Causes of heavy tear stains in dogs

Improper diet

The way the owner raises the dog determines the health of the dog. If the dog always eats too much salt and fat, it will cause more tears due to fire. This is why many dogs in rural areas have more frequent and severe tear marks.

Ear canal infection

If your dog frequently scratches his ears with his hind feet, it is most likely because his ears are infected with viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites, causing swelling, pain, and itching in the ears. The dog's face is interlaced with auditory nerves and facial nerves. This area is quite sensitive, so ear discomfort also affects the facial nerves to some extent.

When pain deep in the ear canal extends to the face, it can stimulate the secretion of tears. When too much tear fluid cannot be drained from the nasolacrimal duct, it will overflow from the corner of the eye. After a long period of accumulation, they will shed tears.

Nasolacrimal duct obstruction

The dog's nasolacrimal duct will be infected and inflamed. Then the tears cannot be discharged from the blocked nasolacrimal duct, and will naturally accumulate in the corners of the eyes, forming tear stains over time.

Nasolacrimal duct obstruction is mostly caused by secondary infections, such as conjunctivitis, upper respiratory tract infection, maxillary dental disease, tear duct trauma, and eyelashes, dust, etc. entering the tear duct will directly cause tears. Tract inflammation, once stimulated by inflammation for a long time, can lead to swelling and scarring of tear duct mucosal epithelial cells, which can lead to stenosis and blockage.

Dacryoadenitis

Canine tears are mainly discharged through the lacrimal glands, but when the lacrimal glands are infected, it will cause abnormal secretion of a large amount of tears. The nasolacrimal duct cannot clear a large amount of tears, so the tears will flow out and form tear stains.

Entropion

A dog’s eyelids turn inward, which is also called inverted eyelashes. Every time the dog blinks, the eyelashes will cause friction against the cornea. Of course, the dog will feel uncomfortable or in pain. Scratching with your paws will cause keratitis and conjunctivitis, so you will often see your dog tearing up, which can easily cause serious tear stains.

Special dog breeds

Some breeds of dogs are born with short noses, such as Mynas and Shih Tzus. Due to their appearance, the curvature of the nasolacrimal ducts is greater than that of ordinary dogs, so even a normal amount of tears is more difficult to produce. load, once this happens it will cause unsightly tear marks.

Solution for heavy tear stains on dogs

1. Clean well

If you find a dog with tears or eye mucus, you must use a clean towel, wet it with warm water, and wipe its eyes, especially the eye sockets, because it can easily hide dirt.

If your dog's eyes have excessive secretions or their eyes are too dry, you can use artificial tears to instill in the eyes, or you can also use saline to clean the eye area.

2. Trim hair

The irritation of the hair can also cause tear stains, so pet owners must not be lazy and trim the hair around the dog's eyes frequently.

3. Massage

Pet owners can give their dogs eye massages three times a week. This will help clear the dog's nasolacrimal ducts, not only reduce tear stains, but also enhance the relationship with the dog.

4. Improve your diet

Do not feed dogs food that is too salty, and food eaten by humans should not be fed to dogs. You can choose natural dog food with light taste, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and be sure to drink plenty of water. .

5. Avoid direct UV rays

Although taking your dog to bask in the sun properly is good for your health, you should avoid going out when the sun is the strongest and don’t let your dog’s eyes be directly stimulated by strong ultraviolet rays.

6. Professional treatment

As for the pathological cause of the dog's tear gland, if you cannot correctly determine it yourself, it is best to send it to the hospital and let the doctor make a professional judgment and then prescribe the right medicine. Do not use medicine at will.

For the above-mentioned diseases that can cause tear stains in dogs, common solutions include the following:

① For ear canal infections, you can ask a doctor to determine the cause and then prescribe the right medicine. Do not blindly buy medicines for treatment at your own discretion. This will not only not help the condition, but also lead to the development of drug resistance in the ear disease. Treatment will become complicated when the disease occurs, delaying timely treatment of the condition.

② When the nasolacrimal duct is blocked, doctors usually treat it with antibiotics first, and then perform a small surgery to clear the nasolacrimal duct. The number of times to clear the nasolacrimal duct must be determined based on the severity of the condition. Severe cases may require several rounds to heal.

③ Dacryoadenitis can generally be controlled with medication. The treatment period ranges from 5 days to 4 weeks, and it also depends on the severity of the condition.

④ The treatment for entropion of the eyelids usually involves surgery. The surgical method is somewhat similar to "double eyelid surgery" in humans, and the eyelash follicles are electrically burned, which can basically improve the condition of entropion of the eyelids.