French Bulldog Cherry Eye

Caring for your Frenchie can be tough since they are very sensitive and their care routine is much more complicated than other breeds of dogs. But we know you love your Frenchie, and it’s a pain when they suffer from painful afflictions! This article will talk about French bulldog cherry eye and all about it.

 

Cherry Eye in French bulldogs

French bulldogs have three eyelids instead of one. Yes! You might find it hard to believe, but our furry pals have a third eyelid in their lower eyelid, which helps to provide additional protection against dust and dirt.

Cherry eye is a condition in which this eyelid prolapses and pops out. This eyelid can pop out, obstruct the French bulldog’s view, and swell up. You will notice that your Frenchie has a swollen red mass covering half of its eye.

 

What causes cherry eye?

According to BlueCross, dogs that suffer from cherry eye usually do so because of their genetics. The most common breeds that can suffer from the cherry eye are king Charles spaniels, bulldogs, white terriers, bloodhounds, and Boston terriers.

Symptoms of the cherry eye can start showing up in your dog before the age of 2, and different cases have also been reported where dogs developed cherry eye after a fit of excitement, shock, or fear.

 

Symptoms of French bulldog cherry eye

 

 

Spotting cherry eye isn’t that hard. You’ll notice a red mass in your dog’s eye, in the corner, from the nose’s side. Along with this, you will also see the following symptoms:

Teary eyes, dry eyes, loss of vision, constant scratching of eyes, squinting of eyes.

 

Is cherry eye painful for my Frenchie?

It might seem extremely painful, but the cherry eye isn’t very painful for bulldogs. It might become an irritation be uncomfortable for them, and you will find them frequently pawing their eyes in order to scratch them.

This scratching might tear the eyelid in severe cases, which can require medical assistance. Otherwise, it may cause ulcers to grow in the eyelid, which can be very uncomfortable for your dog.

However, cherry eye can be very harmful to your precious pup if left untreated. Untreated cherry can lead to restricted opening and closing of the eye, further leading to pigmentation and even blindness in that eye.

The constant irritation might cause vision-related problems, and the swelling might restrict blood flow to the eye.

In summary, it’s best to get early-stage cherry eye treated as soon as possible. Otherwise, it can become a severe problem later on.

Is cherry eye contagious?

Cherry eye can’t spread from one dog to another, so you don’t have to worry about that. But if you plan to breed bulldogs, make sure to check their medical history and whether they consistently develop a cherry eye.

Since doctors project that genetics and cherry eye are related, the affliction can be hereditary and passed on from parents to their offspring. It would be best to breed bulldogs with an extremely low or no probability of developing cherry eyes.

French bulldog cherry eye treatments

 

 

Getting cherry eye treated is very important. Otherwise, it can cause severe eye-related problems for your Frenchie later on. The exact form of treatment can vary, depending on the severity of the case.

Cherry eye can require either form of surgical or non-surgical forms of treatment, and we’ll go over each one of them in great detail. Some milder cases might require only medication and some physiotherapy, and the swollen eyelid will recede into its original place. Otherwise, your pup might require surgery.

Anti-inflammatory drops

These drops help to relieve the pain your bulldog is feeling by reducing the swelling caused by cherry eye. Topical lubricating eye drops are also used in order to keep the tissue moist that isn’t being lubricated naturally. Antibiotic drops may also be administered to the pup in order to prevent any infections.

Your vet will probably use a combination of all three types of droplets in order to ensure that your pup experiences the lowest amount of pain possible and that their eye is able to be either treated via this treatment or to keep healthy enough for surgery.

Massaging the swollen gland

Some cases of the cherry eye can be cured by carefully massaging the gland into its original position. This is usually combined with the droplets being administered that were mentioned before.

This process should only be attempted by your vet or be constantly monitored by a vet. Otherwise, you might risk harming your dog’s eye even further.

However, this method has a very low chance of working, and surgery is usually the inevitable option when it comes to the cherry eye.

Surgery

Different types of surgeries are used to deal with cherry eye, the oldest method being to remove the gland completely. While this may solve the affliction, it leads to further complications since your dog will be unable to produce tears naturally. You will have to administer eye drops daily in order to keep their eyes moist. Otherwise, you might risk your pup losing its vision.

Thankfully, newer methods have been developed, which involve placing the eyelid back into its original position. This is called the attachment procedure and involves the gland being moved back and placed with stronger tissue into the corner of your Frenchie’s eye.

Another process involves removing some tissue from over the gland in order to let the gland slide back into the lower eyelid. This is a more difficult process, and vets might prefer the previous method to this one if it’s possible.

French bulldog cherry eye surgery cost

 

 

The exact cost of cherry eye surgery varies depending on the pup’s condition and whether only one eye is affected or both. Owners can expect anything from $300 to $500 for one eye and around $800 to $1000 for both eyes.

Recovering from cherry eye

After your Frenchie has been operated on, you will have to follow a certain regimen in order to let your dog recover completely.

You might need to fit your dog with an Elizabethan collar so they are unable to touch their eye. Since the eye will be very vulnerable at this stage, any rubbing or scratching can cause severe problems.

Your pup might also experience some swelling after the surgery, and that is completely normal. You will have to regularly administer eye ointments to give your pup some relief and reduce the swelling.

Your vet will also prescribe some pain medication and eye drops, which will need to be administered regularly. This will help provide your dog some comfort and pain relief and ease their way into recovery.

If you take your dog on a walk during the recovery period, it is advised that you use a harness instead of a leash since that might cause unnecessary strain and stress around the dog’s neck and face. This could cause harm to the eye and might cause it to bleed.

Hopefully, your Frenchie will be able to see normally and the eye will achieve its original state within a few weeks of operating. However, there is a chance that this condition might occur again, and it could occur in both eyes.

You might require subsequent visits to the vet, in which the pup’s condition is checked to ensure that the recovery process is going as planned and that the dog won’t face any prolapse. The vet might also ask you about the dog’s activities and whether they eat normally or get their recommended exercise.

Bear with this process since it is extremely important for your dog’s recovery. We know how much your furry pal matters to you, and we’d do anything for them.

Final thoughts

When dealing with French bulldog cherry eye, it is always important to nip this affliction in the bud. Always make sure to regularly check your dog’s eyes for any symptoms of cherry eye.

As we’ve mentioned, regularly check for the symptoms mentioned previously in the article, and immediately consult your vet if you think something’s up with your dog.

Surgeries are inevitable if your dog does develop cherry eye, and delaying it or thinking that it might subside may actually cause long-term harm to your dog’s eye. This can even be permanent.

It is always advised to begin the course of prescribed anti-inflammatory drops, eye relief droplets, and pain medication to ease the procedure.

After surgery has been done, make sure to follow the recovery regimen properly and closely monitor your pup for any prolapse symptoms or any other symptoms that might indicate that your dog is suffering from an infection.

Remember to use an E-collar in order to avoid any further damage caused to the Frenchie’s eye. Also, use a harness instead of a leash to avoid any unwanted strain placed onto the neck and face.

And most of all, be strong. We know that any affliction for your pup can be a huge cause of stress for you, and you might find yourself worrying that your pet might not make it. Well, don’t worry. Cherry eye is never fatal, and it’s almost always curable with proper surgery and care during the recovery period.

Well, we hope you understand everything about the cherry eye, its causes and symptoms, and how to cure it. Hopefully, your pup will never have to experience this painful affliction. If they do, you know the proper way to treat it. Hopefully, the procedure will be easy to manage for you, and your pup will be cured in no time!