# Eyelash cutting regrets....



## LOVE_BABY (May 5, 2015)

{very frustrating, I just wrote a post for a new thread & then after I put all of that work into the post, then this website asked me to sign in again and all my writing was lost!} 
… Anyway, has anyone regretted cutting their dogs eyelashes? I have! They were super long about 6" inches, and always sticking straight out & looked messy. I trimmed them one day about a year ago and have regretted it ever since. Now they are shorter and irritating his eyeballs. Every morning his eyes are so much goopier than ever before when he still had the long lashes. I regret cutting them because they are causing discomfort now. The lashes don't seem to be growing longer either and I cut them about a year ago. I hope they will get longer again some day and stop bothering his eyes. I carefully clean them every day of tears, & corner crusty's. He has much more crusty's and goop now, than he did before I cut the eyelashes, when they were still long. Anyone have eyelash cutting regrets because trimming them causing irritation to the eye due to shorter lashes? I know I do, I don't believe I will ever cut them again.


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## Emilie (Nov 27, 2018)

Hi Sandy,

When my Maltese was a baby he had crazy long lashes. Not 6 inches, but I'd say in the neighborhood of one inch, like extensions. We never cut them, but they did eventually become much shorter just as he aged and lost lashes naturally and replaced them naturally. Do you think it's possibly a coincidence, and that you cut them the year they were due to "shorten" naturally? I would have thought he'd have shed all the lashes from a year ago by now and replaced them with new lashes several times over. Do you think he might have pink eye or a scratched cornea or something that's causing the excessive goop? We just went through that, and the ophthalmic antibiotics the vets have for that clear it up remarkably fast.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

I would not automically assume that cutting was the reason for these issues. As our pups age things change. I cut L & K's as I like a "clean looking face"---they often get eye goop because of allergies or other reasons. It is just a personal preference of mine. To each his own.


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## LOVE_BABY (May 5, 2015)

Emilie said:


> Hi Sandy,
> 
> When my Maltese was a baby he had crazy long lashes. Not 6 inches, but I'd say in the neighborhood of one inch, like extensions. We never cut them, but they did eventually become much shorter just as he aged and lost lashes naturally and replaced them naturally. Do you think it's possibly a coincidence, and that you cut them the year they were due to "shorten" naturally? I would have thought he'd have shed all the lashes from a year ago by now and replaced them with new lashes several times over. Do you think he might have pink eye or a scratched cornea or something that's causing the excessive goop? We just went through that, and the ophthalmic antibiotics the vets have for that clear it up remarkably fast.


Hi Emilie,

Weve ruled out infection or scratches via the vet, thanks for the suggestion & concern! Yes I too thought they would have grown out by now . I didn't know that their lashes change as they get old, that is news to me. Lashes change for humans as we age so why not dogs too, it makes sense. I noticed the increase in tearing began after trimming his eyelashes, which seem to be very slow growing back. The tearing isn't any kind of infectious discharge, it is just regular tears which have evaporated as he sleeps and turn more gel like. I think dog tears are thicker than human tears anyway to begin with. As a habit since he was a small puppy he rubs his entire face around on anything soft, I know it feels very good to him because he grunts and moans with pleasure when he does that. The bad thing is that it messes his top knot up and makes even more hair fall into his eyes, I am constantly fixing it.

Thanks! 



edelweiss said:


> I would not automically assume that cutting was the reason for these issues. As our pups age things change. I cut L & K's as I like a "clean looking face"---they often get eye goop because of allergies or other reasons. It is just a personal preference of mine. To each his own.


Hi Sandi,
We've ruled out eye problems at the vet { there is no infection/ tested for scratches}. The one thing we haven't ruled out is allergies as you mentioned. Which could be a possibility. I have eliminated fragranced laundry detergent & use unscented detergent only for his bedding but any number of unknown allergens could cause a reaction. I don't use any chemicals in my house. No chemicals in his shampoo & conditioner, no chemicals in his food that I'm aware of, he drinks only spring water. But it certainly is possible about allergies, it seems to me that the lashes are the things irritating him. He jerks his head away suddenly whenever I have scissors near his face, and so for that reason I don't like cutting his facial hair, I'm afraid of his sudden movements. I only did cut his eyelashes that one time, but once was enough.

Thanks for your suggestions!


