Dogs and Tear Stains

by **Steve** Fri Jan 10 2014, 17:25

Frequently Asked Questions

Dogs and Tear Stains

Tear stains show up as brown, gunky stuff that runs from your dog's eye down the muzzle. Although they're unsightly, they're natural for some breeds. You have a variety of methods to choose from to clean up your dog's fur and face.

What causes tear stains under a dog's eyes?
Excessive tearing can occur as a result of irritation to your dog's eyes or because your dog's tears are not draining properly.

Just as your eye waters if a speck of dust blows into it, dogs' eyes will make tears when irritated to flush away anything harmful. When the eyes are continually irritated, this can lead to chronic tearing that produces stains. Conditions that might irritate the eye include dog eye infections, glaucoma, and eyelash or eyelid problems.
In a normal dog eye, there are small holes that drain tears away from the eye and down the throat. A variety of dog eye problems can affect this drainage, causing excessively watery eyes.

These conditions include:

Shallow eye sockets. If the eye sockets aren't big or deep enough, tears can spill out onto the fur around the eyes.
Eyelids that are turned inward. If the eyelids roll in toward the eyeball, the drainage holes for tears (called puncta) may become blocked.
Hair growth around the eye. If hair grows too close to the eye, it can wick tears away from the eye and onto the face.
Blocked tear drainage holes (puncta). Previous dog eye infections or eye damage can cause scar tissue to form that blocks some of the drainage passages for tears.

Can the dog eye problems that cause tear stains be treated?
It depends on the condition leading to excessive tearing. There is no way to stop dog eye discharge because of shallow eye sockets, so the goal in this situation is to minimize skin irritation and coat discoloration.
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.

There are surgical options for certain eyelid or eyelash problems that can restore normal tear drainage and eliminate overflow onto the face.

What can I do to get rid of my dog's tear stains?
Although those reddish-brown stains can be stubborn, there are certain remedies that may minimize their appearance. These include:

Antibiotics. The antibiotics tetracycline and tylosin are sometimes used to address tear staining, as they reduce or eliminate the likelihood that tear stains will form. There are concerns about the use of antibiotics for this purpose on an ongoing basis, however, because it could lead to the development of drug-resistant bacteria, which would be far more dangerous to your pup than a few unsightly stains.
Whitening products. Swabbing the stains with hydrogen peroxide or using special grooming products designed for pet fur may help with tear stains.
Regular washing of your dog's face.

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