Home Remedies for Cherry Eye

Nov 6th 2009

The dreaded "cherry eye" seems to be a condition concerning many pet owners, especially those who have breeds susceptible to the condition, including English Bulldogs and American Cocker Spaniels. Cherry eye results when a tear-producing gland located below the inner corner of the eye protrudes, flips up and comes out of the eye in a little red blob. Luckily, it's usually not painful to the dog, but can be disturbing to look at. With surgery expensive and not always successful, we searched the Internet to find home remedies. Let us know: what home remedies for cherry eye have you heard of? Have you ever tried any of these?

Ointments and Compresses
An antibiotic ointment prescribed by a veterinarian seems to have helped some pet owners treat their dog's cherry eye, along with warm compresses and over-the-counter eye lubricant that is thick and formulated for sensitive eyes.

Massage
Repeated massaging of the eye area using a light, gentle circular motion helps unblock the tear duct. Be careful not to scratch your dog's eye.

Gently Pushing the Gland Back Into Place
Once the swelling in the tear duct has receded and the eye is lubricated, some pet owners have reported success with closing their dog's afflicted eye and gently pushing in the direction of their dog's nose to position the gland back into place.