How to remove crusty film and hair from my dog's dry eye safely?

It sounds from your description that Frankie Bean is having increased tear production and staining on the hair near the inside of her eyes. Common causes for this include allergies (which can be seasonal), conjunctivitis, blocked tear duct, corneal ulcer or abrasion, chronic dry eye, etc. You can use a saline eye wash to gently flush her eyes to get out any debris, and an eye lubricant like Dechra Paralube is safe for eyes. As for the crusties on her hair, use a warm wet washcloth 1-2 times per day to gently clean this away. Occasionally dogs with excess tearing can develop secondary bacterial or yeast infections that may need prescription medications to clear up. You may discuss use of anti-histamines or changes in food to help with potential seasonal allergies. Your vet may also recommend bloodwork to find a cause for her weight loss and lethargy. Arthritis is a common cause for soreness in the morning or after prolonged periods of rest.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine the eyes to check for any trauma and to see if she has adequate tear production. Dry eye can cause crusting and discomfort and could lead to serious corneal damage if not addressed early on. If there is an eye infection, the veterinarian can prescribe antibiotic eye drops to help treat this as well. 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.

If you just need to remove the eye discharge, you can put warm water on a cotton ball and gently wipe the inside corner of the eye. If the discharge quickly returns or you notice discharge in the eye as well, you can use any sterile saline eye wash made for humans. If the discharge is not resolving after a couple of day or is getting worse at any point, then I would have your veterinarian recheck the eye and determine if any medication is needed to resolve the problem. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. So sorry that Frodo is having this issue. You can certainly try to rinse the eye with saline solution. You can buy it at any chemist. Just like you would use for humans: http://www.pharmacyonline.com.au/reclens-normal-saline-500ml?icn=SLI-Search&ici=Reclens%20Normal%20Saline%20500ml Rinse the eye thoroughly with it open and then close the eyelids and massage gently. If the "fluff" does not come off then you should take him in to your vet for an exam. You don't want to mess around too much with an eye at home because you can really injure the eye if you do not know what you are doing. What you think is "fluff" may actually be a foreign object in the cornea or something worse. I hope this helps. Best wishes, Dr. Amber

I recommend cleaning the eye discharge with a warm cloth to remove it all from around the eye and the fur below. They I would apply a thin film of Vaseline on the fur below the eye to keep the fur from irritating the eye and it will prevent the discharge from sticking to the fur so you won't have to clean it so often. You are doing a great job with him. He sounds like in spite of his limitations he has a comfortable, happy life. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your dog.

If they are crusted over with some kind of dried discharge, a warm moist washcloth will help soften it and dissolve. Don't force the eyes to open and don't pick at the eyes or lashes, let the warm water do the work. To determine the cause and get it treated, you should get your dog in to see your veterinarian as soon as possible. There could be damage to the corneas that will need aggressive treatment, at the very least your dog needs ointment or drops to soothe his/her eyes and help them heal.

I recommend cleaning this daily with a hot warm cloth to remove the discharge. Then when you have the area clean apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on the area below the eyes. That will help heal the skin and stop the discharge from sticking to the skin and fur. I would have Babygurl's eyes checked by your veterinarian. This looks like she has dry eyes, which is a decrease in normal tear production. With this condition the eye discharge is thick and sticky like this. There is medication for dry eyes which will increase the tear production. Dry eyes can be painful and she may irritate the corneas causing reduced vision without treatment, so please have her checked soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Babygurl.