Tear stains are quite common in small dogs with a light coat colour
Dog tear stains do not look aesthetic, and it makes many dog owners take a variety of actions to ged rid of the problem or, at least, to minimize it.
What are tear stains, and what dogs are prone to them?
The tear stains problem is very common in small dogs with a light coat colour, such as Terriers, Maltese dogs, Bichons, Shih-tzus, Poodles, etc. These breeds have a special structure of the eyeball. However, cats often suffer from tear stains as well, especially Persians.
Tear stains change the colour of the coat under the eyes. The hair there can get a brown or pink hue, and sometimes it is covered with sticky brown secretions. The latter has essentially the same nature as the secretion of the human eye in the morning. The pinkish-brown hue is caused by bacteria and yeast.
What causes tear stains?
Veterinarians say that the reason of tear stains - excessive tearing - can be caused by several different factors such as tearing from irritation or discomfort, tear ducts contamination, inversion of eyelashes or eyelids, poor eyelid structure, etc. Specialists often come across such anomalies as an additional number of lashes, too thick eyelashes in the corners of the eyes, etc. This requires medical and, sometimes, surgical correction. Sometimes excessive tearing is caused by an allergy or eye pollution. For example, there is a known case when a dog that suffered from tear stains was owned by an avid smoker. Later, when the dog got a new owner, the problem was gone within 18 months.
However, in most cases, tear stains are a cosmetic problem rather than a medical one. It is caused by improper care of a dog's coat. Matted long hair, especially wet, creates a perfect environment for skin infections and bacteria.
How to ged rid of tear stains and prevent them in the future?
First of all, you should keep the dog's skin clean, especially under the eyes. Every day clean it with a damp cloth to remove any signs of contamination. Do not use any cleaning chemicals including mild soap because the toxic substance can get into the eye. In some cases you can use special eye drops prescribed by your vet.
In addition, it is strongly recommended to have the hair around the eyes cut, especially in the corners of the eyes. This will help to prevent excessive secretion. Please, let a groomer or a vet do this because the procedure requires skills and caution.
Some groomers recommend powdering the area under the eyes with baby powder. Others suggest using boric acid: they rub it into the coat under the eye carefully. The substance fills the hair follicles preventing tear secretion.
If you need to clean the fur from dried secretions, this can be done by careful brushing the area with a thick brush. Sometimes you will have to cut off the dried hair, but this had better be done by a professional groomer or veterinarian.
Do not forget that if your dog suffers from tear stains, you have to give it attention every day.
To keep the eyes of your dog healthy, they should be checked by a veterinarian once in a while. Consult your vet about preventing eye infections. Lastly, do not allow your dog to stick its head out of the window during a car ride.
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