Your Bulldog has a third eyelid, a pale pink shutter that sweeps in from the inside corner like a windshield wiper, and tucked inside it sits a gland doing a quiet share of the work of keeping the eye wet. Cherry eye is that gland slipping out from behind the shutter and parking itself where you can see it. It looks alarming, and it is almost never an emergency. The decision that actually matters is not how quickly you book the surgery. It is making sure that whoever operates puts the gland back rather than takes it out.
“My French Bulldog puppy has a pink lump that popped up in the corner of his left eye overnight. It looks awful. Is he in pain, and is this something that has to be dealt with today?”
Take a breath, because this one looks far worse than it behaves. That pink lump is a tear gland that has slipped out from behind his third eyelid. It is not a tumor, it is not an infection, and it is not thought to be painful, although it can clearly be irritating, which is why some puppies blink more or paw at the face. It is also not an emergency in the way a cloudy or squinting eye is.
What it does need is a plan, and the plan has one non negotiable part. The gland goes back in. It does not come out. That matters because the gland supplies a meaningful share of the watery tears that keep the surface of the eye comfortable, and because removing it was routine decades ago, so the suggestion still surfaces now and then. If anyone offers to simply take it off, that is the moment to ask for a second opinion.
The other thing I would tell you, because nobody usually does: in this breed the second eye very often follows the first, frequently within a few months. That is worth knowing before you book anything, because it changes the conversation you have with your veterinarian about timing and about anesthesia.
Introduction to Cherry Eye In Bulldogs and French Bulldogs
Cherry Eye in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs becomes noticeable when the gland of the third eyelid (nictitating membrane) protrudes, appearing as a pink, oval-shaped bulge. Normally, this gland is hidden and protected by the third eyelid, making it barely visible in a healthy puppy.
BULLDOG THREE EYELIDS
In contrast to us, your French Bulldogs Puppies, and your English Bulldogs Puppies have three eyelids:
- The typical top eyelid
- The typical bottom eyelid
- A third passive pale pink-colored one originates from the nasal corner of the eyes.
Bulldog Cherry Eye 5 X MUST KNOW
- Cherry eye is a prolapse of a gland normally situated under the third eyelid gland.
- Cherry eye is common in both English Bulldog and French Bulldog puppies, and it usually shows up in the first year
- A meaningful share of the eye’s watery tears comes from this gland, which is why it is put back rather than removed
- It can sometimes be massaged back under the lid, but it tends to come straight back out, so surgical repair is usually what settles it
- Prevention and care include Dr. Kraemer’s Cherry Eye Bundles.
Nobody should be taking that gland out
If you take one thing from this page, take this. The gland goes back in. It does not come out.
Taking it out used to be the standard answer, and that is the problem. It is quick, it is cheap, the lump disappears the same day and the owner leaves happy. Veterinary ophthalmology moved away from it a long time ago, but old advice has a long tail, and I still hear from owners who were offered removal, sometimes by a breeder rather than a veterinarian. The gland supplies a real share of the watery tears that keep the surface of the eye comfortable. Remove it and the eye spends the rest of its life short of them.
Let me be straight about the evidence, because it gets overstated in both directions. Measured tear production does drop after the gland is removed, and that is well documented. What is not well established is how many of those dogs go on to develop full dry eye, or how quickly. The dramatic percentages you will read on pet websites do not hold up when you follow them back to the papers they came from, and the picture is muddied further because the same breeds that get cherry eye are prone to dry eye anyway. None of that is a reason to remove a gland. It is a reason not to oversell the scare.
The one genuine exception is cancer. If a mass in that area is suspicious, it comes out and it goes to the laboratory. That is a different operation for a different reason, and it is rare.
Welcome to Our “Prevention Over RX” Bulldog Community
BULLDOG THIRD EYELID:
🚨Your bulldog’s third eyelid is the pale pink membrane you see in the inside corner of the eye, its medical term is “nictitating membrane”.
