French bulldog cherry eye is probably one of the most irritative conditions your pooch can develop. On the other hand, if it’s not treated on time, a dog can get a serious eye infection. Cherry eye issue is defined as a protruding third eyelid that is caused by the weakening, stretching, or detachment of anchoring tissue on an ocular gland.
The causes of cherry eye issue in Frenchies
The causes are not always known, but it’s believed that in most cases environmental factors and genetics are the triggers. So, if a puppy’s parents suffered from this issue, it’s very likely that their children will experience the symptoms at least once through their lifetime.
The condition is very irritating and is followed by significant discomfort. In case you live in an area with a low level of humidity, your Frenchie’s eyes may become dry and irritated. As a result, he may start scratching the eyes and cause damage to the connective tissue.
Cherry eye commonly affects brachycephalic breeds because they usually have big and protruding eyes that are prone to collecting different air allergens.
The symptoms of a French Bulldog cherry eye
Cherry eye usually affects younger dogs until their 2nd year of life. It’s because their eye ligamentous attachments are still not properly developed during that age. Here is the list of the symptoms that follows a cherry eye in Frenchies:
- redness of the eye
- a dog is constantly rubbing and scratching the eye
- extremely dry eyes
- squinting
- excessive tear production
- discharge coming out from the eye
- infection of the eye
- swollen eyes
- blurred vision
- conjunctivitis
How to prevent a Frenchie from developing cherry eye issue?
Since Frenchies are naturally prone to suffer from this health problem, the best prevention is to perform a massage treatment. Their huge eyes need a regular massage of the skin around the eyes. I advise you to use a warm cloth and dog safe eye drops and to gently massage around the corner of your Frenchie’s eye. In case there wasn’t developed an infection, the protruding eyelid will start to go back in place after a couple of days.
Another prevention is regular eye hydration. I recommend you to ask your vet to recommend you the appropriate eyewash ointment that you daily put into your dog’s eyes.
What to do if your Frenchie suffers from a severe cherry eye issue?
In cases when a dog suffers from chronic eye issues, vets usually recommend cherry eye surgery because if it’s left untreated, it may lead to long-term health problems.
Using the Elisabeth cone is also a must since in that way you’ll prevent your Frenchie from further hurting the eyes. The non-surgical treatment includes using both steroidal and antibiotic teardrops. However, if it doesn’t work, the surgery is the only option.