My dog's tear stains caused sore skin with pus. How can I help?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If you are seeing green eye discharge in Chacha's eyes, this could indicate there is a problem such as dry eye, which should be diagnosed / treated by a veterinarian. There is specific treatment for dry eye that you will not find over the counter (Optimmune ointment or Tacrolimus ointment) which helps stimulate tear production. The over the counter products simply lubricate the eyes and do not last long enough. You can try an over the counter dry eye medication for dogs such as OPTIXCARE, which you can find online. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. The sooner you have this looked at the better as dry eye can lead to eye trauma from the lack of lubrication from the tears.

What a cutie! If you've not yet had a vet examine her eyes, please do so. She may have an eye condition that is contributing to the issue. If her eyes have gotten a clean bill of health from your vet, try this: Many people have had success with these treats. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Hello, sorry to hear about Gracie. It could be indeed from her allergies, however, this could also be that she had tear staining in the area which we can see with longer hair breed dogs. If she is not scratching at the area now, you can clean it with a damp cotton ball and make sure you avoid cleaning her eyes directly. Look for any signs of sneezing, persistent eye or nasal discharge, squinting, or scratching at her face. If you note any of these then have her evaluated by your veterinarian then. Alternatively, these could be signs that her tear ducts are impacted with debris and may need to be flushed out. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Juliette! There is pigment normally present in tear film and saliva. If she is having excessive tearing and is either using her paws to rub her eyes (like a grooming cat) or is licking her paws that can explain the discoloration. The most common reason for a sudden onset of excessive tearing and licking of the paws is allergies (allergies can start anytime). You are right that the tear staining can be normal in some breeds and there is nothing that can be done. I would get Juliette in to your Vet for an evaluation of her eyes and skin. Watch her closely to see if she is pawing her face or is licking her feet. If the staining is on her back feet then you have your answer, she is licking them. Your vet can prescribe medications for her eyes and something to stop the itch. There are not products that work consistently to remove the staining. You will have to stop the inciting cause then wait for the hair to grow out and get her groomed. I wish you the best!

Unfortunately., there's not a way to stop the tearing. You best options are to keep the hair clipped short and clean the eyes daily to prevent the discharge from building up. If Draco will not allow you to clip the fur or if you are seeing any sores/infection, have him examined by the veterinarian and possible the groomer if the vet cannot clip the fur (the groomer may have more appropriate tools for this). There is a product called Angel Eye that helps with the discoloration but it will not prevent the build up. I hope this helps.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ruby. Tear staining can be common in small breed dogs. At her next veterinarian appointment, I would ask about it though. If she has an eyelash growing in the wrong direction it can irritate the surface of her eye. Allergies or and an eye infection can cause this as well. If only one eye is affected, then I worry about a scratch across her eye. If her eyes are red, the discharge is yellow or green or if she is squinting, then she needs to see her veterinarian. If it is clear discharge and the eyes are otherwise normal, then I would have it checked at her next appointment. I hope this information helps!

It sounds like she has a bacterial skin infection so she should be examined by a vet for treatment. Your vet can shave the area, flush and clean the area, and then prescribe an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory, if needed, to help treat.