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Sandy,
Try this eye drop found at your local pharmacy to help determine if it is an allergy: Alaway by Bausch & Lomb. It is a rather expensive, small bottle, but does the trick often if Lisi is itchy. It is an antihistamine so don't use it on a regular basis as an eye drop. I give Lisi just one drop in each eye. Let me know if it helps.


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## LOVE_BABY (May 5, 2015)

edelweiss said:


> Sandy,
> Try this eye drop found at your local pharmacy to help determine if it is an allergy: Alaway by Bausch & Lomb. It is a rather expensive, small bottle, but does the trick often if Lisi is itchy. It is an antihistamine so don't use it on a regular basis as an eye drop. I give Lisi just one drop in each eye. Let me know if it helps.


Sandi thanks for the tip,
I wrote the info down & will get some & try it. If it works then I'll know if it could be some allergies. I agree I wouldn't use the stuff long term. But if they do clear up after using it that could indicate allergies might be a problem as you said. I will most likely have him allergy tested at his next vet visit not long from now. Meanwhile I'll keep investigating possible causes. He has such beautiful nearly black eyes I need to get them to be feeling their best again. I unstick lashes from his eye balls every a.m., sometimes they even actually slip underneath his lids at times which never used to happen and I want it to stop. The lashes used to hang 'over' not 'in'. 
{*For anyone else besides Sandi reading this post, I just want to clarify that I am talking about a problem with 'normal clear color eye tearing', no under eye 'staining'. Baby has not tear 'staining'.}
Are you still in US -TX I think it was? Or are you back to globetrekking the world? It's fun to follow your travels, I live vicariously through you and 'Rick Steves' lol!
Thanks again!


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## lydiatug (Feb 21, 2012)

I do cut their lashes regularly with no issues. I don't cut them super short though. Georgie's sweep in a nice curve, but Willow's (my mom's) are straight out. I always use the small blunt nosed scissors and cut with the curve. I do notice in Spring/Fall Georgie gets a little more goo, especially when its windy.


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## Emilie (Nov 27, 2018)

If you do suspect it's allergies, another thing to think about - have you switched food recently? I do not know if this is the same for eyes vs skin, but my Maltese had a problem with seasonal allergies giving him hot spots on his belly UNTIL we switched him to a grain-free food, and then he never had another spot. My mother switched her Maltese away from a grain-free formula (just because it was out of stock at the store one time), and her girl GOT seasonal allergy hot spots until she switched her back to grain-free. No idea if the same works for the eye allergies, just another possibility to look into.


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## LOVE_BABY (May 5, 2015)

Emilie said:


> If you do suspect it's allergies, another thing to think about - have you switched food recently? I do not know if this is the same for eyes vs skin, but my Maltese had a problem with seasonal allergies giving him hot spots on his belly UNTIL we switched him to a grain-free food, and then he never had another spot. My mother switched her Maltese away from a grain-free formula (just because it was out of stock at the store one time), and her girl GOT seasonal allergy hot spots until she switched her back to grain-free. No idea if the same works for the eye allergies, just another possibility to look into.


Thanks for the suggestion Emilie,

Baby has been eating only raw Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw food for about the last 5 of the 6.5 years of his life. I alternate a different flavor each day. Salmon & Beef, Lamb, Duck. He rejected Pork, & also the plain Beef {he eats the Salmon & Beef so go figure?} so I don't feed him those any more. He used to have very dark red tear 'staining' which cleared up entirely after he was on Stella & Chewy's food for about 6 mos. and the staining has never returned. it's been about 5 years since he had any staining. He gets no grains to eat whatsoever, not even in treats. The only treats he gets are tiny pieces of plain boiled skinless boneless chicken. And the occasional tiny dab of natural organic peanut butter. 

None of these gives him an allergic reaction. I always can tell when something doesn't agree with him because he gets diarrhea right away. In the past I used to give him tiny treats of low salt canned tuna, and a tiny drop of Kefir or yogurt now & then which he loved, but he had diarrhea every time so I never give those to him any more. 

Although I can't say for sure that it's not allergies of some sort, in my gut I really do think it is the cutting of the eyelashes that is causing the problem. Silly me, I actually had thought they would bother him LESS if I cut them down shorter. It seems the opposite could be true. I learned my lesson and won't be cutting them again. I think the problem was I had cut them down 'too' short, I think I went down to close. I never had this problem before I did that. It's only at night that his eyes get teary and lashes get sticky. 

