Havanese Tear Staining

Dealing with Havanese Tear Staining

If your dog is white, or has a white face, then you know the hassles of Dealing with Havanese Tear Staining. These are the red stains that often appear on the inner corners of your dog’s eyes. This can be both an eye sore as well as irritating to your Havanese.

The condition is known as epiphora and it is much like what happens with humans when their eyes become irritated. The eyes will start to tear up as a natural reaction to try to wash away any particles.
With a Havanese or white dog, this can lead to tearing down the face and staining in and around the corners of the eyes. Epiphora is generally related to problems with tear production or drainage. In severe cases, it can be due to both.

Eventually, your Havanese will start to try to wipe or rub the tears away, annoyed at the overproduction. This is typically when the red stains become prevalent.

Epiphora is something that is best treated by a professional. Contact your veterinarian and get a good consult for a doggy eye doctor. Sometimes the staining is of a less serious nature. It is vital to get the diagnosis correct before you begin trying to fix it. It could be epiphora or it could be conjunctivitis or a number of other disorders.

The solutions for epiphora can range from simple eye wash to surgery, and the veterinarian will determine how to proceed based on a number of factors. The best things you can do is talk with them and get a second opinion if you think it is necessary.

Things you can do yourself to make them more comfortable include trimming the area regularly, as well as keeping the area as clean as possible. If you take the time to wipe away the goop, it will help with their comfort at least. Always use warm water to do this and not hot or cold.

You can certainly treat epiphora with some products that exist out there, but it is not advised to do so unless you first consult the veterinarian. They can best advise you how to proceed and where the best products can be found.

Check out the video below on how to clean them. It isn’t a Havanese but still is a nice walk through. You can find the tear staining solution here, along with a steel comb here.