Tear staining occurs when dog tears spill onto the face. For most dogs tear staining is a normal issue that is more cosmetic than not. The stains are caused when the tears land onto the fur, it oxidizes causing a brownish stain.
Tear staining in and of itself is not a problem. Excessive tearing however, may be a problem if it is due to a problem with the outflow or draining of tears or an abnormal eyelash that grows into the eye instead of outward.
Some breeds have more tear staining than others. The production of too many tears is referred to as epiphora, and tear staining due to an eyelash problem is referred to as distichia. Eye diseases are often accompanied by symptoms in addition to staining such as redness that accompanies conjunctivitis or squinting and pawing the eyes.
For quite a few dogs, on going epiphora is simply a outcome of their anatomy. Breeds which have proportionately oversized eyes, which includes shih tzus, maltese, along with pugs, often have chronic tearing. The ordinary eye produces tears continuously, additionally, the built up tears will be depleted into the nasolacrimal duct by using a small opening inside the lower eyelid. In large-eyed dogs, very often the opening at the duct is just too small for a eye, or becomes stretched in a manner in which it no longer allows for discharge back into the duct. Sometimes the outlet onto the duct is actually small. In most of these instances, the tears need to go somewhere, hence they just simply discharge from the corners of the eyes into the dog’s fur.
Even if the tear discoloration is not a health related matter and does not affect the physical condition of the family pet, a good number of dog or puppy lovers would rather prevent the discoloration as much as possible, generally there are many steps you can take to achieve this.
How to Get Rid of Tear Stains
The initial thing you should consider is completely cleansing the area every single day, utilizing a little bit of hydrogen peroxide on the stained hair. With recurring scrubbing, the hydrogen peroxide will be able to lighten all the hair, contributing to a better overall look. It is very important if you use peroxide that you just be extremely careful to never get any straight into the eyes. Do not undertake if your dog isn’t going to stay still for you.
Over the Counter Products
Two types of over the counter products are sold. The first, is a homeopathic approach which uses carefully selected herbs such as Dandelion and other ingredients known to have cleansing properties. These products are usually purchased on line such as i-Clenz.
The second type contains a low dose of an antibiotic called tetracycline. Products such as Angel Eyes hinder the chemicals within tears that lead to the brown color you see on your dog’s fur.
Again, first rule out any medical causes for the over production of tears, and then consider one of the mentioned products to provide some cosmetic relief. There is no cure for the condition, other than surgical correction of issues in dogs that have something blocking the tear ducts. Also, if you see puppy tear stains, be sure to see your vet to see if there is something that needs to be corrected before it turns into a more serious problem.
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