# Cleaning the eye corners



## The Fussy Puppy Gang (May 21, 2007)

I've been using a flea comb to brush out the crud in the corners of Pepper's eyes every morning, but some days the comb yanks out strands of hair. 

What can I use to keep his eye area clean without stripping his hair? I don't mean stain remover, just something to keep the crud clear.


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## ls-indy (Apr 10, 2008)

I use 3-way contact lens solution on a cotton ball - the square, quilted kind. It's the kind you can use as a wetting solution on contact lens as well as a cleaner and a storage solution. Whatever they put in it helps kill eye bacteria on contact lenses and it seems to help with eye staining too (i guess it kills the yeast.....)


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

I use th Bausch and Lomb Eye Relief/eye wash. It can be used as a drop and on a cotton ball to wipe the area. It works well on eye stains also.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I never heard of those solutions to the problem. Does it take long or does it come right off? I've only used a flea comb, which works most of the time or a wet washcloth and after some of the crud comes off, then the flea comb.


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

I usually just let it dry and pick it off with my fingernail or use a face comb. I never thought of using an eye solution....


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I just use a wet rag with a wee bit of johnsons and johnsons baby soap or shampoo if needed, sometimes the water itself is enough, depends on the level of eye boogers.. and the put baby powder or eye envy powder (which I'm pretty sure is baby powder too) on it to dry the hair quickly so it doesn't stain..


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## boo2352 (Dec 18, 2006)

Gonna have to try the eyewash solution on MacGyver!


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

The only reason I know about the eyewash is because I spent so much time at eye specialists for my Tzu and Lhasa. The Havs eyes are good. Yay!


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## klomanchiodo (Jul 5, 2010)

I've been an "eye booger picker" for many years with all of my dogs. I find that a warm wash cloth usually does the trick for my gang. However, I will try the eye solutions to see if they do a better job. Thanks for the tip.


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## The Fussy Puppy Gang (May 21, 2007)

Thanks for the tips! I'm sure Pepper thanks you, too!


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

*Saline Solution*

Hi everyone,

Our vet recommends using sterile saline solution. This is cheap and can be purchased at any Walgreen's where it comes in a pack of two 12-oz. plastic bottles and has a 'squeeze' lid. It's certainly best to do this as early in the morning after your dog wakes up. The crud is wet at that time and is so much easier to deal with. I also wash Keeper's face with a washcloth afterwards--he loves that.

Keeper's Mom


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## KarmaKat (Feb 19, 2010)

I bought some BL eye wash for Tybee. Thanks for the info. Cant wait to try it as Tybee has eye "super glue" boogies that are very hard to remove.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Question!! Question!! 

How the heck do you keep their little heads from wriggling as you try to pick the eye boogers off?

Jack is only 10 weeks old but I am trying to get him used to be touched all over. Every time I try to use a flea comb, he tries to bite it. He is so little that I am afraid to try to clamp him under an arm. If I try to hold his head and nose, I end up covering the area I was trying clean. Meanwhile, Jack has grabbed the comb or cotton swab. The swab has drool all over it and is shredded. I have nightmares of the comb poking out his eyeballs. sigh...


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Pam, they are really kind of difficult like that when they are puppies because they think its time to 'play' with the comb or attack the comb, but I would use a wet rag to clean right there, and you can even use those plastic eyebrow brushes..the soft side to comb until he gets used to it and stays still. 

I have Gucci so trained that I tell her I want to 'fix her hair' and she'll walk up to me and bow her head down for a topknot, or get 'buggers' (as I call the eye cleaning, lol) they get used to it and cooperate, but she started off biting at the combs and brushes, its a progress 

Kara


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## shimpli (Mar 24, 2010)

wow... I would love to train Ache like that, Kara. I always have a flossie ready for Ache when it is grooming time. That's the only way she stays calm while I do what I need to do. She even waits every morning in front of the closet door waiting for grooming time. haha Just kidding... she just waits for her flossie. I hope to be able to do it without the flossie sometime...


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

Pam, one of the tricks here is do the eye wash early in the morning before the goop gets a chance to dry and collect in the hair so that it's like glue.
Using a good amount of sterile solution on a cotton ball (soak it with the solution) is your best bet and then you can pull the goop off the hair with the cotton ball.

Good luck--not a fun job.

Keeper's Mom


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

I will try earlier in the day and just use a soaked cotton square. So what if his hair is weird-looking.

I think I tried to do too much today. Eye boogers and trimming the hair on his pads. Poor little guy kept slipping on the floor when he wrestled with the cat.


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## KarmaKat (Feb 19, 2010)

Jack looks a little like my Tybee. 

Tybee was quite the wiggler at that age. I remember using a baby toothbrush (got the idea from this forum). I bought the kind of baby toothbrush that has the suction at the end to stick to the bathroom counter. Now we have advanced to the flea comb and sometimes a butter comb around the beard. Dr. fosters eye pads help sometimes but they can also make it more gooey sometimes. With Tybee, his gunk is always like glue, so it is easier to remove it from slightly damp slippery hair.

Hang in there. Tybee (now 7 mths old) kinda sighs and lays down in resignation when we head to the bathroom. But he always seems so much happier with a clean eye area. He still fusses with the comb. Honestly, I dont know how the groomers do it!

Good Luck... Dont give in and give a super special treat after 

BTW - Jack's coat looks gorgeous in the photos!


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