Tear Stains in Dogs
Help! My Dog has Tear Stains on Her Face
Does your dog have those unsightly brown stains on his or her face that make it look like your dog cries all the time? Is this a health problem?
Top 11 Reasons for Tear Stains
- Infection
- Corneal Ulcers
- Glaucoma
- Allergies
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca or “dry eye”
- medial canthal syndrome
- extra eyelashes
- eyelashes pointing in, instead of out
- blocked tear ducts
- tear ducts that never formed in the first place
- inadequate lower lid anatomy to pool the tears
Bet you never know there could be so many causes of tear stains on the face. Some are more common than others and some affect some breeds of dogs more than others. Our veterinarians can diagnose the problem.
Once you have your diagnosis, then you can go about figuring how to fix the problem.
Laser Surgery for Dog Eyelids
No, we’re not talking about cosmetic surgery!
A common reason for young, small breed dogs to have tear staining is faulty anatomy. In medial canthal syndrome, the eyelids roll inward at the inner corner of the eye and the hairs and eyelashes are soft and get wet and rub on the eye. Under anesthesia, our surgeons gently laser the eyelid in an “eyelash” pattern in order to roll the lids out to a normal position permanently. The healing takes days and the risk of side-effects is minimal.
Top 10 Breeds for Medial Canthal Syndrome
- Maltese
- Yorkshire Terrier, Silky Terrier
- Havanese
- Shih Tzu
- Lhasa Apso
- Miniature Poodle (including Teacup Poodles)
- Bichon Frise
- Long Haired Chihuahuas
- Papillon
- Maltipoo and designer mixes of these breeds
“What Can I Do That is Not Surgery?”
Once you have your diagnosis, if surgery is not required, then we have options for you. Ask us if Angel Eyes is appropriate for your dog’s condition. Angel Eyes is a natural supplement designed to help remove tear stains near the eyes and helps prevent new stains from forming.
Angel Eyes Ingredients:
Cranberry, Oregon-Root Grape, Marshmallow Root, Freeze Dried Chicken Liver and Freeze Dried Sweet Potato
Angel Eyes comes as a powder you sprinkle on your dog’s meals.
We also carry Tear Stain brand which comes in powder or Chewies
Tear Stain Brand Powder Ingredients:
Cranberry, Oregon Grape Root, Vitamin C, Colostrum Powder, Marshmallow Root, Flaxseed, Lutein, Dried Whey, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Rosemary, Natural Flavoring, Silica Aerogel
Tear Stain Brand Chewie Ingredients:
Cranberry, Oregon Grape Root, Vitamin C, Colostrum Powder, Marshmallow Root, Flaxseed, Lutein, Brewer’s Yeast, Fish Oil, Flaxseed Meal, Glycerin, Lecithin, Natural Flavoring, Oat Groats, Rice Bran, Rice Flour, Rosemary, Sorbic Acid and Vegetable Oil
Doc Truli Quick Tip:
“Be sure your dog’s food does not contain food coloring. The food coloring can make tear stains worse.”
In summary,
Get a diagnosis before you try different remedies for your dog’s eyes. Some treatments are surgical, some medical, and some herbal and nutritional. Please call for an appointment today! 877 DR TRULI
