prolapsed tear gland. Veterinarians don’t know what causes the displacement, but one thing’s certain: it needs to be dealt with as soon as possible.

Not only is cherry eye irritating to dogs—it can cause a cascade of other problems if left untreated. Chief among them is decreased tear production, which can lead to painful corneal ulcers, eye infections and reduced vision.

Some breeds are more prone to cherry eye, but any dog can be affected—especially those younger than 2 years of age. The good news is that it’s usually completely treatable—if you jump on it right away.

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