Should we take him to the vet about his eye?

[DragonMamma]

Two weeks ago, our shih tzu/bichon mix rolled in foxes poo. Cue lots of showers to rid him of the smell.

After one shower, I was wrapping him up in a towel and I managed to poke him in the eye 😞

It was red in the area where our tear duct would be but went down after a couple of days. He now has a little bit of tissue which seems to protrude from this area, where it didn't previously. It doesn't seem infected, it's not red or angry and doesn't seem to cause him any bother at all.

To anybody else, it's probably unnoticeable but it's definitely different to how it was.

Is it worth taking him to the vet? Would they do anything?

Could it not be that it's always been like that but you've looked at the area that much it looks wrong now?

Sorry for the rubbish picture, I had to take it through the patio door as he was waiting to come in...

I did wonder that myself but it's different to the other side and I'm almost sure it wasn't like it before.

Ahhh the guilt!

Make a cup of tea, keep the tea bag and let it cool down until you can comfortably put it on the inside of your wrist
The put it on the bad eye for a few mins. Repeat a few times through today and see if it helps...
If it is no better tomorrow, then maybe take him to the vet?

I'll give that a go, if he doesn't try to eat it first!

It's a bit difficult to tell from the picture but that looks like it could possibly be cherry eye, which is reasonably common in Shih Tzus. Definitely take him to the vet as it may need repairing surgically if it is cherry eye.

I'm with trionic it looks suspiciously like cherry eye and needs surgical repair. So yes the vets tomorrow.

Oh my days! Would have me poking him accidentally have caused it? I will be gutted if he needs an op to fix it - would it be covered by insurance?

I had shi tzus years ago. They are prone to ulcers on the eye. Definitely take him and have him looked at. They might need to stitch the eyelid closed to help it heal.

Yes, but with cherry eye the longer it is left the less successful the treatment is can you go to the vet today.

Agree - cherry eye - get him to the vet

Thanks for the tips on fox poo - it was a one off thankfully.

Just by way of an update - took DDog to the vet and it is cherry eye. She assured me the poking eye incident didn't cause it (I think she was being kind) but she said it's so mild that it doesn't need correcting so to just keep an eye on it.

Thanks for all your advice!