Protruding Red 3rd Eyelid

October 30, 2013

Hi Laurie,
Yes, I do remember you as ‘Candy’s Mom’!

My impression of Candy’s protruding third eyelid, especially if it has been the same way for awhile, is what is called a ‘Prolapse of the gland of the third eyelid’.

This is a benign condition, and if the gland portion that is extruded is kept moist, there is no need for any surgical correction, especially in a 14 year old dog.

Use sweet almond oil 3-4 drops several times a day, to keep it moist. If she is not rubbing it, and it stays moist, that should help to decrease the inflammation and redness, and it can remain this way indefinitely. Of course, some homeopathic remedies may be useful to help shrink it. I would need some photos of her to see the eye first, before suggesting any treatment.

Also, any other history, such as if this condition occurred after she had a vaccination, or after a respiratory condition, etc. would be helpful.

Improving her diet may also help. If she is eating a DRY Dog food, it would certainly help her to have more moisture in her diet. See our page on 10 Best Dog Food Options, https://www.organic-pet-digest.com/10-best-dog-food-options.html, and consider incorporating some RAW meat into her diet.

Immune support might also help in an older dog. Has she had any blood work done? This might show up any deficiencies. Any arthritis/joint conditions or skin problems? Send some photos and more information! Here are some good supplements to consider:

1. Missing Link Canine Formula
2. Immuplex from Standard Process
3. OrthoMolecular Specialties, Mega C Powder

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

thank you Dr Tilman!!

Having you reinforce my maternal instinct for my sweet canine kid of not putting her thru anesthesia to take a look @ her eyelid makes me feel so much better. You had mentioned the sweet almond oil,but I do not know where to purchase this. What about using cod liver oil instead of almond oil?

I will definitely incorporate more moisture into her diet as well.

As far as her history, she did not get this condition after vaccinations nor any respiratory condition. She does have arthritis & must wear a brace on her rear leg for support as she knuckles. This unfortunately is secondary to her having been hit by a car & having her leg broken in 3 different places 13 years ago. The vet said she has neurological damage. The knuckling did not start until about 1 year ago. She was evaluated at a Veterinary School with no real positive cures. The brace has been a life saver for her. She walks normally with it on. Yeah!

Do you still want a photo of her eye?

Thank you again! I will enjoy reading my newsletter.

Candy’s Mom & and Candy!!

Hi Dr Tillman,

I forgot to tell you what supplements I have Candy on & was wondering if any of those might be the cause of her 3rd eyelid problem.
She’s on Glucosamine; Ester C; Brewers Yeast;
Lutein; Cod Liver Oil and 1 aspirin in the morning for her gimpy leg.

I would like to to use your suggestions for Immuplex but I don’t want to over dose her w/anything either.

Thank you again,

Candy’s Mom

November 1, 2013

Hi Laurie,
A photo would allow me to confirm if Candy has a prolapse of the gland of her third eyelid. If it looks like something else, then my suggestions might change. So, if you are able to send a photo that would be great!! And, as I mentioned before, ‘cherry eye’ the common name for a prolapse of the gland of the third eyelid, is a benign condition, and does not have to be treated surgically.

You can substitute Cod Liver oil in place of sweet almond oil to lubricate her eye, but she will smell ‘fishy’! Sweet almond oil is found in grocery stores in the baking section. You can find it with Vanilla extract, spices, Crisco, etc. And also in large Health Food stores.

There is nothing in the list of supplements you are giving her that would have caused this that I can see. And it sounds like she has done very well with the brace and your nursing care over the years to get her to the age of 14 after such a serious injury!!

So, if you are able to send a photo that would be great. Or, consider an increase in her Ester C, (good to decrease inflammation), and increase in her glucosamine to try to strengthen the cartilage in her third eyelid.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Thank you again Dr Tillman!!

I will increase Candy’s Glucosamine.
she is now taking 1500mg daily (750mg bid) so I will increase it by 1 pill. (an extra 750mg)

I will also increase her Ester C. She is presently taking 500mg daily. So by increasing it by 1 pill, it will be 1,000mg daily. Is it ok to make it 500mg bid or should she receive the full 1,000mg in one dose?

