White Dog - Red Eye Stainning

[nygirl7]

I'm sure this must have been brought up earlier but I cannot find it.

I have a wonderful six year old male Bichon Frise.  About a year ago (at the same time as we moved) he started to get the eye stains. I thought perhaps it was the new city water so started giving him bottled water, then boiling the bottled water, then cutting out as much wheat as I could and beef as well.

Nothing has helped. I bought one of the kits to clean his eyes but scrubbing for about a half hour is barbaric and doesn't really help.

I did read about the stuff like antibiotics that you put in the food.  Some people say it's safe some people say it's not.

I don't want to hurt him in any way but I hate to see this beautiful pup who's well taken care of loved to pieces looking like he is not cared for.

[Dean Vicksman, D.V.M.]

I agree with Dr Coyner.  Its best to make sure that there is not a serious cause to the staining.  As she has stated this is a common problem in small dogs. In fact it is a problem in many small dogs, not just white ones.  Its just that its easy to see the stain on the white fur and its not as noticeable on darker dogs.  The stain is actually a reaction between the sunlight and the tears.  If after you have visited with your veterinarian and determined that its not a serious problem, you may want to try a product called Angel Eyes.  We have had some success with it.
Hope this helps,
Dr Dean Vicksman

[Kimberly Coyner, D.V.M., DACVD]

Tear staining is common in small white dogs, and is often secondary to plugged tearducts, or to small hairs on the eyelid margins wicking the tears onto the fur. I recommend that you have your dog evaluated by a veterinarian, and possibly a veterinary ophthalmologist to find and treat the cause of the tear staining.
Kimberly Coyner, DVM