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My small dog has tear stains. How can I stop the tearing and gunk?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Yorkshire Terrier | Male | neutered | 1 year and 11 months old | 5.5 lbs

So Draco ,like many small dogs, has the tear stain issues. For him it very quickly builds up. And when not on vacation like I am now I tried to clean it and remove it with a small flea hair comb. But he dislikes the clean. And I think it hurts him and he may have a sore there now. Is there a way to stop the tear so we don’t need to deal with the stain and gunk. Any help or advice would be appreciated

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. Elizabeth

Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on December 31st, 2019

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.
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