I have a bichon frise who has a couple of ingrowing eyelashes, making her eyes run. The vet she saw was telling me that they have a beautician in to do electrolosis on ingrowing eyelashes. I asked her if this was perminent, and she didn't know. I know with humans it can take a few goes, so asume it is the same with dogs.
I don't really want to have her knocked out if it is going to be a total waste of time. Do any of you have any experiance with this? I think I have heared of people having the lids operated on an turned out slightly? But some of the lashes are light in the corner, so I don't know if this would work anyway.
Thanks for any advice.

I had a dog with eyelashes that lay flush on the eyeball - oddly enough not causing any obvious signs of discomfort at all. My vet told me the only permanent way of removing them was to surgically remove the tissue containing the hair follicle. In my case he told me just to leave it until such time as it caused bother. It never did so I never corrected it. I asked him about the possibility of electrolysis at the time and he said no it would only have to be repeated - and hairs growing back are all stubbly and horrible.
Lara x

This was quite a few years ago now though Blossom

Thanks, they don't seem to anoy her or anything, just make her eyes run, which doesn't look brilliant.
The vet really didn't seem to know what she was on about so I have stopped going there.

Hi Blossom

If my dogs eyes had run with it then I would have done something about it as it's obviously irritating the eyeball. I'd change vets and ask for a second opinion about treatment.
I hope you can sort it out :)
Lara x

Blossom, I have piece written by an eye specialist on this, if you email me I will send it to you as your email is hidden. Just click on my name and mine is in my profile :D

Blossom - my Flatcoat had this problem. It's called Entropian where the eyelid turn under and the lashes rub on the eye. We had 2 operations and now she is fine. I would get a second opinion. Can you imagine the discomfort this must cause on the eye.

Entropion will cause the lashes to rub on the eye, but this is not the same as the condition Blossom is refering too. She is refering to Distichiasis, where extra stray lashes rub against the eye, or float harmlesly in the tear film.

The effect is the same, but the conditons are quite different, one is an abnormal eyelid, the other excess misplaced lashes.

NB post edited to add (and correct spelling). thes extra lashes emerge from the Melbomian glands (an oil gland in the eye lid), as these are modified sebaecous (sp) glands which are normally associated with the hair follicles, it would seem that for soem reason they think they have to grow hair here too, when they shouldn't. This only becomes a problem if the hairs are thick or angled in such a way that they rub.

They can be plucked or removed by elecrolosis, but up to 20% will regrow, so it may have to be repeated. An operation to take out the gland responsible witll permanently solve the problem, but is obviously delicate surgery, adn would probably prevent the dog from being shown.

I had a bitch with distichiasis; the eyelashes were frozen off and never returned.

Why did your dog have two operations? I've recently adopted a dog who's had surgery for the condition, and understood all was now OK - was the first operation not successful, then?
Cathy.

I used to have a cocker spaniel who had ingrowing eyelashes. The vet did an operation on them and don't think they caused her any more problems after that. I do seem to remember that her eyes were a bit of a mess at first but I'm sure they were ok in the end. (Sorry I'm a bit vague about this but it was when I was a child that the dog was operated on)

Good Luck whatever you decide
Dexy

hi,

How old is your dog?? I have a 1yr old chow chow who has the same problem as your dog....its awful for the dog...imagine having eyelashes rubbing on your own eyeball..agony!! It causes blisters in the eye also that you wont be able to see unless you pull down his eyelid. My chow chow has just had surgery...it costs £150 and they are home the same day with stiches in....they come out after one week then your dog is completely comfortable again!! Puppies cant have the operation as they are still growing so my vet advised i wait until he was one as he has suffered with it all his life!!!!

Since my figo has had his stiches out on monday this week he has had watery eyes once and seems to have lovely healthy eyes....its so nice to see him not suffering anymore....

Good luck

Nici

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