jack russell eye ailment

Question
Our Vet told us that our jack russell had a second row of eye lashes under his eyelids.  Is this a common problem? and Should it be treated?  He has suggested expensive laser surgery to remove the second row, but with no guarantee that they will not grow back.  HELP!  I want to do the right thing, but i don't want to pay such a high price for a temporary fix!
Thank You,
WR Gainey

Answer
Hello Ron -

This is an ailment (DISTICHIASIS) that can occur in any size dog. Laser surgery is by far the best option but as your veterinarian has mentioned there is no guarantee that the lashes will not grow back. However, cases have been reported that hairs have a lesser chance of reoccurring in dogs older then 3 (three) years at time of surgery.

There is no natural remedy that I am aware of to rid the eye of a second row of lashes. The main thing with a second row of lashes is to always keep the eye area clean and free of debris.

The abnormally-placed hairs growing from the lids irritate the cornea as they rub against it. The affected eye will become red, inflamed, and may develop a discharge. The dog will typically squint or blink often, much like a person with a hair or other foreign matter in the eye. The animal will often rub the eye against objects such as the furniture or the carpet. In severe cases, the cornea may become ulcerated and appear bluish in color from the aberrant hair or from self-mutilation by the pet.


If debris builds up on the second row of lashes and the tears do not flush the eye, your pet can get a severe eye infection. To try and keep this problem from occurring you may want to wash the eye with one of the following natural remedies.

The first is by making a tincture of the herb Eyebright. You can purchase Eyebright from an apothecary or online. One ounce of this herb will last a while and only a tablespoon is needed for 32 ounces of water. Simply, boil 32 ounces (4 cups) of water and add a tablespoon of Eyebright. Let it boil rapidly for about 15 minutes, reduce heat and strain off the herb. Keep the liquid tincture in a glass jar (such as a washed out spaghetti jar) and use it at least twice a day. Take a clean cotton ball and wipe the eye area. It's okay if the liquid gets into the eye, thats what its meant to do. Eyebright is an astrigent and hence its name, it is used for any human or eye ailment.  

I formulate a pet eye wash blend (already prepared) that you could use on the eye too. It consists of Eyebright and a few other herbs that help rid the eye of bacteria, foreign matter and irriating agents such as pollen. I will leave my contact information at the bottom of this response if you are interested or if you would like more information on this product. You would use this the same as the Eyebright tincture I mentioned above and it is also meant to be dropped into the eye. Use it twice a day for optimum results.

There is a natural product called Colloidal Silver that is used for almost any ailment known to man or beast. You could also use this to wipe your pets eye daily and should any irritation begin this will heal it quickly without the use of conventional anit-biotics. This is safe to drop into the eye and will soothe inflammation as well as the above but is a stronger remedy which can prevent injury. There is a lot of information available about this product online or I can send you some as well. I also offer this product in my practice and have had outstanding results with a wide variety of ailments.

Regular visits to your vet to check your pets eye condition is recommended. Even if your pet does not look like he is in any pain, you will still want to follow up with your vet to be sure all is well.

I hope this information has helped you and our pet.

If you would like information on natural and herbal remedies for human and animal concerns please contact me at wintersaurora@yahoo.com and I will be happy to assist you. I also offer a catalog on specially formulated herbal remedies which I can send to you as well. I mentioned a few products above which can be found in my catalog.

Thank you and best wishes to you and your pet.

Sincerely,
Sharon Hubbs, AHG
Certified Natural Health Consultant & Herbalist