If you are unfamiliar with tear stains in dogs, they are dark color stains which appear right below the eyes, on the snout of dogs. The tear stains are caused by (surprise!) the dog’s tears, which may or may not be caused by health issues. Some dog breeds have shallow eyelids, which results in the tears of the dog spilling onto the fur from the corners of their eyes and staining the fur. Other causes which may be health-related include the blockage of the tear drainage holes, or eye irritants such as long fur around the eyes or other environmental irritants.
Tear Stain Removers
As with most topics of concern for pet owners, there are a variety of products which address the problem of tear staining in dogs; however, before taking measures to eliminate or reduce the tear stains, it is important to figure out the cause of the flow of tears to where it shouldn’t be. To that end, it is recommended that you seek out the help of your veterinarian in case there is a medical issue behind the staining.
There are a variety of commercial stain removers which can help reduce or completely eliminate staining; however, the use of these products should be based on recommendations of your veterinarian. Instead of picking a random product based on user reviews and advertisements, seek out the opinion of your veterinarian.
Tear Stain Home Remedies
There are a variety of ways through which you can help address tear staining on your dog.
- Prevent tear stains: The best way to deal with tear stains is to help prevent their occurrence, which will not only keep your dog’s physical aesthetics unmarred, but will also eliminate the need to subject your pooch to treatments. The prevent tear stains you will have to keep your dog’s eyes clean by making sure fur around the eyes are trimmed short so they are not irritating the eyes, and making sure that water does not get into your dog’s eye during bathing.
- Herbal remedies: There are several herbs which can help remove the staining around your dog’s eyes, these herbs include chamomile, calendula, and euphrasia.
- White vinegar: White vinegar can be used to adjust the pH balance of your dog’s tears. You can do so by adding a teaspoon of white vinegar to your dog’s drinking water changing the pH balance of the water, and consequently that of the dog’s tears. This will result in the reduction of yeast buildup and bacteria growth in the area where the dog tears.
- Bleach and corn flour: A home remedy that is somewhat less holistic than the above options is the use of corn flower, and bleach to make a paste that can be applied to the stained area. To prepare the paste use two tablespoons of corn flour, and add a few drops of boiling water, and one drop of bleach and mix it into a paste. During application make certain that none of the paste gets into your dog’s eye or eyelids. Allow the paste to sit for about an hour, and then wipe it away (from the eyes) with a damp cloth. The process should be repeated once every other day for a two to three weeks or until the stains are gone.