# Black spot on my Lab's iris



## RJG (Feb 18, 2005)

A few days ago, I noticed a small black spot on the bottom my 6 yo MH BLF's iris. It's about the size of a BB, it does not extend over the pupil. I happened to have a human eye doctor appointment and asked him about it - he said on a human it was an iris nevis. When I looked it up online re dogs, it made me very nervous. I will call my eye vet tomorrow but in the meantime, anyone else have experience about this with their dog.
Thanks,


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## Scott Parker (Mar 19, 2009)

Randall I'm sorry to hear Cleo is having a problem with her eye I hope it's nothing to be concerned about.


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2009)

Do you know for sure if it's new? I have a friend (she's on here occasionally) whose dog has had a black spot on his eye all his life. You can see it in pictures. It's never amounted to anything... He was CERF'd and I honestly can't remember what his cerf papers say, but the cerf vet wasn't concerned about it. We were supposed to watch it. It's now about 9 years later....


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## RJG (Feb 18, 2005)

I can't honestly say whether it's been there for long or not. I just noticed it. It's on the lower aspect of her iris, so when she's outdoors and the iris is smaller, it's not as noticeable.


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## Misty Marsh (Aug 1, 2003)

Do a search on Iris cysts, that is likely what it is, common in labs. They are not usually a big deal, stay small, but can grow, somtimes break and dissapear altogther. If they get too large and infringe on the vision they can be broken with a laser. I will mention that they need to be seen by an optomologist as iris cysts can very and have a variety that is not to be fooled around with.


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## TimThurby (May 22, 2004)

Have a 10 year old BLM that has what you describe for most of his life. He hasn't ever had a problem seeing.

BTW, he has passed CERF for the past 10 years. The optimologist said it is quite common.

Tim


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## RJG (Feb 18, 2005)

Thank you all so much for your input and Cheryl for calling me. I have an appointment tomorrow with the eye vet. Hopefully it will be nothing to worry about.


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## jeff t. (Jul 24, 2003)

RJG said:


> Thank you all so much for your input and Cheryl for calling me. I have an appointment tomorrow with the eye vet. Hopefully it will be nothing to worry about.


Good luck, and please let us know what you learn.


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## Obabikon (Jul 1, 2009)

Please let us know what you find out in the appointment. My 2-year-old BLM has had something like you describe (although smaller--more like a grain of pepper) on the white part of his eye for at least the past year, and possibly his whole life.

It's in the extreme inside corner of his eye, so unless he's torques his eyeball way off to the side to look at something without turning his head toward it, you never even see it.

We had a vet take a look at it during an unrelated visit, and he didn't know what it was. Although he said it wasn't urgent, he advised us to "eventually" have it checked out by an opthamologist.

Haven't done so yet, but have been watching it to see if it gets any bigger or changes in some way. I'm delaying the expensive opthamologist visit until then....


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## Rob Paye (Jul 22, 2009)

I have a 9 year old FYL and she has had the same thing since birth, never had a problem. Was told to watch it, that was nine years ago. Good luck with yours !!


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## copterdoc (Mar 26, 2006)

RJG said:


> I can't honestly say whether it's been there for long or not. I just noticed it. It's on the lower aspect of her iris, so when she's outdoors and the iris is smaller, it's not as noticeable.


The iris would be bigger if she is outside.

The black center of the eye is the pupil

The colored ring around that, is the iris.

Light passes through the pupil, into the eye. If she has a black spot in her pupil, it is effecting her vision.


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## RJG (Feb 18, 2005)

You are correct, I misspoke. When the light is bright the pupil contracts and the iris is larger. Her spot is on the colored part of the eye, the iris. It does not seem to be encroaching over her pupil or interfering with her vision at this time as she is marking very well. In any case, I didn't notice it until the end of last week. 

I will update after the appointment tomorrow.


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## Keith Stroyan (Sep 22, 2005)

What did it turn out to be?


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## Chris Atkinson (Jan 3, 2003)

Randall, 

The yellow lab in the "RTF logo" had one of those in his eye for most of his life. It looked like a black ink blotch and it would sometimes grow and sometimes shrink and it even changed location from time-to-time. The vet was not concerned about it, he passed CERF, and he lived to be 14 with good eyes until the end.

Please let us know.

Chris


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## Scott Adams (Jun 25, 2003)

My first FT dog had a few black spots.
Had the checked by an eye vet near Buffalo, NY.
She said they were nothing to worry about.
She was right.


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## RJG (Feb 18, 2005)

Thankfully, the black spot turned out to be a cyst (good info, Misty Marsh!). 

The cyst is not on the iris as I thought, but is actually floating in the aqueous fluid that lies under the cornea and in front of the pupil and lens. It is harmless and, from what I think I understand my eye vet to have explained, is made up of sloughed iris cells and aqueous fluid. 

Since I was seeing it when Cleo was sitting, it appeared to be on the bottom aspect of her iris. It actually bobs around. Dr. Colitz ( a wonderful vet opthalmologist!) repositioned Cleo and the cyst bobbed to a different position. Sometimes, as MM also said, it can burst and be a bunch of smaller spots. It does not affect her vision and is harmless (but always good to check with any eye lesion).

I am so relieved and do appreciate everyone's input and good wishes. My Christmas is made!


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2009)

Wow, how interesting, I'll have to share this with my friend. Thanks for the education!! Glad everything is ok.


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