Just like humans, animals too suffer from various eye disorders. Fortunately, advances in veterinary medicine have improved the ability to examine, diagnose, and treat most health disorders in our pets. Eyelid tumors are a troublesome but treatable eye disorder in dogs and cats if detected early enough. At Clinton Hill Animal Clinic in Brooklyn, we have been performing tumor removal surgery for many years. We aim to preserve and improve your furry friend’s vision and quality of life by providing top-notch quality and compassionate pet care.
Types of Pet Eyelid Tumors
While eyelid tumors are most common in older animals, pets of any age can develop eyelid tumors. Types of eyelid tumors vary between dogs and cats and include the following.
Dogs
- • Melanoma: This tumor starts forming in the melanocytes (pigment-generating cells). It can occur as a single, colored mass on the eyelid skin or as a flat, colored mass on the eyelid margin.
- • Meibomian gland tumors: This common eyelid tumor found in older dogs originate from the meibomian glands and may occur as a pink or multi-colored mass lining the eyelid margins. If not treated early enough, the tumor may become infected and start bleeding. This will threaten your pet’s ability to see.
- • Chalazion: Nodular eyelid inflammation that occurs when a meibomian glands tumor blocks discharge flow. If not treated, the condition can worsen, leading to chronic pain and inflammation.
- • Papilloma: This condition is commonly found in younger dogs and involves bumpy, pink, white, or multi-colored masses that can gradually fade away on their own but sometimes require removal.
Cats
- • Squamous-cell carcinomas: A malignant tumor that affects the eyelid, third eye, and conjunctiva. It may appear as a thick raw ulcer or as a rough pink mass.
- • Other less common tumors include basal cell carcinomas, fibrosarcoma, mast cell tumors, neurofibrosarcomas, and adenocarcinomas.
Pet Eyelid Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment
There are various ways of treating eyelid tumors in pets, depending on the type and size of the tumor. Our veterinarian will start going through your pet’s medical history before performing a thorough physical examination followed by a microscope examination of a portion of the entire tumor after removal. Our veterinarian will then explain your pet’s ocular condition in more detail before creating a customized treatment plan. A benign tumor can be treated with cryotherapy under local anesthesia, while a malignant tumor may involve surgery under general anesthesia.
Contact Our Brooklyn Animal Hospital to Schedule Tumor Removal Surgery
If you spot a suspicious eyelid ulcer on your pet, don’t hesitate to take them to an animal hospital for assessment and treatment. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Clinton Hill Animal Clinic today at (718) 623-3999.