I can get either the cod liver oil or sweet almond oil but I was concerned with it not being sterile & putting into her eye. Any comment to that? What about using lubricating eye drops such as Blink for humans? I wear contacts & sometimes us the Blink for dry eye formula. It would be much more expensive than the sweet almond oil I think. Not sure.

What a wonderful resource your are Dr Tillman!

Candy’s Mom

November 1, 2013

Hi Laurie, aka Candy’s Mom,

Glucosamine (minimum dose) is 1,200mg per 50lb dog. If you increase her dose to 2,250 mg, that is the bare minimum. There is no upper limit for glucosamine. You could give her (2) 750mg TWO times daily, and that would be a good dose for her.

For the Ester C, it is best to give TWO times daily. Vitamin C can be given in very high doses up to ‘bowel tolerance’. Meaning when the stool starts to become soft or loose, then you can decrease the dose. So, starting in 500mg increments, you could start giving her 500 mg TWO times daily for 2 weeks, and if she is ok, then increase to 2 tabs (1,000mg) in AM and 1 tab (500mg) in PM for two weeks, aiming for a goal of 2,000 – 3,000 mg per day. The product Mega C, by Dr. Belfield in San Jose, California contains 3,000mg of buffered Vitamin C per teaspoon. http://www.belfield.com/megac226.php

I usually dose large dogs with 1/2 tsp two times daily of the Mega C powder.

Eye drops do not have to be sterile. According to Dr Richard Pitcairn in his book, “Natural Health for Dogs and Cats”, using Sweet Almond oil provides mild soothing effect and good corneal film to protect the eye. Cod Liver oil is indicated for eyes that have more redness, inflammation and swelling.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

P.S. If you’ve found this service or our web site helpful, please “Like” us by clicking the like button at the top of the left margin. Thank you!

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

November 11, 2013

Hi Laurie, aka Candy’s Mom,

The photos you submitted show one view of Candy’s entire face and the eye with the protruding 3rd eyelid, but it is too far away to see her 3rd eyelid clearly. (Except to see that it is raised.) And the second photo that is a ‘close up’ is too blurry.

From the far away photo, it does not look like the gland of the third eyelid has prolapsed, (the condition called Cherry Eye). But I cannot be sure, so I am unable to give you any more information.

There are some neurological conditions that will cause the third eyelid to be raised. Check out Canine Horner’s Syndrome. This is caused by an interruption in the Sympathetic nerve chain, causing constriction of the pupil, raised third eyelid, and drooping of the upper eyelid. Diagnosis involves location of the problem in the nerve chain, which extends from behind the eye, down the neck, and into the chest. This would involve x-rays of the neck and chest. In some cases, no cause is found, and in others it can be due to a tumor, or trauma.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

P.S. If you’ve found this service or our web site helpful, please “Like” us by clicking the like button at the top of the left margin. Thank you!

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Dr Tillman,
Thank you for commenting on Candy’s pictures.
Altho disappointing I do understand. I think her eye is better but not resolved. To get x-rays, Candy would need to be sedated which is what I want to avoid.
I will continue to follow your advise as far as increasing the fluid content in her food, increasing glucosamine, increasing Ester-C, using cod liver oil drops in her eye, plus I’ve added organic apple cider in her water.
I’ll keep you updated if anything changes.
You’ve been such a great help thus far.

Laurie & Candy girl.

Dr Tillman,
I’ve been putting cod liver drops in Candy’s eye & it does seem to help. But you are right, she now smells quite fishy. It doesn’t bother her or her canine brother, but I am not giving up close hugs lately due to the smell.

I was about to order some Sweet Almond oil from Puritan pride, but the direction review says specifically to avoid eye contact. Am I not looking @ the right stuff? (See below)

Directions: Create your own massage oil by blending up to 5 drops of any Aromappeal Essential Oil to 10mL (2 teaspoons) of this base oil. Warning: Do not apply to broken or irritated skin or areas affected by rashes. Discontinue use and consult your doctor if skin sensitivity occurs. Avoid contact with eyes. Do not use on children or animals. FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY. DO NOT INGEST. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. STORE IN A COOL, DRY PLACE.

