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Brown or reddish stains
can appear on the hair below the eyes of white and light
colored dogs, especially toy breeds. Although not a
health problem, this condition, which is caused by
bacteria on the hair interacting with an overflow of
tears, is regarded by many owners as unsightly. The
cause of this problem is not diet, but a blockage of the
tear ducts, which is itself the result of various
physical characteristics that were present in the dog at
birth. Sometimes this condition cannot be corrected; at
other times reversing it requires surgery. However,
there are steps you can take to minimize eye stains.
These include daily face washing with a mild shampoo,
keeping the hair around the eyes trim, and soaking the
area with a tearstain removal solution.
Typically, tears drain
from the eyes through small eyelid ducts, which empty
into the nasal passages. These tiny tear ducts are
blocked in some dogs, which causes tears to run down
their face and stain the hair.
For more
information on tearstains see the
10 Common Dog Care
Misconceptions
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