Eyelid Tumors

tumors involving the eyelids

What is it?
Eyelid tumors are often benign growths that develop in middle-aged and older dogs and usually cause no serious problems when small in size.

What are the symptoms?
Increased tearing, reddish areas on the eyelid, swelling or growths on the surface or along the margin of the eyelid, discharge, reddened eyes, cloudiness, excessive blinking, mild bleeding from the eyelid and repeated pawing at the eye can all be signs of an eyelid tumor. As the tumor enlarges, it can cause irritation of the cornea (clear front part of the eye) and conjunctiva (white part of the eye and inside of the eyelids) resulting in corneal ulcerations and chronic conjunctivitis.

Who is susceptible to it?
Middle aged to older dogs of any breed can develop eyelid tumors.

How is it diagnosed?
Eyelid tumors can be diagnosed by a simple eye exam, although laboratory analysis may be required for a definitive diagnosis and long-term prognosis.

How is it treated?
The surgical procedure used most frequently for small tumors involves removing the tumor and applying cryotherapy (freezing probe) to the eyelid area where the tumor originated.  The freezing procedure is quite effective at preventing local recurrence of the tumor and the procedure is performed under sedation and local eyelid block only.  Larger tumors, which have invaded the entire thickness of the eyelid, require more involved procedures.  These involve removing a wedge of the eyelid with the tumor and then suturing / reconstructing the eyelid back into place.