The third eyelid helps to:
- PROTECT THE CORNEA: Physically protect your bulldog cornea by acting as a windshield wiper
- DISTRIBUTE TEARS: Helps distribute the tears over the eye
- SHIELD THE CHERRY: embeds, shields, and protects the tear gland (cherry)
Your bulldog puppy’s third eyelid also contains lymphoid tissue, suggesting immune protection of the eye
BULLDOG TEAR FILM 3 PARTS:
The Eye Tear Film combines three parts:
- LIPID (fat)
- MUCIN (Mucus)
- WATER (Aqueous)
- There is one just above the eye in the upper lid area
- A second one (The “Cherry Gland”) that is embedded in the third eyelid
The cherry gland produce Tears, Lubricate, hydrate, and preserve your bulldog cornea
What Are the Symptoms of Cherry Eye in Bulldogs?
- Cherry: Large, swollen, red “cherry” protrusion at the nasal corner of the eye
- Third Eyelid: white membranous tissue adjacent to the cherry or over it
- Blink & Squint: if the cherry is rubbing and irritating the cornea
- Mucoid or Watery Discharge: If there is a corneal irritation or tear production problem
- Eye Pawing and Rubbing: If there is discomfort
What Causes the Prolapse of Bulldog Cherry Eye?
- LIGAMENTOUS WEAKNESS: weakness of the ligamentous attachments.
- FIBROUS ATTACHMENT: Weaknesses of gland fibrous attachments
- BLOCKAGE: Tear duct blockage that leads to swelling
- VASCULARIZATION: Poor circulation
- INFECTION:
- conjunctivitis
- scleritis
- dry eye KCS
- INFLAMMATION:
- SKULL CONFORMATION: Skull bone conformation (brachycephalic,) bulging eyes
- INHERITANCE: Genetics
- UNKNOWN: The “cherry gland” prolapse cause is often unknown
Cherry Eye is more common in young bulldogs puppies
How to Prevent and Treat Cherry Eye in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs?
Cherry eyes can often be massaged back into place.
You should seek veterinary advice, especially if you can’t massage it back under the lid if it’s getting worse or if there are any signs of discomfort.
In contrast to most eye problems in bulldogs, the cherry eye in its milder form is usually a non-emergency.
Cherry Eye in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs RULE OF THUMB👍
Cherry eye medical management includes
- Ophthalmic anti-inflammatory
- Ophthalmic antibiotics
- Massaging the gland back in can be attempted
MASSAGING BULLDOG CHERRY EYE
This maneuver is rarely a long-term solution, thus surgical correction is recommended.
Weeks, not days, and not seasons
Before you read how the repair is done, here is the question owners actually ask me: how fast does this have to happen?
Not today. In its usual form a prolapsed gland is not an emergency, and I would rather you took a couple of weeks to find the right surgeon than rushed to the first one with an opening. There is a second reason to pause, and it is practical. In this breed the other eye very often follows, frequently within a few months. If both are going to need doing, there is a sensible conversation to be had about whether they are done together under one anesthetic rather than two.
What I would not do is let it run for months. A gland that sits out, dry and exposed, becomes inflamed and thickened, the surrounding tissue pigments, and the cartilage of the third eyelid can distort. All of that makes the repair harder and recurrence more likely, and none of it reverses on its own. So the clock that matters here is measured in weeks, not days, and certainly not seasons.
On anesthesia, since it is the part that worries owners most in a flat faced breed. The risk in these dogs sits mainly in the recovery rather than in the operating time, which is why a twenty minute eye procedure does not carry the exposure of a long one, and why the protocol and the recovery watch matter far more than the clock. It is a fair question to ask your veterinarian how they manage recovery in brachycephalic dogs. A good one will have a ready answer.
Bulldog Cherry Eye SURGICAL REPAIR:
There are two popular cherry-eye techniques
1. CHERRY EYE ANCHORING OR TACKING SURGERY
- ONE stitch is a single-stitch technique
- NO CUTS: There is no cutting involved
- SIMPLE: It’s more commonly done due to simplicity
- UNRELIABLE: Its holding power is limited and the chances for re-prolapsing are high
2. CHERRY EYE IMBRICATION POCKET SURGERY:
- POCKET: A “pocket” is created to help bury and secure the gland inside the third eyelid.
