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What is Cherry Eye?
It’s a condition that affects a dog’s third eyelid, also known as the nictitating membrane. Cherry eye in dogs is one of the most common claims pet insurance pays for. While our beloved poochies mostly spend their days enjoying the comforts of our homes now, back in the day, they used to perform working functions where they would assist humans in surviving.
This ranged from finding birds that had been shot and bringing them back undamaged to people, to digging in the ground to hunt rabbits and foxes, depending on the breed of the dog. Because of all this intensive work that involved running through underbrush and going muzzle-first into holes in the ground, canines needed to protect their eyes, hence the need for the nictitating membrane.
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What Happens with Cherry Eye in Dogs?
Cherry eye particularly involves the gland in the third eyelid. This gland produces tears for the eye and is not normally visible to us, however, this all changes when it prolapses. What this means is that the connective tissue holding the gland to the inside of the eyelid is weak, and so it slips and becomes visible.
For a while, the gland may fluctuate between being visible and remaining hidden, but after some time, the prolapse is likely to become permanent, and surgery will be required to correct it. Luckily, pet parents that have medical insurance for pets with us have a financial aid to cover the cost of this surgery.
Prevention & Treatment
There is no known way to prevent this condition from occurring in dogs, but treatment isn’t so bad, even though it is surgery. The procedure usually involves placing the gland back into its correct position and ensuring that it stays there.
While cherry eye is not very painful for pets, it can cause some discomfort, so you’re better off contacting your comprehensive pet insurance provider to help you cover the cost of the surgery.
Read next: What Does Dog Insurance Cost?
Yours in Not-So-Average Pet Advice,
The Petinsurance.co.za Team
