Cherry Eye and Third Eyelid Problems in Shetland Sheepdogs

Something visible at the inner corner of the eye is worth examining, but in this breed the differential list rarely starts with a prolapsed gland. These are the more likely explanations.

The gland of the third eyelid produces a large proportion of a dog's aqueous tears. For years the standard surgical approach to a prolapsed gland was to remove it, on the reasonable-looking grounds that a lump that will not stay put can simply be taken away. That practice has been abandoned by ophthalmologists, because the consequence turned up years later.

Dogs who lose that gland are substantially more likely to develop dry eye, a chronic condition where insufficient tear production leaves the cornea inflamed, thickened, pigmented and painful. It requires lifelong medication applied one to three times daily and, if poorly controlled, it damages vision. Trading a visible lump for a lifetime of drops and a deteriorating cornea is a poor bargain.

The accepted approach is replacement, most commonly by creating a pocket of conjunctival tissue that the gland is tucked into and secured within, so it returns to its correct position and keeps working. Recurrence is possible and a second procedure is sometimes needed, which is a considerably better problem than dry eye.

If you are ever offered gland removal for any dog, ask directly whether repositioning has been considered and whether referral to an ophthalmologist is appropriate. For a Shetland Sheepdog this conversation is unlikely to arise, but the surrounding principle applies broadly: eye surgery under general anesthesia in this breed should be planned with the documented MDR1 drug sensitivity known rather than assumed.