- CUTS: It includes cuts on the two sides of the gland and tissue removal to help create the “pocket.”
- SUTURES: The cherry is then pushed into the pocket, and the two sides are pulled tightly together over it with suture placement.
- FIBROTIC BAND: The sutured cuts will fibrously form a strong, tough band over the gland to hold it from re-prolapsing.
CHERRY EYE SURGERY & ANESTHESIA WARNING:
Before opting for surgery, you should do your due diligence, which includes
- Bulldog Anesthesia Risks
- Surgeon Qualifications and Experience
- Post-Op Complications
#1 CHERRY EYE RE-PROLAPSE WARNING:
A suture or stitch becomes undone prematurely, which can lead to an immediate re-prolapse.
#2 CHERRY EYE POST-OP ULCER WARNING:
A suture or stitch becomes undone, rubs over the cornea, and causes an injury (bulldog corneal ulcer)
#3 CHERRY EYE TACKING SURGICAL FAILURE WARNING:
The chances for failure are much higher with the tacking technique, especially with bulldogs and French bulldogs (Brachycephalic)
#4 CHERRY EYE POST-OP SWELL WARNING:
A short-term post-op swelling (edema) is likely; anti-inflammatory ophthalmic ointment might help.
Bulldog Cherry Eye Dr. Kraemer’s SURGICAL REPAIR METHOD:
For the best outcome, I combine both techniques.
- The “POCKET” provides a long-term seal
- The “TUCKING” provides a short-term anchor during the healing or swelling period
I would rather say this plainly than sell you something. There is no supplement, wipe or drop that repositions a prolapsed gland, and nothing on this site prevents one from prolapsing in the first place. A cherry eye is a mechanical problem and it is fixed in an operating room.
What the range is for is the face around that eye, before and after. A weeping eye keeps the hair beneath it wet, and wet hair under a Bulldog eye is where the staining and the sore skin start, which is what the Tear StainLess XL Wipes and the Tear StainLess Chews are built for. The Antiseptic XL Wipes are for the nasal fold next door, whose hair sweeps the surface of the eye every time your dog blinks. Those topicals are used alongside whatever your veterinarian prescribes, not instead of it.
Around a surgery date, two others earn their place for ordinary reasons rather than clever ones: the Immune Support Plus Chews and, for the dog who finds the whole business stressful, the StressLess Calming Chews. Supplements like these may help support a dog going through a procedure. They do not treat the eye, and whether they suit your dog is a conversation for your veterinarian.
If you would rather not assemble it, the eye and eyelid bundles put the same products together in Basic, Essential and Ultimate. Bundle & save
Cherry Eye in Bulldogs Dr. Kraemer’s TIPS & WARNINGS:
Below are selective cherry eye tips and warnings courtesy of Dr. Kraemer
#1 🩺CHERRY EYE SUTURE TYPE TIP:
I prefer rapidly dissolving suture material to prevent unintended suture injury to the cornea.
#2 🩺CHERRY EYE SURGICAL KNOT TIP:
The suture knot should always be placed on the outside surface of the third eyelid membrane to avoid contact with the cornea. Any corneal contact with the suture material can lead to abrasions, wounds, or corneal injury (corneal ulcers).
#3 🩺BULLDOG CHERRY EYE PREVENTION:
In many bulldogs and French bulldog puppies, only one side prolapses, yet often the other cherry eye prolapses soon after.
To prevent the other gland from prolapsing, the unaffected gland may be anchored and imbricated
#1 ⚠️CHERRY EYE OPPOSITE EYE WARNING:
In many bulldogs, there’s a good chance that the opposite eye will also be “cherry.”
#2 ⚠️ CHERRY EYE RE-PROLAPSE WARNING
The risk of re-prolapse is highest with the anchor method and significantly lower when using my combination method.
Re-prolapse rates depend almost entirely on the technique used. Published series using a pocket or a combined repair report recurrence in the region of three to ten percent. The high figures you may read belong to the old tacking-only method.