Other Ingredients: Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, dl-alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E).

Thanks,
Laurie & Candy-girl

Still hoping Dr Tillman will respond to my latest query regarding Sweet almond oil. (see below)

Thanks & Merry Christmas

Laurie & Candy-girl

January 1, 2014

Hi Laurie, (Candy’s mom!)

I was in Australia for the month of December, and apparently the other consult vet did not see your question regarding Sweet Almond Oil.

I would not use an essential oil product in the eye, when it contains other ingredients. Check out these:

http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2446692

http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Solutions-Sweet-Almond-Oil-16-fl-oz-473-ml/896

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Thank you for the web links for Almond Oil. I will try that.
No longer using the Cod Liver Oil on her eye as it is way tooooooo stinky! Will use it up on her food.
She gets capsules of cod liver oil anyway, so the liquid will be used up too.

Eye remains the same altho I did get a very cheap OTC eye drops for dry eyes. Seems to help quite a bit.

I’m amazed she does not rub or seem to be bothered by her awful looking eye. Does not drain any purulent matter nor does it ever seal shut. We all say she needs a pirate patch because it looks worse than she acts. Arrrr……

She’s due for her check-up in March. So we’ll see what the vet says again. I just do not want to anesthetize her at her age. Any other suggestions?

By the way, you did advise no more rabies immunizations, right?

Thanks again,
Laurie

Welcome back to the states Dr Tilman.
Hope your trip was restful. Is Australia home?

Thank you for the web links for Almond Oil. I will try that.
No longer using the Cod Liver Oil on her eye as it is way tooooooo stinky! Will use it up on her food.
She gets capsules of cod liver oil anyway, so the liquid will be used up too.

Eye remains the same altho I did get a very cheap OTC eye drops for dry eyes. Seems to help quite a bit.

I’m amazed she does not rub or seem to be bothered by her awful looking eye. Does not drain any purulent matter nor does it ever seal shut. We all say she needs a pirate patch because it looks worse than she acts. Arrrr……

She’s due for her check-up in March. So we’ll see what the vet says again. I just do not want to anesthetize her at her age. Any other suggestions?

By the way, you did advise no more rabies immunizations, right?

Thanks again,
Laurie

January 6, 2014

Hi Laurie, (Candy’s Mom),
Yes, my vacation to Australia was great! Home is in the USA. Thanks for asking.

You wrote,
“Due for her check up in March-will see what vet says”

See if you can find a holistic veterinarian. A holistic vet will help write an exemption form for no more vaccinations, including Rabies.

You wrote,
“I am amazed she does not rub or seem to be bothered by her awful looking eye”.

In which case, NO surgical treatment would be indicated. Treatment with homeopathic remedies would be the best, and a holistic veterinarian would be able to help.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Thank you Dr Tillman for all the suggestions you gave me for my Candy’s eye problem. Ultimately, my vet surmised it was a tumor growing. I kick myself over & over for not taking her to an eye specialist but due to her age & the cost, we opted not to put her thru exams & probably surgery & treatments. We tried to allow her dignity in her last days, by just loving on her & spoiling her w/all her favorite foods. Fortunately she never appeared to be in any pain. But she lost all vision from her affected eye. Her appetite was quite good. But the tumor enlarged so much that her eye was bulging and then became quite friable. Even though I cleaned her eye twice a day, any slight bump would cause it to bleed profusely. My heart is an open wound now too. I know logically it was the right thing to do, but my heart just wants her back.
I am so grateful you have this site to refer to for people like me. Please advise others to get an eye specialist opinion and then decide their course of action from there.

September 29, 2014

Hi Laurie,
My deepest sympathy to you on your loss of Candy. From your postings I could tell you loved her a great deal, and I know that you are really going to miss her.

All of us here at the Organic Pet Digest send you our deepest sympathy at this time and thank you for the letting us know about Candy.

Sincerely,
Dr Carol Jean Tillman