Okay, so, what is "Cherry Eye"?

It's not a serious condition unless left untreated. It's simply a prolapse of the third eyelid gland, appearing as a red, swollen, cherry-like mass in the corner of the eye. So, basically, the tear gland pops out. And surgery is required to put/keep it back in place.

If left untreated  the gland can become severely irritated, infected, or damaged. The most common, serious complication is chronic "dry eye" (keratoconjunctivitis sicca), as the exposed gland reduces tear production, potentially leading to painful corneal ulcers and vision loss.

I first took her in the morning it first presented itself on just her left eye, January 20. The vet wouldn't be able to get her in for surgery until 5 weeks later though, on February 24. Over the course of the next day or two, her right eye tear gland also prolapsed. Then it was 5 weeks of cone frustration. She destroyed two of them, and I had to find larger ones that she couldn't' get around to scratch; she's very resourceful.

A brood parasite is an animal that tricks other species into raising its young, most commonly seen in birds like cuckoos and cowbirds.

How It Works

• Lays eggs in another bird's nest.
• Leaves the young for the host parents to feed.
• Skips the hard work of building nests and raising babies.

Effects on the Host

• Host parents waste energy feeding a fake chick.
• Host chicks often die of hunger or get pushed out of the nest.
• Lowers the number of true babies the host family can raise.