Top 10 how to clean shih tzu tear stains You Need To Know

There are a few different causes for this, but one thing is for sure: removing them and keeping them at bay requires concerted effort. 

The key will be to eliminate all of the possible triggers and treat the stains with an effective product. If the triggers are not resolved, the tear stains will keep reoccurring. 

Here, we’ll go over exactly what tear stains are, the top causes, and how to successfully remove tear stains from a Shih Tzu puppy or dog. 

Tear stains can cause hairs to develop a pink, red, rust, or brown tint. The color will vary depending on the exact cause and also the base color of the dog’s hair around the eyes. 

Since the Shih Tzu breed can be found in a wide range of colors and multi-colors, it can sometimes be hard to know the difference between tear stains and natural coloring.

Here are some ways to know the difference:

• If you visibly see runny, watery eye discharge.

• If the hairs appear damp. 

• Sometimes, but not always, there will also be other face staining. If so, this will be discoloration around the mouth, chin, and/or beard.

This also includes eye lash issues (trichiasis which is in-grown eyelash(es), distichiasis which is when an eyelash(es) grows from an abnormal spot, and ectopic cilia which is when one or more lashes grow from the inside of the lid). And finally, this includes entropion (inverted eyelid).

For puppies: Teething – When a puppy is teething, this can cause temporary water eyes. For the Shih Tzu breed, this typically begins between the 4 to 5 month mark and ends by the 8 to 9 month mark. If teething causes a pup to have runny eyes, the resulting tear stains may remain long after teething is done, if they are not properly removed. 

#1 Eliminating Triggers

1) The first thing that you will want to have ruled out is any sort of eyelid or eye lash issue.

2) If allergies are suspected, look into this further. In some cases, you will need the vet to
do testing to determine the triggers. An intradermal skin test is the most reliable method to pinpoint allergens. 

#2 Removing Stains

Some of the products out there use bleach which is not only dangerous to use near the eyes, but this also severely dries out the hairs. Other products add controversial antibiotics, which the FDA is trying to stop. 

In addition, certain home remedies for tear stains either do not work (buttermilk, vinegar), can be dangerous (boric acid, peroxide), or cause additional problems (cornstartch, tums).

What to do:

1) Wipe your Shih Tzu’s eyes 2 to 3 times per day with a wipe that is formulated to fight tear stains.

You will want a canine tear stain wipe that is gentle yet effective at working on the stains each time you use it. If you want to see good results, be firm about doing this daily. Set reminders if you must. 

The wipe should also be used on the cheeks, chin, beard, or other facial areas if there are any yellow stains or other discolorations to the hairs. 

Be careful to only use a wipe that does not contain chemicals. Look for natural ingredients like juniper berry and coconut. Witch hazel and citrus blends work very well too. 

For each eye, you will want to make two swiping motions. 

And if there is any yellowing or other discoloration to other facial hairs, 

swipe over them as well. 

2) If the stains are a red or rust color, this indicates a red yeast infection.
For this, you may want to additionally want to use a stronger tear stain product, either powder or liquid, that fights this. You will want the product to have no bleach, peroxide, or other harsh chemicals. 

Recommended eye wipes to fight tear stains and applied tear stain removers are below.
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Once you have had all possible triggers removed and have taken steps to fade away the staining, you will want to stay on point to prevent the tear stains from coming back again.

There are two parts to this:

1.
Everything that you did to get rid of the triggers are also your guidelines for keeping the stains away. 

If there is a disturbance to this such as a new brand of food being fed, season allergies kicking in, a bigger bowl is being used, etc., then it will be time to go back and reevaluate things.

2.
The #1 most effective method to keep stains from coming back is to use a daily facial wipe. This should be part of a Shih Tzu’s normal grooming routine. 

A canine eye wipe will pick up any extra saline moisture, remove any eye crusting, nip any emergence of red yeast in the bud, take care of small food particles, and keep the hairs healthy.

If tear staining removal methods are not working or if you did
reduce or eliminate the stained hairs but they keep reappearing, it will be time to have your veterinarian take a look. 

Let him/her know what you’ve tried. There’s a good chance that at this point, your Shih Tzu may need an antibiotic (tetracycline or other) to wipe out an underlying infection. A 10 day low-dose course is often done. 

You may also like:

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The Most Comprehensive Shih Tzu Care Book That Exists

Paperback (8.5×11″, 360 pg) or ebook

Whether you have a new puppy or an adult, let’s get started on a wonderful, fulfilling, fun, and healthy road for your Shih Tzu!