Quick answer: Entropion in dogs is an eyelid that rolls inward so the lashes and haired skin scrape the cornea, and in the UK it is most often seen in Shar Peis, Rottweilers, Labradors and brachycephalic breeds such as Pugs. It is painful, it does not correct itself in an adult dog, and the definitive treatment is surgery performed under general anaesthetic by a vet or a referral veterinary ophthalmologist. Book an appointment now rather than waiting, because the corneal damage — not the eyelid itself — is what costs your dog its sight.
What entropion actually is
The eyelid margin should sit flat against the eye. In entropion it inverts, turning the outer haired skin inwards so that every blink drags hair across the cornea. Dogs cannot tell you this hurts, so they show it instead: squinting, a watery or brown-stained tear track down the face, a third eyelid that keeps coming across, rubbing the face on carpet, and sensitivity to daylight. Owners often describe it as "one eye that never quite opens properly" — which is exactly the presentation that should prompt a same-week appointment.
Entropion is usually classified as primary (an inherited conformational fault of the eyelid and skull, present from puppyhood) or secondary (spastic entropion driven by pain, or cicatricial entropion following scarring). The distinction matters because it changes the plan: spastic entropion may relax once the underlying pain is treated, whereas a structural fault needs a structural repair.
Which UK breeds are affected
In the largest published surgical series, Read and Broun reviewed 311 eyes and found Shar Pei, Rottweiler, Bull Mastiff and Labrador Retriever to be the most commonly represented breeds. UK owners should pay particular attention to a second, very British dataset: Maini and colleagues examined 210 Pugs in the United Kingdom and recorded pigmentary keratitis in 369 of 420 eyes — 87.8% — with a statistically significant association with medial lower-lid entropion. That is the single most important local statistic in this article. If you own a Pug in Britain, a subtle inward roll at the inner corner of the lower lid is not a cosmetic quirk; it is associated with the brown corneal pigment that slowly clouds vision.
Breeders working under Kennel Club schemes and the BVA/KC/ISDS eye scheme framework are familiar with heritable ocular conditions, and any dog that has needed surgical correction of primary entropion should not be bred from — a position shared across responsible UK breed clubs.
Why it becomes an emergency
Constant friction erodes the corneal surface. Asti and colleagues, studying 27 Shar Peis, found 13 of 54 eyes were already ulcerated at presentation. An ulcer is a genuine emergency: it can deepen within 24 to 48 hours. Chronic low-grade friction instead produces pigment and scarring, which is the Pug pattern described above. Both endpoints are avoidable if the lid is corrected early. Read our fuller explainer on corneal ulcers in dogs and how they are treated, and on why a dog keeps squinting one eye.
Treatment options compared
| Approach | Typical candidate | What the evidence shows | Reversible? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definitive Hotz-Celsus type blepharoplasty | Adult dog, primary structural entropion | Read & Broun reported 94.2% success after a single procedure across 311 eyes | No — permanent lid reshaping |
| Temporary tacking sutures | Puppies and juveniles whose face is still developing | Lavallée and colleagues (116 dogs) found tacking resolved entropion in 36.6% of 71 eyes; recurrence 6/75 (8%) in adults versus 10/79 (12.7%) in juveniles, a difference that was not statistically significant | Yes — sutures are removed |
| Hyaluronic acid subdermal filler | Selected cases, or dogs where anaesthetic time must be minimised | Described by McDonald and Knollinger across 40 cases as a less invasive option | Partially — the filler is resorbed over time |
| Treating the underlying pain (spastic entropion) | Dogs whose lid inverts because of ulcer or infection | Asti and colleagues reported 50 of 54 eyes resolved at four weeks in their Shar Pei cohort | Yes |
| Eye drops and hygiene alone | Nobody, as a cure | No product corrects eyelid anatomy | n/a |
What UK surgery costs
Fees vary widely between a first-opinion practice and an RCVS-recognised specialist in veterinary ophthalmology, and between regions — central London is not the same market as a rural Yorkshire practice. Ask for a written estimate in £ before you consent, and ask specifically whether it covers pre-anaesthetic bloods, the general anaesthetic, post-operative pain relief, a buster collar and the recheck. If your dog is insured, check whether entropion is excluded as a congenital or hereditary condition, because many UK policies treat it that way.
