The excessive tearing in the dog has many origins. A visit to the veterinarian is essential when a dog’s eyes have been crying profusely for a few days or suddenly, and a fortiori if there’s any pus discharge. It is fundamental to identify the cause so that the animal can benefit from a perfectly adapted treatment. Self-medication is absolutely to be avoided as it can lead to serious complications.
Excessive lacrimation in dogs: the causes
This is a frequent phenomenon in certain dog breeds, in this case in the brachycephalic dogs. These are those with a crushed nose, such as the Pekingese, Boston Terrier, Bulldog (English, French), Boxer or Shar-pei and others. The flow of tears is disadvantaged in these dogs due to the shape of their skull. In other breeds, such as the Poodle, the problem is often due to a recurrent dysfunction of the tear-masal system. But all dogs, racially or ethnically…may one day have abnormally weeping eyes.
For some, tears have been escaping from the inner corner of the eyes for a few days, leaving rust-like traces on the hairs at the inner corner of the eye and sometimes as far as the corner of the muzzle. For others, the tears flow into the lacrimal sac connected by the tear duct to the nasal cavity. There are multiple causes to excessive tearing in the dog, namely:
- The projection of a chemical into an eye,
- Exposure to strong wind, freezing wind or smoke (garden fire, barbecue…),
- A scratch in the eye,
- A foreign body such as a spikelet, for example,
- Conjunctivitis, whatever its origin: viral, parasitic, bacterial, fungal, mechanical,
- An allergy,
- A uvéite An inflammation that affects the inner envelope of an eye,
- A blepharitis…inflammation of the eyelids,
- A narrowing or total obstruction of the tear ducts for one of the following reasons:
- Sinus disease,
- A tumor,
- A mucus plug,
- A wound and sometimes the scar left by an old wound,
- A deformity like the entropion. The term is used to describe the rolling of an eyelid inwards, thereby blocking the tear stitch. It can also be a ectropion. In this case the eyelid rolls outwards.
- A local irritation that is usually promoted by :
- A skin excrescence that develops either on an eyelid or on the cornea. This is the presence of a dermoid palpebral or a corneal dermoid
- Some eyelashes planted incorrectly, so we’re talking about ectopic lashes. They rub on the cornea, sometimes ulcerating it. The resulting eye condition is called a corneal disease. distichiasis.
- Excessively long hairs near the eyes, which cause damage to the conjunctiva and cornea. This is known as trichiasis.
It is legitimate that the owner of the dog is worried, especially since tears may contain blood (they are then pinkish) and symptoms may be associated with the excessive flow of tears, namely :
- Fever,
- Pus in one or both eyes,
- The weeping eye and the nose are abnormally warm, but also:
- Sensitive,
- Red,
- Swollen.
- Repeated eye infections.
It should also be noted that during these episodes, the dog sees trouble, but the master does not realize it.
My dog’s eyes are crying: how can I treat him?
Excessive tearing can be a sign of uncomfortable for the dog and it’s unsightly. And if left untreated, the animal is at risk of an eye inflammation and a skin infection. The consequences can therefore be more difficult to treat. It is essential to consult a veterinarian so that the problem causing the excessive lacrimation can be clearly identified.
The practitioner adapts the treatment protocol on a case-by-case basis. He can therefore resort to :
- Shearing the hair around the eyes,
- Tear duct probing, especially when the flow of tears is chronic,
- Topical and/or systemic treatment if the dog has an infection,
- A surgical treatment allowing:
- The removal of a mucous plug,
- The correction of a malformation such as entropion or ectropion,
- Eyelash repositioning…
In the presence of a very specific problem, the practitioner may refer the patient to a ophthalmic veterinarian.
Finally, a everyday cleaning of the area concerned is recommended. For this purpose, only use a suitable lotion, such as chamomile or blueberry hydrolate or saline, which is soaked in a sterile compress. The gesture must be delicate.
The owner, noting that his dog has crying eyes, must under no circumstances decide without medical advice to use eye drops or, more generally, opt for self-medication of any type whatsoever because the consequences can be serious for the animal if the treatment is unsuitable.