Twice a day I clean his eyes. In the a.m. I wipe his lids & under his eyes with eyewash & a cotton round & do it once again after he eats dinner in the evening. When he sleeps he likes to press his face into his plush fleece blanket to hide his eyes, and he may be pushing his lashes down into his eyes when he does that. *I'm hoping the problem will go away with time as his lashes grow out again. The vet had said his eyes are healthy, just teary. I'm going to let the vet check them again.

* I haven't gotten the Bauch & Lomb that Sandi suggested yet, and will be trying that out soon. Anyway, thanks for the ideas & suggestions everyone gave! Hopefully in time the issue will resolve as they grow out.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Sandy...I'm surprised they are not growing yet. I remember when you first cut them. It seems like such a long time ago.
I had the same problem with Suki when her hair was cut off. I remember taking her to the vet and heard everything from her eyelids were rolling in to blocked tear ducts.
My vet referred me to the eye doctor because she insisted her eyelids were rolling in and they needed surgery to correct it, otherwise she would always tear.
Hundreds of dollars later, the eye doctor confirmed it was from cutting the hair and lashes around her eyes and they were poking her eyeballs. That being said, they did grow out in a years time. The tearing stopped.
Are you still cutting around Baby's face? If so, I would probably stop for now. Even the hairs around the bridge of the nose can still be short enough to pop up and poke their eyes. I'm finding that with Ling Ling, so I'm growing her coat out again, even though it's so much more work to maintain. I prefer that over the tearing anyday.


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## LOVE_BABY (May 5, 2015)

lydiatug said:


> I do cut their lashes regularly with no issues. I don't cut them super short though. Georgie's sweep in a nice curve, but Willow's (my mom's) are straight out. I always use the small blunt nosed scissors and cut with the curve. I do notice in Spring/Fall Georgie gets a little more goo, especially when its windy.


Lydia,

It's wonderful that you are able to cut them with no bad repercussions! I'm starting to wonder if each dog is different regarding their reaction to cutting of eyelashes. It seems many others such as yours don't have any problems related to doing that, but certain other dogs do. Wonder if it could be differences in eye shape? Or maybe just overall eye sensitivity? Regardless, I'm glad your not having that problem yourself at all, it's not fun.



maddysmom said:


> Sandy...I'm surprised they are not growing yet. I remember when you first cut them. It seems like such a long time ago.
> I had the same problem with Suki when her hair was cut off. I remember taking her to the vet and heard everything from her eyelids were rolling in to blocked tear ducts.
> My vet referred me to the eye doctor because she insisted her eyelids were rolling in and they needed surgery to correct it, otherwise she would always tear.
> Hundreds of dollars later, the eye doctor confirmed it was from cutting the hair and lashes around her eyes and they were poking her eyeballs. That being said, they did grow out in a years time. The tearing stopped.
> Are you still cutting around Baby's face? If so, I would probably stop for now. Even the hairs around the bridge of the nose can still be short enough to pop up and poke their eyes. I'm finding that with Ling Ling, so I'm growing her coat out again, even though it's so much more work to maintain. I prefer that over the tearing anyday.


Maddysmom,

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'm so glad you posted this reply! I immediately felt relieved after I read it because it means that I might not be crazy {at least not crazy regarding this particular issue lol!}. I'm sorry you and your and Ling Ling had to experience the eye discomfort, and that it took spending all that money to find out what was really the cause. I agree, it would be worth it to maintain the longer hair in order to prevent the eye irritation. That is probably why I never had any problem with this issue in the past when Baby's hair was always very long and I never messed with his eyelashes at that time, so no problems!

Perhaps I just need to give them some more time to grow out. Thinking back really hard on when I had last cut his eyelashes, it suddenly came back to me that I had actually cut them more times than only that once. I had forgotten that I had actually cut them again for a second time a few months later after I first posted about it months ago. For a while I had thought the eyelashes being too long were causing him the irritation at first. So the last time I had cut them was actually more recent than a year ago, it was more like 4 months ago or so. I'm sorry I goofed in describing the timeline of the last cutting. I had forgotten I cut them a second time:blush:. And now we will wait! Scissors be gone! Thanks again!


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