How to stop tear stains?

[Stefan]

Hello everyone!

Sister is almost 7 months old now and is such a joy.  I clean her eyes daily but when she wakes up in the morning she always has gunk caked onto her fur under her left eye.  I hold her down and try to soak it off and it works 60% of the time but sometimes it is so stuck on I have to cut it out.  Is there anything I can do that's preventative and will make her eye less goopy?  When she got spayed last month I had the vet look at her eye and she said she could see nothing wrong, just some dogs tear more than others.  I just really don't like the look of it, sometimes it looks like she has a blackeye!  Lol.

Thanks in advance!

[Laura and Angus]

I had a standard poodle for 15 years (a similar color as your pup actually) and he always had tearing -- this is pretty characteristic of the poodle breed. Both the vet/groomer had recommended at the time that we put some mineral oil under the eye (using a cotton ball or swab) where the tear stains would be to help the "goopy stuff" not get all blocked up there. Then you can just wipe away excess oil. That's what we did for our poodle guy. Of course keeping the hair around the eyes shorter and cleaning regularly will also help!

[Stefan]

Wow thanks for the info, this certainly does help.  Any mineral oil in particular?  

[Laura and Angus]

I think you can just get mineral oil from the drugstore. You can ask your vet or groomer what they use or think would be best, but honestly everything I've read about it just says "mineral oil." I think we started using baby oil for our poodle because he had very sensitive skin...

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Is it only the left eye that is sticky, caked on goop? Is it greenish at all in the am?

[Stefan]

Both eyes get tears but her left eye is way worse.  It's never green ish, always clear or white when it is new but it turns black when it dries. 

[Sheree Small]

Hi my doodle doesn't have tearing eyes but I have a Coton (small white dog) that goes through stints of tearing funky eyes. I have used "Angel Eyes" powder in her food. It is a small amount of antibiotic and resolved the issue. It is available In Pet stores over the counter. Good luck

[Stefan]

Thanks!!!

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Wouldn't think you would want to be on an antibiotic (Angel Eyes) long term though, right?

[Sheree Small]

No. You wouldn't use it long term. Short use, clear up the stain which I have been told is caused by a little bacteria. Then stop. Don't want to use it long term.