Cherry eye in 8 y/o pug mix

[shadesofclear]

I have an 8 year old chug (chihuahua pug) and he’s very happy and healthy except for having a cherry eye. I’ve had him since he was a puppy and he has had a cherry eye since he was about 2 or 3 years old.

I have two sides of people throughout the years saying don’t do the surgery and other saying do the surgery. Also different vets have told me both sides, “it’s cosmetic it’s not hurting him” and “yes you need the surgery, it hurts him and he’ll go blind”

I’m at the point now where I am financially well enough to pay for the surgery (approx $800) but my worry is with his age is it almost too late? Up until this point he’s lived with the cherry eye and there hasn’t been any issues with it. I worry about potential complications putting him in a surgery. I have no issues with post surgery care, I work remotely and in a home.

I haven’t seen many people on Reddit posting about older dogs having cherry eye so I wanted to make my own post about this and get some advice.

 

[sevilodorf]

@shadesofclear I've been through this, albeit with a slightly younger dog (he was four but has other health issues).

My dog developed cherry eye soon after I got him, and multiple vets told me it was not an immediate issue, and that it wasn't a big deal at all except for my personal aethetics (which... I obviously care more about my dog's well being and comfort than how he looks? Never understood that particular piece of advice). One vet finally recommended an opthalmologist visit, and I felt like that really got me some perspective I was missing.

What I learned, which was based on my dog but seems like it could be applicable to yours, was that cherry eye could increase the risk of infections, and that infections might be more persistent with the cherry eye (which is how dogs with cherry eye end up blind sometimes, not from the condition itself) and more difficult to treat. It could also bug the dog enough to mess with it, which can cause infections. Basically, it increased the risk of complications from normal eye stuff.

I didn't want to risk painful infections, especially as he got older, so I got the surgery. My dog didn't have any complications at all, and it was actually a pretty easy recovery compared to a couple other surgeries he's had.

Surgeries/anesthesia are pretty safe even for older dogs, all in all. Actually has lower complication rates in animals than in humans. I'd just definitely do pre-op blood work to make sure everything is okay before putting him under, which is standard anyways.

I'd consider doing it if I were in your position!