Your pet's eyelids act like windshield wipers set on automatic delay. All day long they periodically swipe a thin layer of moisturizing tears across the surface of the eyes, keeping them clean, moist, and free of irritating debris. But sometimes those wipers get a little ragged looking.

It is common for dogs and cats to develop tiny growths on the edges of the eyelids, which look like little bits of loose skin, says Terri McGinnis, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in the San Francisco area and author of The Well Cat Book and The Well Dog Book. "In the overwhelming majority of cases, the little growths are benign, or noncancerous," she says.

In some cases, however, the growths can be bothersome, especially if they drop into your pet's line of sight or scrape against the eye when he blinks.

See Your Vet If...

  • Your pet is pawing his eyes
  • The eyes seem sore or irritated
  • There is loose skin on the edge of the eyelid
  • Your pet won't quit scratching or pawing his eyes
  • His eyes have turned blue, gray, or cloudy, or he is having trouble getting around
  • His eyes are frequently bloodshot or dry
  • There has been a watery or discolored discharge from the eyes for 48 hours or more
  • Your pet's eyes are bulging
  • The eyelids are swollen or unable to close
  • There is a growth on the eye or eyelid
  • One or both pupils are dilated, or they don't respond to light
  • Your pet seems very sensitive to light
  • The eyes are droopy or sunken
  • The third eyelids are covering the lower parts of the eyes
  • His eyes are continually moving back and forth
  • Blood or tiny blood vessels are visible in the center (not the whites) of his eyes
  • His eyelid appears to be turned inward or outward

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