Tear stains – what are those brown stains around my pets’ eyes?

Tear staining is simply a discolouration from excessive tears that have been left to sit on the fur. They can affect dogs, cats and other pets too. When they dry, they cause brown or reddish stains around your pet’s eyes. The discolouration is caused by the build up of a pigment called porphyrin which is found naturally in tears, saliva and urine. 
 
Tear stains themselves are not harmful to your pet, however they can be indicative that there is potentially another underlying problem. This could include ingrown eyelashes, skin or yeast infections, eye ulcers etc. It is therefore always wise to have a vet check to rule out any other health issues which could be to blame.

• Use Ocryl® to clean around the eyes and face to breakdown any current staining and prevent it from building up again. Make this part of a routine to stop tear stains from developing. 
• Allergies can often cause excessive tearing, and using Ocryl® daily to wipe around your pet’s face (particularly after any walks) can help to wipe away some of these allergens. Ocryl® is gentle enough to use both in and around the eyes. Wiping the allergens away before they can cause any excessive tearing will therefore help prevent any staining building up.

• Scruffy dogs or dogs that have short, sharp hairs around the eyes could cause eye irritation. Regularly visiting a professional dog groomer and having them trim the hair carefully around the eyes can help to give them some relief. 

• Hair length – Keeping hair short around the eyes can help to reduce any stain visibility (physically cutting away any stained hair). This should only be done by a professional. 

• Quality of water – there are theories that high mineral and iron content in tap water may cause increased porphyrin levels which can lead to prominent staining, so providing your pet with filtered water could potentially provide a solution. 

• Blueberries and tear staining – Some owners swear by feeding blueberries to their dog, as it is thought that the antioxidant properties help prevent tear stains. Actual evidence is lacking but feeding 1-2 blueberries a day will not harm your dog regardless. 

• Avoid using plastic water bowls, these can harbour bacteria, which, as water splashes back into your pet’s face, may cause infections which result in tear stains. Try switching to stainless steel, which tend to be much cleaner and can be popped into the dishwasher on a regular basis for a real deep clean. 

• Poodle 

• Pekingese 

• Shih Tzu 

• Boston Terrier 

• Maltese 

• Pug 

• Bichon Frise 

• Lhasa Apso 

• Havanese 

• British Bulldogs 

• Chihuahua 

• West Highland White Terriers 

• Pomeranian 

• Persian cats 

Often people will share their ‘homemade remedies’ for tear staining on forums or social media. It is important to remember that this is not fact-checked, and are just the opinion of the person posting. The following list are some of those we have spotted online. They cannot be used near or around the eyes, and could cause further damage and pain to your pet. 

• Whitening Shampoo 

• Hydrogen Peroxide 

• Products designed and tested for human use, like Makeup Remover 

• Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar 

• Washing up Liquid 

*Kynetec Data. Dec 2024.