The American Beagler Forum

What is done for Cherry eye? I been around hounds foreverand have seen my first Cherry Eye. What to do? I called the Vet and she said wait a few days and come in if it is not better.

Cherry eye is due to an infection of the tear gland on the inner surface of the third eyelid.As it swells it is forced out from beneath the lid.Sometimes it will respond to anti-biotics but most of the time it has to be removed surgically.

So easy to do. Catch it with a fish hook, pull it out further than what is sticking out on its own and cut it off with a sharp pocket knife. Put in a drop or two of antibiotis drops if you want, but we don't put in any thing.

That's all the Vet will do, but charge you a tidy sum.

Bama, I heard that if you do that, complications later on. No truth to it? I have never had a hound with it either but this is good to know information. I would rather have first-hand info from an experienced houndsman than "I heard from a guy once..." info.

Ramey

It is common here especially in beagles. At our local trade days, like every Saturday at Collinsville, Alabama you can take a dog with cherry eye, ask around, and several will fix it for you in a few seconds. What I said is commonly done here by many. I don't know anyone that would go to a Vet for this. Heck, be nice and buy them a hot dog, or a sack of boiled peanuts for a dollar. They don't charge or expect anything.

Never heard of a problem with it or any infection and I've done it occasionally for many years and seen many done by others.

I know of one breeder around here who gets Cherry eye in his dogs quite a bit. I've never owned a dog that got Cherry eye and I've never owned a dog out of his bloodline. I think I read somewhere that it was hereditary & dogs that got it shouldn't be bred.

Alabama John is right. Listen to the man.

John, thanks for the info. I will file that away under "just in case."!! Anyone else know the causes? I have never heard of it being hereditary until now but since it's not a big deal and easy to take care of, why not breed a good hound that has had it?

per the Vet handbook - 'results when the tear gland enlarges due to infection. As it swells it is forced out from beneath the lid, exposing a red, cherrylike growth. It occurs most commonly in Cocker Spaniels, Beagles, Boston Terriers and Bulldogs. Usually it must be removed surgically" - So, if it occurs most commonly in certain breeds (and it is seen more commonly in certain Beagle lines), I would say its genetic. Certain lines seem predisposed to get the infection.

Had it 1 time in 1 dog , my vet said it was hereditary in certin breeds beagles being 1 , some strains of beagles more than others , he also said sometime it could be caused by a seed or stick getting into the tear duct causing an infection that inturn caused the 3rd eye lid to come out and thats what we see and call cherry eye in both case's. He removed it in my hound for a small fee , but I know other beaglers that do what AL John said but at that time I was unsure I could do it cause I had no help to hold the dog most I know who have done this have had no problems

It is genetic, liken hernia, it is a weakening of the inner eyelid muscle that tears like the thinness of the stomach wall muscle when stress or pressure is placed upon it.
Some infections of the inner eye will cause the little cherry to be seen and can be treated with antibiotics and they will recede, the true cherry eye is the torn inner eye lid that does not recede but remains visual all times and stays exposed.
The danger of removing them is damaging the tear duct that produces moisture for the eye. The result is a another problem call "dry eye" that you will have to doctor the rest of the hounds life if you cause damage to the tear duct.

As long as you remove the torn portion of the eyelid and don't damage the tear duct, you should be ok, as that's what the vets used to do before they changed to trying to reattach them by tacking them back in place.
Just wanted you to know the inherent dangers before you pull out the knife...

A men S.R.
I bought a pair of pups,the female had cherry eye.The vet sowed it back down ,poped back through.She said if you cut or have the growth removed you may have to continualy put drops in the eye for dry eye.There are some stud dogs that continualy throw cherry eye pups.

Chuck, watch for the loose lower eyelids, this is where debris easily enters and causes trouble and infections. I've seen cherry eye in both good and bad eye lids, so it is inherent to some hounds.

buy a tube of teramycin ointment at tractor supply or get it from your vet.

hey chuck ole spook had a cherry eye and a fish hook and a razorblade took care of the problem

hillbilly