Health
What does cherry eye look like?
A smooth, rounded pink or red mass at the inner corner of the eye, usually appearing suddenly rather than developing gradually.
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Cherry Eye in Chow Chows: What the Red Lump Is and What Not to Do
Quick answer
What does cherry eye look like?
A smooth, rounded pink or red mass at the inner corner of the eye, usually appearing suddenly rather than developing gradually.
The single most important thing to know is what must not happen. That gland is not spare tissue - removing it, which used to be routine practice, permanently reduces tear production and sets the dog up for a lifetime of dry eye. If anyone offers to simply take it out, ask about replacement instead.
Owners of young Chows, since prolapse most often occurs in the first year or two of life. It is also confusing for owners of a breed that already has documented eyelid disorders, because a red inner corner in a Chow could be several different things.
Important reminder
This guide is not medical advice. If your dog shows pain, sudden behavior change, or worsening symptoms, consult a licensed veterinarian.
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What this problem looks like
Cherry eye is prolapse of the tear gland of the third eyelid, appearing as a smooth red mass at the inner corner of the eye. It usually occurs in young dogs and does not resolve reliably on its own. It is not among the Chow Chow's documented eye conditions, which are entropion, distichiasis, cataracts and glaucoma, so identification matters before treatment begins.
Common triggers
- Weakness of the connective tissue anchoring the gland, usually present from birth
- Young age, with most cases occurring in the first year or two
- Trauma or vigorous rubbing at the eye
- Inflammation and swelling of the third eyelid from any cause
- A previous prolapse on the same or opposite side
Common in the breeds where it is documented and uncommon in the Chow Chow, which is not among them. In this breed a red or swollen inner corner is far more likely to reflect an inward-rolling eyelid or abnormal lashes, both of which are documented here. The value of knowing about cherry eye is being able to recognise it if it does occur and knowing which treatment to refuse.
Why this happens
Breed factors
The underlying cause is a congenital weakness in the fibrous attachment holding the gland in place, and the breeds most affected are those in which that attachment is inherently lax. The Chow Chow is not one of them, and its eye conditions run in a different direction entirely - toward lid conformation problems, with entropion and distichiasis both documented. What the Chow's anatomy does contribute is difficulty of examination. Small, deep-set eyes shadowed by a heavy brow and encircled by dense coat mean a lesion at the inner corner can go unnoticed for days.
Environment factors
Environment is not a meaningful cause, but it influences the consequences. A dog that can rub its face freely on carpet or furniture will worsen an exposed gland within hours. Dusty conditions and coat debris carried towards the eye by the surrounding ruff increase irritation. Where a dog is allowed to swim or push through undergrowth with an exposed gland, contamination becomes a genuine risk.
What you can do at home (once it is not an emergency)
When to talk to your vet
Book within a few days of noticing a prolapsed gland, and sooner if it is enlarging or the dog is rubbing at it. Seek same-day emergency care if the eye is held tightly shut, is visibly cloudy or blue, is bulging, has an obvious ulcer or defect on its surface, or if the dog is in evident pain - these suggest corneal ulceration or raised pressure inside the eye rather than a simple prolapse, and both can destroy vision rapidly. Never instil old or human eye preparations, since some are seriously damaging to an ulcerated cornea.
At home, alongside your vet's plan
- Take a dated photograph immediately so the vet can see what it looked like before any change or swelling.
- Fit a buster collar straight away to stop rubbing, and accept that the dog will object.
- Trim or clip the coat away from around the eye only if your vet advises it - otherwise leave it and let them do it.
- Wipe discharge away with a clean damp cloth, moving outward from the corner, and use a fresh area of cloth each time.
- Keep the dog out of dust, sand and water until it has been seen.
More Chow Chow health & behavior issues
- Chow Chow ARVC: Fainting, Rhythm Disorders & What It Really Is
- Chow Chow Heart Disease: Is DCM Really a Risk for This Breed?
