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Some breeds with higher occurrences of cherry eye include the
American cocker spaniel, English bulldog, beagle, Chinese shar-pei,
Newfoundland, bloodhound, Lhasa apso, miniature poodle, and shih tzu.
Causes
- A weakness of the ligamentous
attachment of the gland of the third eyelid is believed to be the most
common cause.
- Although this weakness may be a
heritable condition, the inheritance pattern is unknown.
- Prolapse of the gland may occur
secondary to inflammation caused by irritants (sand/dirt, allergies,
etc.).
- Idiopathic (unknown cause) forms also
exist.
Methods of Treatment
Fixing can cost anywhere from $60 to $1000, depending upon the
veterinarian (and your geographical location) and which method is used
to correct the cherry eye.
I have observed a cherry eye surgery ($50 total cost around 2007),
which took 15 minutes from start to finish. Both surgical methods
(below) are quick procedures. Some veterinarians charge accordingly, and
some...well, they make good money.
- Massage (see link below)
- Removal of the gland. This procedure is often effective, and
inexpensive. The gland of the third eyelid produces about 30% of
the eye's tears. Without the tears produced by the third eyelid, some dogs could suffer from the condition known as 'dry eye.' It may not cause any problems at all, but
if it does, daily eye drops are necessary.
- Repositioning of the gland. The preferred
surgical option is to surgically tack the gland back into place with a
suture that attaches the gland to the deeper structures of the eye
socket. Most of these surgeries are performed quickly and have very few
complications, and allow the gland to return to normal function. After
the surgery, some animals may need to be placed on antibiotic ointment
for a few days. One disadvantage of this method is that it sometimes
doesn't work, and must be performed again. This can be costly if your
veterinarian is one that has higher charges (typically if you live
in/hear a city, as urban veterinarians charge multiple times more for
procedures as more rural clinics).
Photo above taken the day after surgery.
Links For More Information
-
http://www.ehow.com Includes a home Massage remedy that might work
before resorting to surgery.
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