You look at your dog one morning and there is a smooth pink lump sitting in the inner corner of the eye, near the nose. It was not there yesterday. It looks like something that should not be outside the body, because it is.
That lump is a prolapsed third eyelid gland, commonly called cherry eye. It is rarely a middle-of-the-night emergency, but it is not something to watch and hope about either. Your veterinarian is the right professional here, and the sooner they see it, the better the outcome tends to be.
The third eyelid your dog has and you do not
Dogs have an extra eyelid tucked in the inner corner. It sweeps across the surface of the eye like a windshield wiper, clearing dust and pollen and shielding the cornea when your dog pushes through brush or wrestles with another dog.
Tucked inside its base is a tear-producing gland. It is not a spare part. It contributes a substantial share of the watery portion of the tear film, which is why losing it has consequences that last for the rest of the dog's life.
What is actually happening
The gland is held in place by connective tissue anchoring it to nearby structures. In some dogs that anchoring is weak, and the gland slips forward out of its pocket and flips into view.
Once it is out, it is exposed to air, dust and the dog's own paws. It swells, reddens and can grow noticeably within a day or two. Sometimes it retreats on its own for a while, which fools plenty of owners into thinking the problem resolved. It has not. Glands that pop back out once tend to keep doing it.
It usually appears in young dogs, often in the first year or two. One eye may go first and the other may follow weeks or months later.
Which dogs this happens to
The tendency runs in families and in breeds. Short-faced dogs with shallow eye sockets are heavily represented, as are several spaniel breeds, some hounds with loose facial skin, and a number of small companion breeds. Mixed-breed dogs get it too.
Cats develop it far less often, and when they do it is more likely in certain shorthaired breeds. The advice is the same either way: an exam, not a wait.
Why waiting is the wrong plan
An exposed gland dries out. Chronic exposure inflames it and damages the tissue that makes tears, and dogs that lose gland function are at real risk of a lifelong dry eye condition that needs daily medication and can threaten sight.
There is also mechanical trouble. The swollen tissue rubs the cornea, the dog paws and rubs at the irritation, and a scratched cornea can turn into an ulcer, which is painful and moves quickly.
Older practice was to cut the gland out. That approach has fallen out of favor precisely because of the dry eye that so often followed. Modern treatment aims to put the gland back and keep it working.
What the vet visit and treatment involve
Expect a proper eye exam rather than a glance. Your vet will likely check tear production, stain the surface of the eye to look for scratches or ulcers, and check pressure and the general health of both eyes. They will also rule out other causes of a mass in that corner, since not everything pink in the inner corner is a prolapsed gland.
Anti-inflammatory or lubricating medication may be used to settle swelling first, but medication alone does not hold the gland in place. Surgery is the accepted repair.
The common techniques create a pocket of tissue that tucks the gland back where it belongs, or anchor it to the rim of the eye socket with a suture. Both aim at the same goal, which is a gland that stays put and keeps producing tears. Your vet may refer you to a veterinary ophthalmologist for the procedure, especially in a flat-faced breed or a repeat case.
Recovery generally runs a couple of weeks with a protective cone, prescribed drops or ointment, pain relief, quiet activity and a recheck visit. Repair is successful in most dogs, though the gland can slip again and need a second procedure, and the other eye may need the same work later.
What to do and not do at home
- Do not push the gland back with your fingers. You risk infection and injury to the cornea.
- Do not use human eye drops or leftover medicated drops from another pet. Some are actively harmful to an eye with a scratch on it.
- Stop the rubbing. A cone from the vet is worth getting early.
- Take a clear photo and note the date. It helps your vet judge how fast things are changing.
- Call the same day if your dog is squinting, holding the eye closed, pawing hard, showing cloudiness or a blue haze on the eye, or producing thick discharge. Those signs suggest pain or corneal damage.
Common questions
Will it go away by itself?
Not reliably. It may slip in and out for a time, but the underlying attachment stays weak, so the gland tends to return without repair.
Is my dog in pain?
The prolapse itself is more irritating than agonizing at first. Pain usually signals a secondary problem such as a corneal scratch, and that needs prompt attention.
Can it come back after surgery?
It can. Recurrence is uncommon but real, and it is more likely in breeds with shallow sockets. A second repair is usually possible.
The short version is simple: book your veterinarian this week rather than waiting to see whether it settles, and go the same day if the eye looks painful or cloudy. Early repair gives that little tear gland the best chance of doing its job for the rest of your dog's life. And while you are thinking about eyes, it may be a good moment to check whether your own exam is overdue and see which local eye doctors accept your vision plan.