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A Sudden Red Growth on the White of an Older Dog's Eye

by A reader

Reader Question
I have a questions please, My dog is a 12 year old 1/2 black lab 1/2 chow female dog. She was spade early on in her life, she is currently on thyroid medication and medication for her joints for arthritis. She occassionally has problems in her lower hips due to age and arthritis. Recently she started having some growths on her eyelids and we had our local vet remove those so they would not cause probelms with her sight. Recently she has developed a growth on her actual eye ball, right eye, the growth on the white part of her eye and is red making they eye look like it has blood in it. This has just formed within the last 2 weeks. The local vet told us that she is not able to assist us with the growth now being on the eye and it appears that it may be quite aggressive since it has occurred quite suddenly, the local vet advised us to take her to a specialists and she only knows of one within a 100 mile radius of where we live.

Based on the information that I have provided can you tell me what your best "guess" would be that this growth is. I have read articles on the internet and based on what I have read I am seriously concerned about her quality of life as
we do not want her to be in pain or suffer, nor do we want to put her thru treatments and surgeries that would be quite painful for her based on her current age and health issues. What would you advise. Please let me know at your earliest convenience..net


Answer from Our Team

A red growth that appears quickly on the white of the eye in an older dog could be several things. Some common ones are a benign inflamed nodule, a pigmented or blood vessel growth at the edge of the cornea (limbal melanoma or hemangioma), or a growth of the conjunctiva. Some are aggressive, but many are not, and growing quickly isn't always a sign of cancer, because inflammation can also cause rapid swelling.

A veterinary ophthalmologist can usually tell what it is with a careful exam and sometimes a small sample. Many of these growths can be treated with a short procedure or with eye drops, not a big surgery, and if needed, removing the eye usually relieves pain quickly and most older dogs adjust well.

Ask the specialist about the least painful options that fit her age and health. You can also ask if they offer an initial video or photo consultation, which may save a long trip. Watch for squinting, cloudiness or pawing at the eye.

See eye tumors in dogs.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.

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