- Chow Chow Liver Shunts: What Owners Actually Pay
- Chow Chow Pancreatitis and Diabetes: One Organ, Two Failures
- Chow Chow Pancreatitis: The Praying Position and the Holiday Trigger
- Chow Chow Allergic Reactions: Warning Signs & Emergency Steps
- Chow Chow Genetic Obesity Risk: When Hunger Itself Is the Problem
- Chow Chow Hip Dysplasia Prevalence: What Screening Numbers Mean
- Chow Chow Immune-Mediated Thyroiditis: The Stage Before Symptoms
- Chow Chow Luxating Patellas: The Skip Step and What Grades Mean
- Chow Chow Obesity: You Cannot See It Under That Coat
- Chow Chow Patellar Luxation Surgery: Deciding and Recovering
- Chow Chow Separation Anxiety: Or Is It Boredom, Heat or Territory?
- Chow Chow Skin Allergies: Finding the Itch Under the Coat
- Chow Chow Skin Infections: What the Mane Traps Against the Skin
Cherry EYE in other breeds
- Labradoodle Cherry Eye: Signs, Surgery & Costs
- Maltese Cherry Eye: Signs, Surgery & Costs
- Miniature Schnauzer Cherry Eye: Signs, Surgery & Costs
- Poodle Cherry Eye: Signs, Surgery & Costs
- Rottweiler Cherry Eye: Signs, Surgery & Costs
- Standard Schnauzer Cherry Eye: Signs, Surgery & Costs
- Yorkshire Terrier Cherry Eye: Signs, Surgery & Costs
- Akita Cherry Eye: Signs, Causes & Surgical Fix
- Australian Shepherd Cherry Eye: Signs & Surgical Fix
- Bichon Frise Cherry Eye: The Third Eyelid Gland Explained
See all Chow Chow health problems, which breeds are prone to cherry eye, or the full Chow Chow breed guide for temperament, exercise needs and ownership costs.
What to expect, and how you know it is working
Surgical repositioning is a day procedure, with a buster collar and medication for around two weeks and a check-up at the end of that. Most glands stay in place, though some swelling persists for a fortnight. Where recurrence happens it is usually within the first few weeks, which is why the post-operative check matters.
Success is a gland back in position, a comfortable eye and normal tear production maintained for life. The last of those is the part that gets overlooked, and it is the reason repositioning rather than removal is the standard. A good outcome is an eye that looks entirely unremarkable and a dog that keeps its own tears.
Not Every Red Inner Corner Is Cherry Eye
The Chow Chow's documented eye conditions include entropion, where the lid rolls inward so that hair rubs the eyeball, and distichiasis, where extra lashes grow from the lid margin and abrade the cornea. Both produce redness, discharge and squinting, and both are more common in this breed than gland prolapse is.
What distinguishes cherry eye is the presence of a discrete mass. It is a rounded, smooth, fleshy swelling that sits at the inner corner and partly covers the white of the eye, and it appeared suddenly - often overnight. Generalised redness without a lump points elsewhere.
The breed's anatomy makes this harder to judge than it should be. Deep-set eyes under a heavy brow, framed by a dense ruff, mean an owner may have to physically part the surrounding coat and lift the upper lid to get a proper view. Do it in good light, take a photograph, and do not rely on a glance.
One further note. A Chow with a rolled-in lower lid can have the inner corner tissue pushed forward in a way that superficially resembles a prolapse. Sorting that out is a veterinary job, and the treatments are completely different, which is exactly why guessing is a poor strategy.
What to Do Between Noticing It and Being Seen
This is not usually an out-of-hours emergency, but it is a same-week problem. The gland is exposed tissue and every day it stays out makes it more swollen and harder to replace.
- Photograph it in good light, and date the photo, so any change in size can be judged objectively.
- Stop the dog rubbing it. A dog that scratches at a prolapsed gland can damage it and the cornea, and a buster collar is worth using even if it is unpopular.
- Do not attempt to push the gland back yourself. You risk injuring it and introducing infection, and it will not stay.
- Do not apply any drops or ointment left over from a previous eye problem, since some preparations are actively harmful if the cornea is damaged.
- Keep the eye area clean of coat and debris with a damp cloth, wiping outward from the inner corner rather than towards it.
- Book an appointment promptly rather than waiting to see if it retracts - an exposed gland dries out and becomes inflamed.
