Looking into your lovely shih tzu’s eyes can be a special moment, yet those beautiful peepers are often accompanied by brown eye tear stains. There are a few different causes for the staining. Although you can’t avoid it completely, there are some things you can do to reduce the staining.
Shallow Eye Sockets
The shih tzu is a short nose breed that also has shallow eye sockets. This means that tears will build up around the eyes and pour over onto the fur around the area, thus causing staining. This is an unfortunate trait of the breed and cannot be avoided.
Excessive Tearing
Your shih tzu may have those unsightly brown tear stains as a result of eye irritation. Things such as dirt, dust, eyelashes or other debris can get caught in the eye area, causing the eye to tear up in attempts to flush the irritant out. If there are lots of irritants around the dog, the result could be chronically tearing eyes.
Eye Problems
Eye problems, such as infections or glaucoma, may cause tearing. Infections, like conjunctivitis, can cause eye irritation, redness, and inflammation which all cause the eyes to tear up. Consult your vet to get a proper diagnosis and treatment if you suspect that this is the issue.
Hair Growth
If you let the hair around your precious shih tzu’s face get too long, it may irritate the eye and cause tearing. Keep those locks trimmed around the eye area to avoid this issue. Plus, she will look better too.
What To Do
It’s best to keep your shih tzu clean by bathing and grooming her regularly to keep this issue under control the best you can. During her grooming regime, use a damp cotton ball or pad to wipe the eye area. Always go from the inside outward. If the staining is caused by an infection, a trip to your vet is your best bet. If the stains are just plain a result of being a normal shih tzu with shallow eye sockets, you can always get a whitening product from the pet store.
