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Islandcanine · 02-07-2011, 05:29 PM

I can only share my own experience.
I agree that the most common cause of eye gunk is yeast. An imbalance of the flora in the intestines and gut.
Although diet can have a contributing factor.

When I got my dog, she was 15mnths old. She was somewhat of a rescue. She was in really bad shape but i will just speak on the eye factor. I was given Roxy along with a bag of Purina Puppy Chow. I tossed that right away and started cooking for Roxy, in addition to her still eating a higher quality of kibble.

Her eyes started clearing immediately.

Fast track three years later.

Roxy has no staining what so ever.
What I have noticed in the past few years is that having her glands extracted was a common every four mnths and always full. I noticed that her eyes would not be as bad afterward and for months until it came time to have her glands done again. They I would notice, especially in the morning, her eyes were getting goopy again.
I wash her face several times a day and keep her eyes clear of gunk and hairs, hairs away from her eyes.

In this past year, I again have changed her diet. The first thing I did was cut out the higher glycemic foods in the home cooked meals. I feed 25% vegetable and 75% Animal protein. So I also Increased the quality animal protein. I also changed her kibble, to one that has a low glycemic factor.

The reason I allow Roxy to still eat kibble and making sure she eats at least 50% or more of kibble to that which I feed her is because I am not supplementing with calcium etc. Which one MUST do if you are feeding more than 50% home cooked and kibble or 100% home cooked. Nutrients are essential when feeding an all cooked diet with no kibble.

I have noticed that not only have her glands not filled again and is over the four month mark but her eyes are way better.

I truly believe that diet has a big factor to the eye gunk. Be it due to a yeast problem or otherwise. Some say that it can be hereditary. I do not believe that. We are what we eat.

I have notice with Roxy that when I increased the animal protein and lessened the type of high glycemic vegetables and in place use lower glycemic ones, her coat became softer but also the gunk in her eyes has lessened a lot.

This is only my own experience.

I have also heard that gunky eyes can be a blocked tear duts. To check it means putting the dog out so unless the dog is scheduled for surgery or dental and requires anesthetic, I wouldn't bother getting the dog put out to simply check tear ducts.

Lastly, I met a woman with a couple Maltese dogs. White and who had had tear stain. She said she started feeding her dogs a tsp of plain whole fat yogurt with active bacteria in it, with there food in the morning and claimed that it helped a great deal with the teary eye problem.

02-07-2011, 05:29 PM	#52
Islandcanine Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: BC CANADA Posts: 96	I can only share my own experience. I agree that the most common cause of eye gunk is yeast. An imbalance of the flora in the intestines and gut. Although diet can have a contributing factor. When I got my dog, she was 15mnths old. She was somewhat of a rescue. She was in really bad shape but i will just speak on the eye factor. I was given Roxy along with a bag of Purina Puppy Chow. I tossed that right away and started cooking for Roxy, in addition to her still eating a higher quality of kibble. Her eyes started clearing immediately. Fast track three years later. Roxy has no staining what so ever. What I have noticed in the past few years is that having her glands extracted was a common every four mnths and always full. I noticed that her eyes would not be as bad afterward and for months until it came time to have her glands done again. They I would notice, especially in the morning, her eyes were getting goopy again. I wash her face several times a day and keep her eyes clear of gunk and hairs, hairs away from her eyes. In this past year, I again have changed her diet. The first thing I did was cut out the higher glycemic foods in the home cooked meals. I feed 25% vegetable and 75% Animal protein. So I also Increased the quality animal protein. I also changed her kibble, to one that has a low glycemic factor. The reason I allow Roxy to still eat kibble and making sure she eats at least 50% or more of kibble to that which I feed her is because I am not supplementing with calcium etc. Which one MUST do if you are feeding more than 50% home cooked and kibble or 100% home cooked. Nutrients are essential when feeding an all cooked diet with no kibble. I have noticed that not only have her glands not filled again and is over the four month mark but her eyes are way better. I truly believe that diet has a big factor to the eye gunk. Be it due to a yeast problem or otherwise. Some say that it can be hereditary. I do not believe that. We are what we eat. I have notice with Roxy that when I increased the animal protein and lessened the type of high glycemic vegetables and in place use lower glycemic ones, her coat became softer but also the gunk in her eyes has lessened a lot. This is only my own experience. I have also heard that gunky eyes can be a blocked tear duts. To check it means putting the dog out so unless the dog is scheduled for surgery or dental and requires anesthetic, I wouldn't bother getting the dog put out to simply check tear ducts. Lastly, I met a woman with a couple Maltese dogs. White and who had had tear stain. She said she started feeding her dogs a tsp of plain whole fat yogurt with active bacteria in it, with there food in the morning and claimed that it helped a great deal with the teary eye problem.