What to do next about cherry eye in Chows
If you think your Chow has cherry eye, the plan is three steps: write down what you have seen and when it started, book a veterinary appointment rather than waiting for the next flare, and take video of the behaviour or symptom before you go — the thing you are worried about rarely happens in the consulting room. Screening in the parents covers hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, entropion.
What the vet visit should produce is a diagnosis and a written plan, not just reassurance: what is being ruled out, what the monitoring interval is, and which signs mean you come back sooner. Ask what the treatment costs across a year rather than per visit, because that is the number that decides whether you are managing this condition or reacting to it.
Between appointments, keep a short log — dates, what you saw, what changed. It is the single most useful thing an owner brings to a follow-up, and for cherry eye it is often what separates a clear pattern from a guess.
The Offer to Just Snip It Out
Bramble was fourteen months old when his owner, Nia, noticed a pink lump at the inner corner of his right eye one Sunday morning. She had almost missed it, because the coat around his eyes was long and the eye itself sat deep under his brow. At the appointment she was told it was a prolapsed third eyelid gland, and that one option was simply to remove it, which would be quicker and cheaper. Nia asked what the consequence would be. The honest answer was a meaningful reduction in tear production and a real chance of dry eye needing lifelong drops. She asked for repositioning instead, and asked whether the left side should be tacked preventively at the same time. Her vet thought that was reasonable given Bramble's age, and both were done under one anaesthetic. Bramble wore a collar for a fortnight, complained about it constantly, and has had no further trouble with either eye in the four years since.
Key takeaway: The gland is worth keeping. If removal is offered as the simple option, ask directly what it costs the dog in tear production, and ask whether the second eye should be secured at the same time so that a breed with a demanding anaesthetic recovery only goes under once.
Frequently asked questions
Do Chow Chows get cherry eye?
It is not among the breed's documented conditions, which centre on entropion and distichiasis where the eyes are concerned. Cherry eye is more strongly associated with certain other breeds. That does not make it impossible in a Chow, but a red inner corner in this breed is statistically more likely to be a lid problem.
Will it go away on its own?
Occasionally a gland retracts temporarily, which gives owners false reassurance. It almost always comes back, and each episode leaves the gland more swollen. Treat a spontaneous retraction as a reason to still get it examined, not as a resolution.
Why is removing the gland the wrong answer?
Because it produces a large share of the eye's tears. Dogs that had the gland removed decades ago frequently developed dry eye, a painful lifelong condition requiring daily medication. The modern approach is to reposition and anchor the gland, preserving its function.
Can it happen in the other eye too?
Yes, and in dogs that prolapse one gland the other is at increased risk. Some owners are offered preventive surgery on the unaffected side at the same time, which spares a second anaesthetic. Given that anaesthetic recovery needs careful management in this breed, that argument carries weight.
Is it painful?
The gland itself is not richly supplied with pain fibres, but the consequences are uncomfortable - the exposed tissue dries, the eye becomes irritated, and the dog rubs. A dog that is squinting hard, holding the eye shut or in obvious distress has something more than a simple prolapse going on and needs seeing urgently.
Does surgery always work first time?
Repositioning is usually successful but recurrence does happen and a second procedure is sometimes needed. Ask your vet which technique they use and what their recurrence rate is. A referral to an ophthalmologist is reasonable for a case that has already failed once.
Quick answers
View more answersHealth
Should I push it back in?
No. You can damage the gland and the eye. Stop the dog rubbing, and get it examined within a few days.
Health
Can the gland just be removed?
It should not be. Removal causes lifelong dry eye. Modern surgery repositions and anchors the gland instead.
Costs
How much does correction cost?
Surgical repositioning under general anaesthetic is a mid-range procedure, and doing both eyes together avoids paying twice for anaesthesia.
Related DogBreedCompass guides
- Chow Chow eye disorders – The eyelid conditions actually documented in this breed are the more likely explanation.
- Chow Chow eye problems – Deep-set eyes create their own set of injury and irritation risks.
- Chow Chow anesthesia risk – Any eye surgery in this breed raises anaesthetic recovery questions.
- Chow Chow glaucoma – A painful red eye can indicate glaucoma, which is documented in the breed.
- Chow Chow cost of ownership – Eye surgery is a common early-life expense in this breed.
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