How to Remove Your Dog's Eye Stains

Bring your dog to the veterinarian. A number of medical conditions can result in staining beneath the eyes, including eye infections, glaucoma, allergies and eyelash or eyelid problems. An infection, glaucoma or allergies will need to be treated with medications. Many eyelash or eyelid abnormalities can be corrected with surgery, restoring the normal drainage of tears.

Ask your vet if the staining could be caused by bacteria or yeast. While excessive tearing may be the result of one issue, the actual staining may be the result of bacteria or yeast overgrowth. When the face hair remains constantly wet from tearing, the combination of moisture and warmth provides a rich breeding ground for bacteria and yeast, both of which are common and can cause staining and irritation in dogs. Surprisingly, even a yeast infection in your dog's ear can be responsible for his tear stains. If your vet thinks bacteria or yeast overgrowth might be causing the problem, ask her to prescribe a tetracycline ointment rather than an oral tetracycline, which can be extremely hard on the stomach and kidneys. If the problem originates in the ear, however, ask about a prescription ear ointment that contains a combination of steroid, antibacterial and antifungal medication.

Ask your vet if she thinks scar tissue̵2;perhaps from a previous eye infection or eye damage̵2;might be preventing your dog's tears from draining properly, making them spill over into the fur on his face instead. She can advise you on ways to address this problem. One way is to try gently massaging the bridge of your dog's nose, particularly in the area near and under his eyes. Most dogs will probably enjoy this, so start by massaging the area once or twice daily for a week or two, then decreasing it to just once or twice a week. Some people report improvement as new hair grows in and does not stain.

Check the hair around your dog's eyes. Any hair that gets into the eyes can cause excessive tearing and may even wick tears from the eyes and onto the face, which can lead to staining. If you see any hair near your dog's eyes that might be causing the problem, carefully clip it away with small, blunt-ended scissors. Keep it maintained to prevent further irritation.

Provide your dog with high-quality food and water. Some breeders suspect proteins in the dog's tears contribute to eye staining, and the dog's diet may play a role in this. Many lower-quality foods̵2;and most canned or moist foods̵2;include coloring and additives that can contribute to tear staining. This is also true of tap water in many areas, which can be high in certain minerals or chemicals that can stain fur. Try giving your dog bottled water or water that has been purified by a reverse osmosis system. Also offer him a healthy, natural dry kibble that contains no additives, preservatives or food coloring. When choosing treats, buy only natural ones that are pale in color.

Apply cornstarch to the stains beneath your dog's eyes using a cosmetic blusher brush or baby toothbrush. Work the cornstarch into the fur, then brush it out. The cornstarch may help dry and lighten the stained areas, but it is only a temporary solution. You will need to determine the actual cause of the tearing or staining and treat it. Immediately stop applying the cornstarch if your dog shows any tearing or other reaction to the powder.