Treating Tear Stains

Nobody but nobody likes the panda eye look unless they are a panda.  Not you when you wake up after sleeping in your make-up, not Alice Cooper when he gets caught in the rain, and definitely not your poor pooch.

If you’re responsible for a dog, who despite your best efforts looks like they’ve been on a crying bender, we’ve got some good news.  They’re probably not as sad as they look.  It’s just that some dogs produce more of a naturally occurring molecule called porphyrin. Now porphyrins are usually removed from the body via the digestive system but in dogs they are also removed from the body via urine, saliva and tears.

Now dark-haired pups can also have this happen to them, it’s just not as noticeable as it is on their lighter coloured brethren. It does however mean that all dog owners should be keeping their dogs eyes as clean as possible. 

There are a number of reasons for excessive tearing. It might be that you’ve got a dog breed that has longer facial hair, protruding eyes or deep facial wrinkles (sure – call them laugh lines, we’re not judging) which makes them a bit more susceptible to tearing. Or it might be a medical condition like allergies, conjunctivitis, glaucoma or something more complicated. Whatever the reason, those eyes, the ones that see deep into your soul, need to be kept clean. 


The good news is that tear stain management doesn’t need to be overly complicated.  The bad news is that there is no one way that works for every dog.  You may need to give a few things a try before you find out what works best for your pet.

The first step is to make sure that you keep them well groomed and wipe their eyes once or twice a day with a soft, damp cloth.  

If that’s not enough, you might want to try a tear stain removal product like the Petway Tear Stain Remover, what we love about a product like this is that it doesn’t contain bleach or other harsh chemicals and has been formulated specifically for this purpose.

We were also a bit surprised to discover that yoghurt can actually have a positive effect on tear stains. Basically yoghurt contains good bacteria which discourages growth of yeast and the like on your pet’s fur.  You’re welcome to try feeding them some pots of Chobani, but we know our four legged friends like the Doggylicious yoghurt treats also.  That’s right – a treat which is also good for you – it’s totally the dream.

Let us know if you’ve any great tips or tricks related to managing tear stains. We’d love to hear them.

THE WONDERPETS TEAM xx

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