Hi there, my name is Dr. Phillip Paws. I’m a senior labrador that specializes in the education of dog eyes for humans, or as you might call it – a dog-tician!
Over the years I have had a lot of owners approach me regarding their dog’s eyes and how to clean them.
One of the more common problems that dog owners are concerned about is crusty eyes.
While in the vast majority of cases this crust is not something to be concerned about, there are several instances where your dog may have to visit a trained dog doctor, like me.
If you are wondering what is the best way to clean your dog’s eyes then look no further.
In this article, I will be talking you through the best ways to clean your dog’s eyes. I hope that you will find these answers paw-ticularly helpful.
How do I clean my dog’s hard crusty eyes?
If you have noticed that your dog has hard crusty eyes, it is always best to clean it rather than to leave it. This will help to keep your dog’s eyes feeling fresh and clean.
It is fairly easy to clean the hard crust from your dog’s eyes and only takes a few minutes to do. The first thing you will need to do is to soften the crustiness slightly.
This will help to keep the eye boogers from causing any discomfort. To do this, you will need to take a flannel and soak it in warm water – not too hot though!
Give the flannel a rinse and place it on your dog’s eye for around 10 seconds, the warmth and water will cause the eye booger to soften.
Once the boogers have softened, you can then carefully wipe them from your dog’s eye. Be careful to wipe it in a downward motion away from the eye, dogs do not appreciate being poked in the eye!
As a precautionary measure, I would always recommend using a separate flannel for each eye. This is to help prevent the spread of any potential infections from one eye to the other. It is good practice to do this even if there is no infection present.
You can alternatively use some eye cleaning drops if your dog’s eyes are looking particularly crusty or uncomfortable. These are placed into your dog’s eye and help to flush them out. If your dog has sensitive eyes, this may cause more discomfort, however.
If the eye boogers are crusty but easy to remove, sometimes you can simply wipe them away, or use a dog comb.
The most important thing to remember is to be gentle with your dog’s eyes, and treat them how you would want your eyes to be cleaned. Do not press down too firmly on the outside of your dog’s eyes.
Sometimes we can dislike our eyes being touched. If your dog is a little bit fidgety or nervous, remember to take your time and be patient.
Should you clean a dog’s eye boogers?
The answer to this question is always yes. Just like you clean your eyes when they are crusty or have eye boogers, you should do the same for your dog.
It is important that they are comfortable and that their eyes are clean.
Dogs cannot remove eye boogers themselves, especially if they are crusty and stuck to the fur around their eyes. Given this, they trust their humans to do this for them.
It only takes a few minutes to clean your dog’s eyes and you should regularly ensure that they are clean and your dog is free from any eye discomfort.
If you have removed the eye boogers but the eye remains sticky or is looking red or inflamed, then it is best to visit the veterinarian.
Why does my dog have a crusty eye?
Crusty eyes can look a little bit off putting. However, it is not something you need to be overly worried about.
In the vast majority of cases, crusty eyes can be caused by sleep, much like what happens to humans when you wake up from a good night’s sleep. This type of crustiness is usually clear and if there is not much of this discharge, it is not something that you need to be overly worried about.
If the crusty discharge is a different color, this could signify that there is an underlying infection or problem with your dog’s eye.
If this is the case, you will need to take your dog to a veterinarian, like me, as soon as possible. Infections can be bothersome for your dog, and they must receive the treatment necessary to get rid of any nasty germs.
There are a few different colors of eye discharge that should be brought to your attention. If it is green, or yellow in particular, this is certainly worth chatting to your veterinarian about, especially if your dog is showing any other signs of being uncomfortable.
With crusty eyes, if there is an underlying infection, this is usually accompanied by symptoms such as red-eye, sore eye, or your dog may be struggling to keep it open. Another sign of infection is if your dog is pawing at its eye. We often do this if our eyes are painful or feeling uncomfortable.
Summary
I hope that I have helped you to understand how to clean dog eye crust. As you can see, it is so easy to do and it only takes a few minutes out of your day.
The most important thing to ensure is that the eye crust is clear. If the eye crust is green or yellow, this is a sign of infection and your dog will need to be taken on a trip to the vets to receive the correct treatment to clear this up.
You mustn’t ignore any abnormal discharge or eye boogers as these infections will not go away without treatment. If this is left it is uncomfortable and painful for your dog too!
