Cherry eye

[Shelly]

Just got a 6 month old pup named Molly.     She has cherry eye in both eyes.  My question is (which I tried searching for first), how soon can she have the surgery to fix them?  I haven't brought her to my vet yet, and I do have drops for them in the meantime, but they are pretty big ones and I want to get them taken care of for her ASAP.  I did find somewhere that it just depends on when the vet feels comfortable doing the surgery, age-wise, with the anesthesia.  Well, she has already been fixed, so she has been put under.

Any thoughts?  Thank you!

[Shell]

Having the surgery can cause problems later on. My girl had the surgery when she was pretty young, now she's 7 years old, and she has within the last few months been diagnosed with dry eye which I was told is from having the surgery. She needs drops in her eye everyday for the rest of her life, she has always had problems with that eye and also has lost some sight in it. Vets that I have talked to say that they don't recommend the surgery anymore.

I wanted to add that there may be different surgery procedures that they do now that don't cause dry eye or problems later on. Talk to your vet about it.

[Superhero Mom]

when i talked with my vet about it due to the things i had been noticing about his eyes, that they dont remove that gland that is popping out anymore because of dry eye, but what they are doing now is tucking it back under the 3rd eyelid and putting 2 or 3 sutures in to anchor the gland to the eyelid again.  

[Shelly]

I did read online that they no longer remove the gland, but I read they still have to be put under to tack the eye.  I guess my main question is whether or not there was a certain age they waited to fix this issue. 

[Shell]

I looked it up and Rita was about 6 months old when she had hers done.

[Shelly]

Thanks! 

[ksdstny]

Harlow had hers tacked at 4 months! No problems ever, she caame home n u didnt even know she had a surgery done. For her it was easy peasy with NO ill effects. That was almost 3 yrs ago!

[Shelly]

Cool, I'm going to get her into my vet soon and get them taken care of.  It just looks like it should bother her, but she doesn't act like they do.  She only rubs at her eyes after I put her drops in.  They are pretty big ones though, I hope they can still be tacked with no problems.

[brumzoo]

Lumpy had one when he first was in Animal control. The vet did the purse string method on it and it popped right back out. Then his other eye developed cherry eye. He has both of them tacked down. This was all when he was about a year old. He has developed dry eye in his right eye in the last few years. Tacking does not mean that they will not develop dry eye. I use the Cyclosporing drops in his eyes now. The vet said to put them in both eyes and not just his right eye. I think I read where Molly is having her surgery Monday? I would have your vet check her soft palate at that time, also. Good luck! 

[Shelly]

Thanks Trish!  My vet says he prefers to remove part of the cherry eye, not including the tear duct, so that it will tuck back down like it is supposed to.  He said he has never had a dog have a dry eye with this method.  But I did read that they could have dry eye, regardless of what procedure is used.  I think, after reading more about the different methods, that this makes sense.  Plus they just use a local, so I don't have to put her under.

I will definitely have him check her soft palate too while I am there.

[brumzoo]

I do know people who use the method your vet uses. They are happy with it. Lumpy is the only bullie I have had that has had cherry eye. I think if a dog is going to get dry eye, they are going to get it no matter what. I like that they use a local for that method! 

[Shelly]

Molly and I just got home from the vet- her cherry eyes are fixed!  He said the right one went perfectly, the left one had been let go a little too long  , but he still got it and we shouldn't have any issues.  The people I got her from last week said thier vet had told them to wait on getting her cherry eyes fixed. 

He said as soon as they were done she just kept looking around and around, like- Wow I can see so much better!  She did that in the car ride on the way home too.  Poor girl- it must be so nice not to have those pesky things blocking her sight.

[brumzoo]

That is great!  I am so happy to hear that Molly can see without the cherry eyes blocking her sight! 

[ksdstny]

awwww sweet baby, i'm happy to hear it all went well.

[emmabull]

So glad things went well and she can see well again  .