How to Clean English Bulldog Tear Stains
Your English Bulldog is so adorable and charming! With their sweet demeanor, they’re almost perfect except for the noticeable tear stains or those dark streaks running down their cute little faces. But don’t worry, it is quite easy to remove your bulldog’s tear stains and to avoid having them altogether. Read on to understand more about why your bulldog develops tear stains and how you can remove them.
What causes tear stains
Tear stains are pretty common among bulldogs due to the color of their coat, their skin folds on their faces, and bulging eyes. If left untreated, it could cause skin irritation later on. These dark streaks are caused by your dog’s overproduction of tears, a condition referred to as epiphora. Their tears contain copper and iron which they get from the food they eat and the water they drink. These trace minerals are responsible for causing the dark stains along your dog’s face. For us humans, we excrete these through urination but for dogs, these minerals are sometimes excreted out through their tears.
Epiphora or the overproduction of tears can be a sign of underlying health issues. It could be related to an eye infection, glaucoma, ingrown eyelashes, or small tear duct openings. It could also be a reaction to a given medication, allergens, or second-hand smoke. It can be telling of an ear infection, poor diet, or that your dog is experiencing a high level of stress. There are various causes of epiphora. Observe your dog really well to identify the issue. You should also eliminate the factors causing your English Bulldog to have epiphora. You might need to change his diet, avoid exposing him to those who are smoking, or remove stuff around him causing this allergic reaction. Or better yet, take him to the vet for professional advice and have him treated.
Cleaning the tear stains
The good news is that it is quite easy to remove the dark stains on your dog’s face. You just need to trim the hair around the folds of your bulldog’s face especially right where the tear stains are. You can clean the remaining dark streaks with the use of dog wipes. You can also apply a corticosteroid ointment on the area. Some use a homemade paste from the milk of magnesia, cornstarch, and peroxide to remove the stains. Do this daily until the stains are gone.
Remember, it is not enough that you clean the stains off your English bulldog’s face. You must address the underlying health condition that causes the overproduction of tears to prevent it from happening again. Without those tear stains, your English Bulldog is going to be picture perfect again and best of all, healthy.
