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- Third eyelid in dog - what is it?
- Advantages of the third eyelid in dogs
- Third eyelid prolapse in dogs
THE third eyelid or nictitating membrane it protects our dogs' eyes, just as it does in cats, but it doesn't exist in human eyes. The main function is to protect the eyes against external aggressions or foreign bodies that try to enter it. We humans, unlike other animals, have a finger to clean any particles that get into our eyes and so we don't need this anatomical structure.
At PeritoAnimal we will not only explain to you the existence of this structure, but also what are the most common diseases or problems of the nictitating membrane or third eyelid in dogs. We will review the symptoms and solutions for each case.
Third eyelid in dog - what is it?
As mentioned in the introduction, we find the third eyelid in the eyes of dogs and cats. As with other eyelids, has a tear gland which hydrates it, also known as Harder's gland. This can suffer from a pathology very common in certain breeds, also known as "cherry eye". This third eyelid prolapse or cherry eye it is more frequent in breeds such as chihuahua, english bulldog, boxer, spanish cocker. The third eyelid in shihtzu is also one of the most common diseases in this breed. However, it can happen in any breed, being common in younger dogs.
Structurally speaking, the membrane is a connective tissue hydrated by the mentioned gland. It is not normally seen, but it can appear when the eye is in danger. There are breeds that can have a small pigmentation in the third eyelid, something that is completely normal. However, it has no hair or skin to cover it. It has no muscles and is located at the medial angle (near the nose and under the lower eyelid) and appears only when strictly necessary, like a car windshield wiper. As such, the function of this structure starts when the eye feels attacked as a reflex act and when the danger disappears, it returns to its normal position, under the lower eyelid.
Advantages of the third eyelid in dogs
The main advantages of the existence of this membrane are protection, eliminating foreign bodies that can injure the eye, avoiding consequences such as pain, ulcers, wounds and other injuries to the eyeball. also gives hydration to the eye thanks to its gland that contributes about 30% to the formation of tears and lymphatic follicles help to fight infectious processes, as it is exposed when the eye is injured and until it is completely healed.
Therefore, when we see a white or pink film covering one or both of the dog's eyes, we should not be alarmed, it may simply be the third eyelid trying to eliminate some ocular aggressor. We must always bear in mind that she back to your place in less than 6 hours, so we should consult a specialist if this does not happen.
Third eyelid prolapse in dogs
Although we have already briefly mentioned this pathology in the first section, as well as the races most likely to develop it, it is important to refer back to it in depth. It is important to note that although it is not an emergency, this situation needs veterinary attention.
As we have already mentioned, the prolapse is produced when the membrane is visible, without returning to your usual place. The causes can be genetic or weakness of the tissues of which it is composed. This is one of the most common problems in veterinary ophthalmology, which does not cause pain in the dog but can cause other problems such as side effects such as conjunctivitis or dry eyes.
there is no treatment for nictitating membrane in dogs drug-based. The solution is surgical with a small suture of the gland to return it to its place. Generally, removal of the gland is not recommended, as we would lose a large part of the animal's eye's source of hydration.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.