How to Prevent Tear Staining in Dogs
Understand tear stains., Have a veterinarian examine the dog's tear ducts., Consider a saline flush for narrow ducts., Wipe bulbous eyes every couple of hours., Remove environmental factors that cause eye irritation., Keep the eyes clear of hair...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Understand tear stains.
Tears contain a chemical called porphyrin that turns rust-colored when exposed to the air.
A process called oxidation causes an eventual color stain to a dog's fur.
Just like hair dye, it takes a while for the porphyrin to stain fur.
Tear staining is a result of tears not being wiped away before the fur gets stained.It is more important, however, to understand why a dog's eyes are tearing.
This could have a medical cause and should be evaluated by a veterinarian. -
Step 2: Have a veterinarian examine the dog's tear ducts.
The eye produces tears to moisten the eye's surface and flush away dust and debris.
The tears then drain away via the tear ducts, which act like a plug hole in a sink.
If the ducts are narrow or blocked, tears can't drain away efficiently and spill over the face.
If dirt or debris got your dog's eyes, it may have blocked the tear duct.
The vet may be able to remove it.
Ducts sometimes get narrow due to infection.
A vet should be able to detect an infection and prescribe antibiotics as treatment.
See a veterinarian immediately if you suspect infection.
Infections can cause ulcers and cause permanent damage to the eyes. , Your dog may just have been born with narrow ducts.
A veterinarian can confirm this by ruling out more serious causes.
This is common in toy breeds like Chihuahuas, poodles, and Bichon Frises.
Unfortunately, trying to open up naturally narrow ducts doesn't often succeed.
The vet might try to stretch the duct with a saline flush, but it will likely shrink back down.
In rare cases, this process causes scar tissue that narrows the duct even more.In rare cases, this can lead to long-term improvement.
Ask your vet's opinion about whether stretching the tear duct is the right decision for your dog. , Some breeds such as pugs or Pekingese have very large, round eyes that are somewhat bulbous.
Big eyes are more likely to water because they have a larger surface area.
Bulbous eyes also tend to push the eyelid forward and out, making the tear duct poorly-aligned to drain the fluid away.Wipe tears away regularly.
You can medicated pads from a pet store that contains solution to safely clean the area under your dog's eyes.
Wipe your dog's eyes every couple of hours or whenever you see fresh tears. , When the eye's irritated, it produces tears to flush the irritation away.
Irritants can include allergies, cigarette smoke, perfumes, deodorants, or spray air fresheners.
If you suspect a substance is causing your dog's eyes tearing, stop exposing your dog to the substance and see if it helps.If the dog's eyes improve, you can try to reintroduce irritants to see if these were indeed what caused the tearing.
If you're able to confirm, stop exposing your dog to these substances.
When using an aerosol spray of any sort, keep the dog out of the room for 20 minutes or until the air is clear.
See a vet for medication if your dog suffers from allergies, like hay fever, which can also result in scratching at itchy skin. , If your dog has a long coat, his fur might be getting into his eyes.
This can cause irritation that leads to tearing.
Get your dog groomed in a manner that keeps his eyes free of hanging fur. , Sometimes fine hairs around the eyelid that grow inward toward the cornea.
If this is the case, the dog's eye will be irritated every time he blinks — like when you have dust in your eye.You will not be able to see inward growing hairs with the naked eye, but a vet should be able to use special equipment to examine your dog's eyes.
He or she will be able to see if this is the cause of your dog's tearing.
A clinician can remove the hairs through a process like electrolysis.
An electrical current is used to kill the hair follicles.
The hairs won't be able to grow back. -
Step 3: Consider a saline flush for narrow ducts.
-
Step 4: Wipe bulbous eyes every couple of hours.
-
Step 5: Remove environmental factors that cause eye irritation.
-
Step 6: Keep the eyes clear of hair.
-
Step 7: Check for inward-growing hairs around the eyes.
Detailed Guide
Tears contain a chemical called porphyrin that turns rust-colored when exposed to the air.
A process called oxidation causes an eventual color stain to a dog's fur.
Just like hair dye, it takes a while for the porphyrin to stain fur.
Tear staining is a result of tears not being wiped away before the fur gets stained.It is more important, however, to understand why a dog's eyes are tearing.
This could have a medical cause and should be evaluated by a veterinarian.
The eye produces tears to moisten the eye's surface and flush away dust and debris.
The tears then drain away via the tear ducts, which act like a plug hole in a sink.
If the ducts are narrow or blocked, tears can't drain away efficiently and spill over the face.
If dirt or debris got your dog's eyes, it may have blocked the tear duct.
The vet may be able to remove it.
Ducts sometimes get narrow due to infection.
A vet should be able to detect an infection and prescribe antibiotics as treatment.
See a veterinarian immediately if you suspect infection.
Infections can cause ulcers and cause permanent damage to the eyes. , Your dog may just have been born with narrow ducts.
A veterinarian can confirm this by ruling out more serious causes.
This is common in toy breeds like Chihuahuas, poodles, and Bichon Frises.
Unfortunately, trying to open up naturally narrow ducts doesn't often succeed.
The vet might try to stretch the duct with a saline flush, but it will likely shrink back down.
In rare cases, this process causes scar tissue that narrows the duct even more.In rare cases, this can lead to long-term improvement.
Ask your vet's opinion about whether stretching the tear duct is the right decision for your dog. , Some breeds such as pugs or Pekingese have very large, round eyes that are somewhat bulbous.
Big eyes are more likely to water because they have a larger surface area.
Bulbous eyes also tend to push the eyelid forward and out, making the tear duct poorly-aligned to drain the fluid away.Wipe tears away regularly.
You can medicated pads from a pet store that contains solution to safely clean the area under your dog's eyes.
Wipe your dog's eyes every couple of hours or whenever you see fresh tears. , When the eye's irritated, it produces tears to flush the irritation away.
Irritants can include allergies, cigarette smoke, perfumes, deodorants, or spray air fresheners.
If you suspect a substance is causing your dog's eyes tearing, stop exposing your dog to the substance and see if it helps.If the dog's eyes improve, you can try to reintroduce irritants to see if these were indeed what caused the tearing.
If you're able to confirm, stop exposing your dog to these substances.
When using an aerosol spray of any sort, keep the dog out of the room for 20 minutes or until the air is clear.
See a vet for medication if your dog suffers from allergies, like hay fever, which can also result in scratching at itchy skin. , If your dog has a long coat, his fur might be getting into his eyes.
This can cause irritation that leads to tearing.
Get your dog groomed in a manner that keeps his eyes free of hanging fur. , Sometimes fine hairs around the eyelid that grow inward toward the cornea.
If this is the case, the dog's eye will be irritated every time he blinks — like when you have dust in your eye.You will not be able to see inward growing hairs with the naked eye, but a vet should be able to use special equipment to examine your dog's eyes.
He or she will be able to see if this is the cause of your dog's tearing.
A clinician can remove the hairs through a process like electrolysis.
An electrical current is used to kill the hair follicles.
The hairs won't be able to grow back.
About the Author
Alexander Morgan
A passionate writer with expertise in crafts topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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