Call a vet today if you see any of these
- An eye held shut, or a sudden change in how the eye looks
- Cloudiness, a blue-grey haze, or a visible dent or crater on the eye surface
- Yellow or green discharge, or marked swelling and oedema of the lids
- Your dog pawing at the eye, or rubbing its face repeatedly on furniture
- Any loss of vision, bumping into things, or reluctance to go out in bright daylight
- A puppy whose eye has been weepy for more than a couple of days
If discharge is the leading sign, our guide to dog eye infection warning signs and what to do next will help you describe it accurately to the practice.
Where daily eye hygiene fits — and where it does not
Be clear about this before you buy anything. No hygiene product treats entropion. Entropion is a structural defect of the eyelid, and only surgery changes eyelid structure. Our gentle dog eye drops for daily cleansing and soothing dog eye care solution are hygiene products, not medicines: they do not treat an ulcer, they do not treat an infection, they do not correct a structural eyelid defect, and they replace nothing your vet prescribes. Their published specifications are simply pH-neutral at 7.0–7.2, sodium hyaluronate at 0.05%, with no alcohol, no bleaching agents and no fragrance. Their honest role is wiping away discharge and tear staining around an eye your vet is already managing. Browse the full dog ear and eye care range or start at the Pure Majesty Pets home page; shipping is free worldwide.
Two warnings that matter more than any product recommendation. First, never put human redness-relief drops — those containing tetrahydrozoline or naphazoline — into a dog's eye; they constrict vessels, mask the very redness your vet needs to see, and are not formulated for canine use. Second, never use leftover steroid drops on an eye that might be ulcerated. Steroids on an ulcerated cornea can worsen the ulcer significantly. In the UK, prescription eye medicines are POM-V and must be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations administered by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) — which is precisely why sharing drops between dogs, or reusing an old bottle, is a bad idea.
For the original American edition of this guide, see our full guide to entropion in dogs.
Frequently asked questions
Will entropion in my dog go away without surgery?
Primary structural entropion in an adult dog does not resolve on its own. Spastic entropion caused by pain may relax once the underlying problem is treated — Asti and colleagues reported 50 of 54 eyes resolved at four weeks in a Shar Pei cohort — but that is a different condition from an inherited eyelid conformation.
How successful is entropion surgery in dogs?
Read and Broun reviewed 311 eyes and reported a 94.2% success rate after a single procedure. Some dogs need a second adjustment, which your vet should discuss with you at the outset.
At what age can a puppy have entropion corrected in the UK?
Vets commonly place temporary tacking sutures in young dogs and defer definitive surgery until the face has finished growing. Lavallée and colleagues found tacking resolved entropion in 36.6% of 71 eyes, and recurrence after definitive surgery did not differ significantly between adults (6/75, 8%) and juveniles (10/79, 12.7%).
Which UK breeds are most at risk of entropion?
Read and Broun found Shar Pei, Rottweiler, Bull Mastiff and Labrador Retriever most commonly affected. In UK Pugs specifically, Maini and colleagues found pigmentary keratitis in 369 of 420 eyes (87.8%), significantly associated with medial lower-lid entropion.
Scientific References
- Read RA, Broun HC. Entropion correction in dogs and cats using a combination Hotz-Celsus and lateral eyelid wedge resection. Veterinary Ophthalmology. 2007;10(1):6-11. PMID 17204122
- Lavallée G, Curto EM, Gratzek AT. Entropion in dogs: outcomes of temporary tacking and surgical correction. JAVMA. 2024;262(2):1-5. PMID 37562785
- Asti M, Nardi S, Barsotti G. Entropion in the Shar Pei: clinical findings and outcomes. New Zealand Veterinary Journal. 2020;68(2):112-118. PMID 31738860
- Maini S, et al. Pigmentary keratitis in Pugs in the United Kingdom: prevalence and associated features. BMC Veterinary Research. 2019;15(1):384. PMID 31666065
- McDonald JE, Knollinger AM. The use of hyaluronic acid subdermal filler for entropion in canines and felines: 40 cases. Veterinary Ophthalmology. 2019;22(2):105-115. PMID 29520917
Veterinary disclaimer: This article is general information for UK dog owners and is not veterinary advice. It does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition. Entropion, corneal ulceration and eye infections require examination by a registered veterinary surgeon. Prescription eye medicines in the UK are POM-V and must be supplied on a veterinary prescription. Always consult your own vet or an RCVS-recognised veterinary ophthalmologist about your individual dog.