Cherry Eye in a puppy: Remedies? Cost for surgery?
July 8, 2014 6:20 PM   Subscribe

We are curious if anyone has had luck with alternatives to surgery for Cherry Eye in a puppy (he's a maltese, shi tzu mix)? or if no, what we should expect to spend on surgery for the little guy?

His third eyelid has been a bit inflamed for about 5-6 days and we've been holding off on surgery until we have him neutered - any additional advice on treating the condition would be welcomed. Also ... if you have vet recommendations in the San Francisco area please share. Thanks in advance. Here he is: http://instagram.com/p/oSAYgFjbYN/?modal=true
posted by specialk420 to Pets & Animals (4 answers total)
 
Best answer: Medications have never worked for me ( I do rescue, usually pugs, and get a lot of doggie eye issues). The surgery in Vegas is around $300 but a rescue partner in Maryland only pays $80 so I guess it's really dependent on your area. I'd plan on doing it with the neuter since he'll be out anyhow. Good luck!
posted by yodelingisfun at 11:40 PM on July 8, 2014


Our typical out-the-door price for cherry eye (incl. post-surgery meds) would be about $380. My Benchmark 2013 stats don't cover cherry eye specifically, but a comparable surgery has an out-the-door low of $361 and out-the-door high of $474. These are nationwide stats; San Francisco's range would probably be a little higher. If you call around for quotes be sure to ask if there are any necessary goods or services not covered by their surgery quote. Some hospitals will not include NSAIDs, antibiotics, required re-check exams, required blood work, etc. If the total cost quoted is very low you may want to check the surgeon's license. For CA, license lookup can be found here. Be wary of discount surgery -- the surgeon may not be licensed, may have actions on their license, etc. If it seems too good to be true, do your homework before entrusting your pet to someone. This surgery should only be done by a licensed vet. (I manage a veterinary practice in WA.)
posted by hjo3 at 10:33 AM on July 9, 2014


Response by poster: Thanks guys - great tips. Ill follow up here. W
posted by specialk420 at 10:37 AM on July 9, 2014


Do be aware that as with any surgery, there are risks, in this particular case blindness. I have a puggle with a cherry eye. It grosses people out, but it doesn't bother him in the least and doesn't get infected. Our vet's advice was to leave it be unless one of those conditions changed.

Our vet is pretty reluctant to recommend expensive interventions when there are alternatives, but still suggested $5000 back surgery for our shih-tzu when two(!) disks in her back ruptured and pinched her spinal cord enough to paralyze her, so it's not like he's the sort to shy away from surgery when required, just not as quick to go for it when it can be avoided.
posted by wierdo at 11:53 AM on July 10, 2014


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