Does your dog seem to have a problem with eye discharge and tear stains?
There are a variety of reasons for eye discharge and excessive tearing in both dogs and cats. Today I’m addressing the main dog breeds that seem to have more challenges with this, although the principles apply across the board.
Dogs prone to excessive tearing which often stains the fur around the eye area:
- White dogs, no matter the breed – tear stains show up more visibly on their faces due to pigments in their tears that can easily dye light-colored fur
- Dogs with long hair on their faces – the hair can irritate the eye causing excessive tearing and it can build up and mat in the longer hair
- Short-nosed dog breeds – breeds such as Shih-tzu, Pekingese, Maltese, and Pug often have shallow eye sockets or hair growth in skin folds around the eyes that cause problems
- Cocker spaniels and poodles – they have a higher tendency than other breeds to have blocked tear ducts
Is there a treatment for the dog eye problems that cause tear stains?
It depends on the condition leading to excessive tearing.
A dog with shallow eye sockets can’t be changed, so the goal in this situation is to minimize skin irritation and coat discoloration from the dog’s eye discharge problem.
For certain eyelid or eyelash problems there are surgical options that can restore normal tear drainage and eliminate excessive overflow onto the face.
If your dog’s tear stains are developing because his eyes are always irritated, eliminating the source of irritation will help. This might include keeping hair near the eyes trimmed very short and treating infection or glaucoma, if present.
For cats, you can see how these same conditions could apply. I hope this has been helpful information for you. Should you need to treat the eye tear stains relieving the build up of crusty deposits or fur stains and keep the area free from bacteria, use our Natural Eye Tear Stain Remover. It will keep your pet’s face looking good, smelling good and feeling soft. Add this to your health maintenance routine to keep your dog or cat in tip top shape!
A special thanks to WebMD, LLC for some of the information above.
Leave a Comment