Diet and Eye Gunk
 

Can someone please point me to the research/studies which show a correlation between diet and eye gunk? My vet does not believe there is a causal factor. He attributes eye gunk to tiny eyelashes irritating the pooch's eyeball. My Biewer, Dori, eats Wellness small breed; she has some eye stuff, but hard to say it is "excessive."

Excessive eye gunk can come from feeding a too high protein diet. The red staining is a combination of yeast and bacteria. I found that info years ago, and can't find the exact link again... but I'm sure you could 'Google' Groomimg Maltese, or similar and find many sites....

Your vet is right too. There is a condition in small dogs where their eyelashes grow in backwards and irritate the eyes. But this is not always the case.

Anytime a foreign object like a hair gets into the eye, mucous will be produced and will engulf the offending object to prevent it from damaging the eye.

Eye staining is a vicious cycle. The outer eye area needs to be gently cleaned and all debris removed. Antibiotic eye ointment should be used in the eyes and on the surrounding lids, to get the bacteria under control.

And to answer your question... haha... here's a link to many sites that cite diet as a cause of eye discharge....

eye gunk and diet - Google Search=

And as you asked for 'research/papers', that I have not found, yet. Appearance is not so important to vets, as long as it's not life-threatening. Your best resource will be groomer, breeders, and show people, as appearance is of utmost importance to them, and there are many years of experience that go into some of the show/breeder sites that address grooming issues such as eye gunk and tear staining, especially on the Maltese sites.

Thanks for the info. My vet did suggest not feeding Origin because of high protein. I wasn't aware of the yeast/bacteria connection. We do use baby wipes every day to stay on top of it. I appreciate the time you took in your reply.

You're welcome.... I use plain normal saline solution to clean around the eyes, and in a dropper to flush the eyes like on a windy day when dust and stuff may blow around and end up in the eyes. It's good to use also to flush out stray hairs and stuff too. I keep a tube of antibacterial eye ointment (no steroids) for general use in maintaining eye health.

Once my dogs had a skirmish, and my little guy's eye started swelling as I watched. I thought maybe saliva from the other dog may have gotten into his eye, so I quickly rinsed it, and put some AB eye ointment in it, before we went to the vet. It looked normal when the vet saw it, but I told her what happened. He did have some minor punctures (actually scrapes) on his lower lid and nose, and the vet wanted to give me Animax for it, but I said I was concerned with it being so close to the eye, could I just use the eye ointment on those wounds... she said yes.

So next morning, there's a greenish yellow pus in this eye. So I rinse it out, and as I applied the eye ointment I saw a tiny cut on the inside of his lower lid. This was missed the day before, but I was more concerned with the vet checking the eyeball itself so I wasn't too concerned, just made sure to apply the ointment 2x daily for a week then had the vet check it when he went back for a recheck.

Long story just to say eye supplies come in handy... Sterile Saline Solution, Natural Tears (nothing else), Triple Antibiotic eye ointment, and we're good to go! Oh and a flea comb to rmove gunk from the hair around the eyes (after it softens with the Saline Solution) :D

:thumbup::thumbup: Great post. I'll just mention this but if you do take your dog swimming, I rinse eyes out after swimming with Saline Solution, and also dry inner ears and use ear drops in ear canals too. No problems so far (crossing fingers n toes :)) Oh and ditto for after bath as well

Could someone give me an estimate on high protein? Millie has the same gunky eyes, and I'm wondering if it's the protein now too...She's on Solid Gold with 28% protein.

I've never heard of eye staining from too high protein of diet? That's new to me.

I know a lot of dogs get eye boogers on crappy foods, like Ol' Roy, Purina, Kibbles n Bits, and foods with lots of fillers. But sometimes different ingredients react to different dogs in different ways... I think it's just a matter of finding what works right for your dog. Fromm is an excellent food, IMO, but it causes major eye boogers in Jackson as well as a few others here on YT.

Hehe... never said that... said this:


IMHO... I consider high protein to be over 23%, mid range 18-23%, low protein is 14-18%. I would only feed low protein for medical reasons. I cut the protein on my senior (senior diet)... and he wasn't acting right... so I went back up to a midrange protein%... happy to say he's doing much better.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I never thought of that... something I need to keep in mind though bc the beaches around here have been closed on a few occassions due to high bacterial counts in the water. :eek: What do you use in their ears?

Can you recommend where you buy your eye ointment? This sounds like a great thing to have!

I am battling tear stains more than the gunk. I too feed Wellness small breed. I have purchased tear stain remover but nothing seems to work real well. I am curious about the antibiotic eye ointment, kjc. What do you use? I now think it is not the food but yeast and bacteria. And I was just about to try Taste of the Wild. :D

Bridget (Yorkie) and Greta (Biewer) are on Reduced Fat Wellness Core and we are also battling the "eye gunk" and staining. I was so hoping it wasn't the food, since I've heard good things about it - not sure where to go now. Is there anything other than the protein % that I should be watching for that could be contributing to this?

I alternate between Vetropolycin (or any Triple AB Opthalmic ointment) and Terramycin Ophthalmic Ointment, I use one type for a week 2x day, then I just clean the eye and surrounding area for two weeks. If it starts looking bad again, I use the other tube for one week, 2x day, then continue the cleansing regimen. The Vetropolycin is by perscription (both are by perscription only in California) and I get it at my vet's.

You need to use it for the full week, or you can end up making the bacteria resistant. Also, some dogs may have a sensitivity to the antibiotics in the ointments, so if you see any swelling or itching or anything unexpected, discontinue using the product, and call your vet.

