Tear stains are the streaks near the corner of the eyes, appearing as a reddish-brown colour (particularly noticeable on white dogs). That’s simply because dogs’ tears contain a dye molecule called porphyrin. Dogs often get a mix of tears, mucus, oils and dust forming a little goopy mess near the corners of the eyes. When the goop dries, it’s become a hard, crusty lump. Remember it has fur caught within it, so don’t pluck it off. It’ll hurt, and then when you need to do it again tomorrow and the next day, your dog remembers it hurt, and avoids, pulls away, and it’ll take so much longer.
The solution is simple
- Cotton wool soaked in warm water. Place it on lightly, the lump will soften, then you can smooth it away. No pain. One of our dogs even seemed to find it a relaxing, bonding moment. Use a different cottonwool pad for each eye, so as not to spread any germs.
- If the colour bothers you, use a mild contact lens solution on the stain (NOT in the eyes).
- Keep hair trimmed near the eyes, to avoid irritation and to make cleaning easier.
When to check with your vet
If the discharge has increased, is an unusual colour (yellow or green), or your dog’s eyes are watering, red, swollen, itchy. If your dog is squinting, rubbing at their eyes and/or has red-rimmed skin around the eyes. There could be an infection, something in the eye, a corneal abrasion, conjunctivitis, or various other conditions that can be very painful and need veterinary treatment.
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