My neighbor's poodle mix always has runny eyes. Why?

Question

Would having the dog groomed to clear the hair from his eye area help? I'm afraid he'll get an eye infection or worse. Are my fears unfounded?

Answer 1

It may be a breed thing. My Persian cat needs eye cleaning daily, and if your neighbor has a Bision or something like that it comes with the breed. Tears can stain fur under the eye, white dog in particular and is not a reason to think the dog is ill or neglected in itself. If the eyes look swollen or red inside, that could be an infection, but weeping dark tears is normal for some small breeds. The tear staining is the bain of many dog owners, and can be hard to get off even with daily washings. Some trimming and eye care products can help, but I know many little dogs who get cleaned daily like my cat and have fur clip, but still have stains. Lucky me, my kitty's black :)

Add: you can always just ask her about it and she may tell you about all the things she has tried to get off the stains.

Answer 2

I have a white dog who always has a teary eye in the winter when the heat goes on. I've had her vet checked for infection and an inverted eyelash and neither are the problem. I clean her eye with a cotton ball and warm water to avoid bacteria growth.

Answer 3

It could be caused by allergies.