I have only read that higher protein is the culprit causing excess eye goop, then the moist environment created by the goop is when the bacteria and yeast can set up. Then it becomes a cycle, as the yeast and bacteria wick up into the eye from the hair and may irritate the eye. I would try the ointment and cleansing regimen at least one week before changing the food, it may solve the problem. If reduction in eye goop isn't noticed after a week or two, then you may have to reduce the protein % of the food.

I agree too with Brit's post about cheaper foods causing goop too. Maybe it has something to do with types and quality of protein ... IDK... it does make sense...

I did go get some samples of some other foods to try. I may go ahead and try them and see if it is something in the food. I have Taste of the Wild to try and two others they recommended. I have to look them up before I will try them. Rosie seems to really like Wellness so I have been hesitate to change. But the tear stains are bad and I don't think they were before we changed the food.

Interesting thread here, and I'll be watching for additional input.

Food must have an impact, but I don't know if it is the protein amount or other ingredients causing an allergic reaction. I do know that last year when I tried Wellness (can't remember what version) all 4 of my doggies had hugely increased eye boogies. Back to Natural Balance food, and back to less goop.

Two things I've seen recommended on MalteseTalk for less eye staining is to only give them distilled water, and another thing is to put a bit of vinegar in their water. Sorry I don't have time to research the specifics right now; maybe later.

Your so right on!! Great posting!! :thumbup::thumbup:

I've heard of both the distilled water and using vinegar. Also filtered water, which I do through the whole house. To add to those, some folks use Tylan, or other additives. The main active ingredient of AngelEyes is Tylan AB powder. I am generally against adding anything for a long period of time, unless medically necessary and prescribed by a vet, as I feel some things may be masking the problem, not clearing it up altogether.

And I just found this article... Factors to eliminate Tear Staining - by Tonia Holibaugh - Rhapsody Maltese
This info is a bit more updated from the info I was refering to, and if my regimen is not successful, including diet adjustments and cleansing routines, I will be seeking veterinary treatment for this problem. Mine don't have really bad issues, but if one did I would go right to the vet as it can be a result of a systemic infection in the dog and require oral antibiotics also.

Thanks for sharing. Rosie just finished up oral antibiotics for a viral infection. I don't see where it helped her staining. I think I may mention it to my vet. Better safe than sorry.

After A LOT of trial and error, We have found that the only dog foods that DO NOT give Izzy eye gunk is Orijen and Primal ...Fromm, wellness, wellness core, etc... all give Izzy nasty smelly funny eyes. So I don't see where its the Amount of protein, I think its more like the type off protein.. rat least in izzy's case it is.

My vet has also said that toy dogs are more prone to eye tearing that larger dogs.
I have tried almost every food out there on the market, from super high quality and protien to lowere quality and lower protein.. not one helped with my dogs eye staining completly. I however did noticed when they were on foods like evo, acana, totw no grain foods, thier eye tearing/staing got alot worst than being on something with grains, which I know to most wont make sense, but thats how it has worked out for us. I keep my dogs on all natural eye staining product called..tear stain supplement by nutravet, it has all natural products, you give 1/4 teaspoon for dogs under 15 pounds, 200 gram bottle was 19.99 at entirelypets.com. It works very slowly but it definitly seems to be working. That and I keep thier eyes trimmed and clean them everyday with a washcloth and warm water.
I will be watching this thread with great interest..:)

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...r-vinegar.html

I hope the link works.. but awhile back there was a thread about apple cider vinegar. I got it and boy oh boy... it works. Be sure to read the thread about the correct type.. organic (braggs is a good brand) I found it in our local Publix (grocery store) and it is at GMC.

I have an all white shih tuz-- terrible stains on his face and they improved within a week - also itching. I am going to use it in their rinse water. A lady at our play group who has a brewer swears by it.. uses it for her hair also.

Hope that helps
Shinja

ooops I meant GNC

its funny to me that you make this statement because all of my immediatly family but me, have thier dogs on alpo, dads, beneful, pedigree, kibble n bits and all of their dogs have no eye boogers but mine,not to mention all of them have beautiful, soft and shiny coats and they all think Im crazy for spending the amount of money I do for good dog food, supplements for thier eyes and coats.. etc.. I can tell you this it has me second quessing myself..:cool:

Great Thread!!

Sometimes, I swear I am so nieve!! Here I have had Yorkies for so many years and I just thought they all have eye gunk and that is just it. I never thought it might be a food related problem.

My little Angel has a big problem with this, my other not so much, just a little.

I have apple cider viniger, use it for myself, never thought of my doggies. I will start cleaning their eyes with it starting today and am anxious to see how that works. I too like most of you want to use something natural as much as possible.

It's always hard to start changing foods, when they're used to what they have, and the poops are so good. Seems when I start changing food there is a poop problem, some foods just make them so runny. It's confusing what won't upset their balance.

I should have said too that my Chihuahua that is buff colored had a big running, eye stain problem. He started having allergy attacks last summer and we now have him on allergy shots and it totally stopped the eye running.:thumbup

I feed my two Wellness Small Breed. I have to say that they have no eye gunk but they do tear. Not as bad as they used. It seems to have gotten better.

Do you think it would help to use the artificial tears each night before bed? I use them at bathtime and Dori doesn' seem to mind. My thought is the tears will prevent the eye gunk from sticking to sensitive eye area. Just wipe away in AM.

Do you think it would help to use the artificial tears each night before bed? I use them at bathtime and Dori doesn' seem to mind. My thought is the tears will prevent the eye gunk from sticking to sensitive eye area. Just wipe away in AM.

Whoops! Sorry guys; my iPhone messed me up.