# Removing the "scab" like tear stains



## curly_DC (Nov 27, 2011)

How do I remove the tear stains that now look like scabs near the corners of my dog's eyes? I'm a new Hav owner. I didn't realize I needed to clean around my poor baby's eyes every day. The tear stains look like scabs now. Can they just be pulled off gently? He's being neutered this week, so maybe I should just ask the vet to do it while he's under.


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## Lizzie'sMom (Oct 13, 2010)

You can pull them off or use a warm wash cloth and wipe his eye area.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

It is just 'sleepy-seeds', 'eye crud' or whatever you call it. I usually pull them off. If they are really stubborn, you can press a warm washcloth against them to soften before pulling them off.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

lol! we posted at the same time.


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## curly_DC (Nov 27, 2011)

Thank you. He's my first dog. He's being very patient with me.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

No problem. You are going to have to pull off eye boogers every day. It is gross but it will reduce some the tear staining.


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

I moisten the eye booger crud between wet fingers (rolling it like kneading dough lol! and re-wetting a few times) and then let it sit for a minute, then comb it out using a flea comb. It comes off really easily then, without pulling any hairs out.


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

I am always scraping clean their eyes. They are so used to it that if I clean one, the others just sit there for me to do theirs. It really does not hurt them, but if they are real stubborn you can wet them like suggested.


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## curly_DC (Nov 27, 2011)

Thanks. I've tried to take the eye crud off before, and he moves his head around. But, then he'll rub his face on my clothes or on the blanket, like he's trying to do it himself. He's cute.


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

That is normal. He will roll his head around until you start doing it on a daily basis, and at that point he will be used to it


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

I found with Brody, it's easier to just grab a tissue and grasp the crud in my fingers (between the tissue) and remove it (I usually rub my fingers back and forth to break it up and then gently pull it out). I hold his beard to keep his head still. I tried the gentler way with a water soaked cotton swab, but he just isn't cooperative about it and it was easier and faster the other way. Oh and trying a flea comb there just isn't in the realm of possibility there...I'd be afraid of poking him in the eye with all the wiggling he does.


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

misstray said:


> I found with Brody, it's easier to just grab a tissue and grasp the crud in my fingers (between the tissue) and remove it (I usually rub my fingers back and forth to break it up and then gently pull it out). I hold his beard to keep his head still. I tried the gentler way with a water soaked cotton swab, but he just isn't cooperative about it and it was easier and faster the other way. Oh and trying a flea comb there just isn't in the realm of possibility there...I'd be afraid of poking him in the eye with all the wiggling he does.


Yes well I guess the technique used always has to take into account the dog the technique is being performed on . Cey doesn't of course enjoy having his eyes cleaned, but he doesn't wiggle as long as I hold his head.


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

The flea comb is also a great idea!


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## curly_DC (Nov 27, 2011)

I used a damp wash cloth and I was able to remove the tear gunk gently. He actually didn't fuss.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Mine seem to sense I'm trying to help them so behave. Not so with the grooming, however!!!


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## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

I like to use a q-tip daily to clean their eyes. Sometimes twice a day.


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

Laurief said:


> The flea comb is also a great idea!


Yes, in conjunction with getting the eye goobers moist, it works really well! (As long as they will sit relatively still for it of course.) A lot of people here also use either flea combs or other very fine combs to comb out their hav's faces too. I also sometimes use a 'flea comb' (since I don't have really fine-toothed comb) to comb out the tiny tangles in Cey's hair while grooming him with his CC buttercomb, when there are those tiny tiny tangles in his hair that I can see when it is damp but that the CC buttercomb just can't pull out since it isn't fine enough.

...Confession - I use the term 'flea comb' because it seems much more appropriate here on a dog forum, but to be perfectly honest, I actually use the *lice *combs that I accumulated during my daughter's 4th grade year (2 years ago) when she kept coming home with lice lol. (We did finally figure out how to deal with lice effectively, and haven't had a problem with them since...) They are the same as the flea combs in general, I think, though - - well, anything that will pull out lice will definitely pull out fleas anyway . I just never saw the need to buy a separate actual flea comb for Cey when I already had 5 lice combs in the house before he even arrived


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