#3 ⚠️CHERRY EYE SURGICAL TIMING WARNING:
Cherry eye surgery in bulldogs is more likely to be successful if it’s done soon after the gland prolapses.
Over time, the prolonged chronic swelling of the gland can make the surgical repositioning more difficult, thus increasing the chance of recurrence.
#4 ⚠️CHERRY EYE SUTURE TYPE WARNING:
I don’t recommend using thick and slow-absorbing suture material. I used a very thin and rapidly absorbing suture
#5 ⚠️ CHERRY EYE PRESERVATION WARNING
The gland inside the third eyelid supplies a meaningful share of the watery part of your bulldog’s tear film. Published estimates of how large that share is vary quite a bit between sources, which is itself a reason to be careful with the figure, but the direction is not in doubt. Take the gland out and the eye has less of what keeps its surface comfortable.
For that reason the whole point of the surgery is to preserve the gland and put it back where it belongs. Removing it is associated with a higher long term risk of bulldog dry eye, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, which is a condition you then manage for the rest of the dog’s life.
One honest caveat, because it matters for how you read advice elsewhere. How big that risk is has never been well measured, and the dramatic percentages that circulate on pet websites are not reliable. The breeds that get cherry eye are also the breeds that get dry eye anyway, so the two are tangled together. What is solid is the principle: do not remove a healthy gland.
#6 ⚠️ BULLDOG CHERRY REMOVAL WARNING:
Removal of the “cherry” is strictly reserved for rare cases of cancer and trauma.
#7 ⚠️ CHERRY EYE PAIN WARNING:
Post-op blinking and squinting are consistent with pain, are usually due to a corneal injury, and must be considered an emergency. Please see your vet as soon as possible.
The chances are that the suture material tore or became loose, or the knot is rubbing against the cornea and forming a corneal ulcer.
#8 ⚠️ CHERRY EYE SWELL & REDNESS WARNING:
Postoperative swelling is common following cherry eye repair, particularly with the pocket technique.
This swelling typically subsides over 2-3 weeks, during which the eye should gradually become more comfortable and regain its normal appearance.
However, if the eye suddenly becomes painful or looks abnormal, it’s important to have it rechecked by your veterinarian immediately.
Can I just push it back in myself?
Is this an emergency? Do I need the out of hours clinic?
Does it hurt him?
His other eye is fine. Will it stay that way?
My vet mentioned removing the gland. Should I say yes?
It was repaired and it has come back. What went wrong?
Is there anything in your store that treats a cherry eye?
More Help from Dr. Kraemer
- Corneal ulcers in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs
- Dry eye and KCS in Bulldogs
- Entropion in Bulldogs and Bulldog puppies
- Tear stains in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs
- Anesthesia in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs
About the Author
Roy Kraemer, DVM, is a veterinarian with extensive clinical experience caring for Bulldogs and French Bulldogs. His educational work emphasizes prevention, early recognition, appropriate at-home care, responsible medication use, and veterinary evaluation when disease is persistent or severe.
Trusted by Vets ~ Recommended by Owners ~ Approved by Bulldogs
Shop the Tear StainLess XL Wipes →
References
- American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. Cherry Eye
- O’Neill DG, Yin Y, Tetas Pont R, et al. Breed and conformational predispositions for prolapsed nictitating membrane gland in dogs in the UK, a VetCompass study. PLOS ONE
- White C, Brennan ML. An evidence-based rapid review of surgical techniques for correction of prolapsed nictitans glands in dogs. Veterinary Sciences
- Multari D, Perazzi A, et al. Pocket technique or pocket technique combined with modified orbital rim anchorage for the replacement of a prolapsed gland of the third eyelid in dogs. Veterinary Ophthalmology
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Riney Canine Health Center. Cherry eye in dogs
To be clear: supplements or topicals are not substitutes for prescribed treatment. If your dog is unwell, is being treated for a condition, or is already on medication, review any supplement or topical with your veterinarian so it fits the plan you are already following. This page is educational and is not a diagnosis or a treatment plan for your own dog.
