Jan 23 2009
The 3rd eyelid
Some people don’t notice right away that their pet has a white, hazy membrane that sometimes comes out and covers part or all of the eye. This is called the nictating membrane, also known as the 3rd eyelid. It is normal to appear from time to time, usually when your pet is tired or resting.
If you start to notice it more often that usual, it could be due to illness; just about anything making an animal lethargic or not quite right can make their 3rd eyelid appear. If the eyes look fine otherwise, it likely has nothing to do with an eye problem, and could be that your pet is just feeling a bit under the weather. Your best bet at that time would be to try and keep a better eye on him or her if at all possible, and look for other symptoms of what could be bothering them: sneezing, coughing, not eating as well, discharges or resting more. Without other symptoms and if it goes away quickly, I wouldn’t worry about it, unless these membranes continue to come out and cover the eyes more and more- which could be a prolapse of the membranes, requiring a veterinary ophthalmologist for best treatment.
Christine, LVT
