EYE BOOGERS

A lot of dogs recently have been coming in with quite nasty and sore "eye boogers" or "tear stains"

(This picture is not mine)

It is important that if your dog suffers from this problem (most commonly shih-tzu's and shih-tzu x's) that you clean the eye area regularly to prevent the build up. In severe cases like the fellow above vet attention will be needed as it has become infected and painful. When the build up becomes too much it is quite painful and sensitive to remove and needs to be soaked in the bath and then gently shaved away with the clippers, that is why you get the red, open sores like the picture above also. 

There are a few products on the market that help minimise tear stains. I have had success with a product called "Angels Eyes" on my cavoodle. It is a powdered supplement that is added to your dogs food that neutralises the tear stains. You can read more about it and purchase it here;

http://www.angelseyesaustralia.com

They tell you to allow 6-8 weeks for it to be noticeable, but after just 1 week you can see the difference in Lulu.

There are also an assortment of whipes, sprays, creams etc that may help, but it's might be worthwhile to shop around with what works for you.

The cause of tear staining is so varied, it could be a breeding problem causing a deformity in the tear ducts, allergies or diet. Most commonly the problem is usually associated with bad diet. Most supermarket foods contain artificial colors, preservatives etc, which end up coming out through the dogs skin, saliva etc. Have you ever wondered why your pretty white dog ends up with red/pink patches, usually on their feet and base of tail? That's the same enzymes as the tear staining. 

At the end of the day if you just keep that area clean you should have minimal problems.