How to Deal with Dog Tear Stains

1 Dog Tear Stains

Causes of Tear Stains

First, diet: overly salty food causes internal heat. Some owners feed human food, which is mostly high in salt. If feeding mainly kibble, try a different brand – often a pleasant surprise.

Second, physical factors; the following abnormalities can cause tear stains:

When the ear canal is infected by bacteria/viruses or swells, hurts, or itches, the dog scratches with hind legs. The face has many sensitive nerves; deep ear pain extends to the eye area and stimulates tear glands. Excess tears can’t drain through the nasolacrimal duct and overflow at the inner eye corner; over time brown stains on the fur become obvious.

Inflamed/swollen nasolacrimal ducts, entropion, and dacryoadenitis also cause abnormal tearing and stains. There is also a genetic factor – congenital deficiency – as a cause.

Third, breed factors

This appears in short-nosed breeds like Pugs, Shih Tzus, and Japanese Chins. Their conformation makes the nasolacrimal duct sharply curved, limiting drainage so even normal tears overflow, causing ugly stains and even dark eye rims.

Fourth, grooming issues

Improper grooming lets hair around the eyes irritate them, increasing tears and eventually stains.

How to Treat Tear Stains

So how to treat them? Find the cause and treat accordingly.

For diet issues, don’t feed salty human food. Kibble matters; switch if needed. Choose heat-clearing ingredients like duck or pear. Increase water intake, adding honey or apple cider vinegar.

For physical issues like ear infection, blocked ducts, or dacryoadenitis, consult a vet. Entropion is often fixed surgically – the double-eyelid procedure – plus electrocautery of lash follicles.

For genetic causes there is no specific fix; just care for the dog. Use a 2% boric acid cotton ball (or cool boiled water) to wipe gently from the inner corner outward – never back and forth; use a fresh ball as needed until clean. Then apply eye drops or ointment to reduce inflammation.

For daily care: owners should be diligent, trim hair around the eyes so it doesn’t poke and stimulate tears. Also use antiseptic eye drops to rinse the eyes once daily for 10 days.

Above are the causes and treatments for dog tear stains; may every dog be free of them and stay a pretty, happy little angel.