# Tear Staining....to cut or not to cut the hair near the eyes??????



## Max&Roxy (Sep 7, 2012)

Ok, so Max is now almost 6 months old....and of course, adorable in every which way!!:wub:

He has fairly bad tear stains and I am at my wits end already with them. A month or so ago, I trimmed the hair near his eyes, just at the beginning of his muzzle area. The staining didnt go away, but it got better. However, as the hair is growning back in, its like a little bush of hair actually, his staining is pretty bad. I was thinking of growing the hair out....and go through the uglies, to have it long and lie over his muzzle on the sides. He is getting his first real groom on the 13 of December (mobile groomer is coming) I try and clean his eyes twice a day with a baby wet wipe and the Crystal Clear solution. But its not helping. I took him to Petland last week, after his bath....and a gal who works there says, "....oh he is cute....but he needs his eyes cleaned!!!...." I was mad and embarassed as his coat was soooo clean and pure white....he was brushed beautifully and looked so nice. 

I have considered the Angel Eyes....just to clear this up a bit....but I am not so sure after reading some posts. But it does bother me and he is just so beautiful, that a clean white face would be so sweet. He has such a nice coat...very very silky and soft and full. If we could just get this issue under control...it would be great.

Sooooo any advice, thoughts, words of encouragement??? help.:smilie_tischkante:


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## joyomom (Jan 13, 2008)

For my two I use the spa lavish face scrub on their face every other day when they have more draining. But it comes and goes at times, but every day I must wash their eyes with warm wash cloth, then use eye drops and if they have gunky stuff I try and comb it out. Mia has a short muzzle so she seems to drain more and stain more. 

If he is just 6 months I think it is about his getting his teeth. I know mine were worse then.

Lots of people have tips on what they do - check the search area for eye staining and you may get some more tips.

Good luck


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

What is Crystal Clear solution? 
I would not cut the hair close to the eyes as it pokes the eyes as it grows causing more stain. I do think the shorter the muzzle the more chance of staining for some reason. I notice that w/Lisi & her muzzle is short. 
Teething may be your issue now, so you just have to keep the face as clean as you can, and as dry--not easy. It may get better after the adult teeth have emerged. 
Lisi's seem to reappear when she is health compromised in some way but I think she was born w/tear-stains from the photos I have. 
Hang in there!


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## Zoe's Mom88 (Apr 25, 2011)

Teething is definately part of his issue and he will teeth for a couple more months. I would buy Spa Lavish face wash for tear stains and use it every morning. It is important to keep the area as dry as possible. After you wash his face and dry it you can put a little corn starch on it to help keep it dry a bit longer.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Have you seen this? 

A Veterinary Guide to Tear Stains


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Zoe's Mom88 said:


> Teething is definately part of his issue and he will teeth for a couple more months. I would buy Spa Lavish face wash for tear stains and use it every morning. It is important to keep the area as dry as possible. After you wash his face and dry it you can put a little corn starch on it to help keep it dry a bit longer.


I would suggest "potato flour" instead of cornstarch---learned that at the World Dog Show this yr. but I can't remember the reason!:HistericalSmiley:


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

I have started to use Bausch & Lomb's ReNu Multiplus solution to clean Lisi's face w/a little pad on each side 2 x per day to see if this will help. It will only help if it is protein involved & I will see if it is this or a fungus? Time will tell.


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

All I will say is this: Do NOT cut the hair by his eyes! And make sure the groomers know that they are not to cut it under any circumstances, either. Have it written down in his file... WATCH them write it down! And repeat it as you are leaving: Do NOT cut any hair by his eyes!

I trimmed Grace's and it is now a nightmare while she is growing it out. Once it is grown out, it is easier to manage and won't poke them in the eyes like Sandi said... But if you cut it, it is a constant fight and you are constantly trimming that hair because the second it starts growing it starts the battle all over again!


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## hoaloha (Jan 27, 2012)

Grace'sMom said:


> All I will say is this: Do NOT cut the hair by his eyes! And make sure the groomers know that they are not to cut it under any circumstances, either. Have it written down in his file... WATCH them write it down! And repeat it as you are leaving: Do NOT cut any hair by his eyes!
> 
> I trimmed Grace's and it is now a nightmare while she is growing it out. Once it is grown out, it is easier to manage and won't poke them in the eyes like Sandi said... But if you cut it, it is a constant fight and you are constantly trimming that hair because the second it starts growing it starts the battle all over again!


Totally agree with T! The more you cut it, the more you have to keep cutting it. If you let the hair just grow out and either brush it upward or let it hang down the sides of the muzzle, it will prevent the hair from getting into the eyes. The shorter hair gets into the eyes more and causes more tearing. Be patient


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Breeders should send a tag home on their puppies: Do not trim eye hair! 

LOL... Seriously :mellow:


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## Avec Bravissimo (Nov 23, 2012)

Ladysmom said:


> Have you seen this?
> 
> A Veterinary Guide to Tear Stains


I'm new here, but read this link after you posted it this morning, and wanted to thank you for it. There is a lot of good info there.

:thumbsup:


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## Jo C (Jan 23, 2012)

Max&Roxy said:


> Ok, so Max is now almost 6 months old....and of course, adorable in every which way!!:wub:
> 
> He has fairly bad tear stains and I am at my wits end already with them. A month or so ago, I trimmed the hair near his eyes, just at the beginning of his muzzle area. The staining didnt go away, but it got better. However, as the hair is growning back in, its like a little bush of hair actually, his staining is pretty bad. I was thinking of growing the hair out....and go through the uglies, to have it long and lie over his muzzle on the sides. He is getting his first real groom on the 13 of December (mobile groomer is coming) I try and clean his eyes twice a day with a baby wet wipe and the Crystal Clear solution. But its not helping. I took him to Petland last week, after his bath....and a gal who works there says, "....oh he is cute....but he needs his eyes cleaned!!!...." I was mad and embarassed as his coat was soooo clean and pure white....he was brushed beautifully and looked so nice.
> 
> ...


I use Eye Envy. You can purchase it at www.eyeenvy.com
It's a liguid that you put a few drops of on a piece of paper towel and then there's also a powder the you put on the fur at the inner corner of the eyes. I also rinse my Nikki's eyes with Bausch & Lomb Eye Rinse. Nikki's tear stains wete not that bad and after 2 days they were gone. I still use the eye envy once a day. Hope this helps.


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## Max&Roxy (Sep 7, 2012)

Thanks everyone. I am going to carry on and grow his hair out (that I trimmed) near his eyes. I do clean his face at least once a day....sometimes twice. I will try the potato flour. Do I just dab some on the cleaned wet hair? 

I think he has a smaller muzzle for sure. He is a little dude....maybe only 2.5 pounds? he will get weighed at the vet when he is 6 months.

The Crystal Eye is just a clear solution I picked up at Petland for cleaning tear stains or stains in general on the dogs fur. So I add some to a wet baby wipe and clean his eyes with it.


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