How to Clean Dog Eye Boogers: Soften and Remove Hard Crust in a Safe and Effective Manner!
All dogs will eventually get that thick, brown crusty goo in and around their eyes and nostrils. It’s the area where tears have dried and combined with dirt to form eye boogers. However, unlike us humans, they do not have a reliable method of safely disposing of them.
Our responsibility is to remove the hard crust formed around our dog’s eyes. The problem is one that occurs regularly. Dogs cry tears at a higher rate than humans because it is their technique to clear any irritants from their eyes.
The hard and crusty dog eye boogers will harden into a thick, sticky muck.
It can be difficult to properly and easily clear your dog’s eye crust without causing them any discomfort or pain. However, I have two effective procedures if you want to remove eye boogers from your dog – all of which are discussed below – which involve softening the boogers first.
How can you get the hard crust off of your dog’s eyes?
It is always my responsibility to clean the eye boogers out of our dog’s eyes in our household. It’s a disgusting job, and no one else wants to take on the responsibility. In order to remove the boogers that have formed a hard crust, you must soften them first. This would make it easier to remove them later.
First, learn how to soften dog eye boogers
I’ve experimented with two different methods of easing the muck that accumulates around my dog’s eyes. Both ways are effective, and it is up to you to decide which method your dog will find the most comfortable.
- To clean your dog’s eyes, first, soak a clean flannel in warm water and then gently press it against his eye where the crusty boogers are located. This will soften up the booger goo, making it easier to remove in the following stage of the procedure.
- Another option is to purchase special eye wipes that have been designed expressly to remove canine boogers from the eyes. They make use of ingredients that are favourable to the eyes.
How to clean boogers from a dog’s eye
Once the crust has begun to loosen, you can begin the process of removing the boogers from your dog’s eyeballs. In addition, there is one way that should never be used – please read the following carefully before proceeding:
Avoid cleaning your dog’s eye boogers with your index and middle fingers! The risk of introducing bacteria to your dog’s eye or scratching a retina exists when doing so.
Now that you’ve learned how not to clean a dog’s eye crust, here’s how to do it correctly.
1). A warm flannel to ease the boogers in your eyes.
Cleaning the dog’s eye boogers with a warm towel or purchasing some specially formulated eye wipes I showed you above will help soften the boogers before cleaning them out.
If you choose to use one, the cloth method involves soaking the cloth in warm water for approximately 10 seconds before removing it, squeezing out any extra water, and pressing it against the crust for 15 to 30 seconds. This may cause the crust to soften, and you may be able to wipe them off at this point.
2). Canine eye drops,Â
Crusty eye boogers that are stubborn and persistent may require a little more assistance. There are great eye drop treatments that you may use twice a week that are effective. They will aid in eliminating clogging, healing the eye, and reducing irritation.
They also have a lot of other applications aside from flushing out eye boogers, including the treatment of allergic reactions and the provision of general moisture and lubrication to the eye if required.
3). Dog tear stain remover
You may still see stains in your dog’s eye boogers despite your best efforts. It’s particularly troublesome in the case of white canines.
4). Trim the hair around your dog’s eyes to a short length
Long-haired dogs are more prone to crusty gunk than short-haired dogs because the hair can become matted around the eyes. Provided that you are confident and calm and believe your dog will remain still, you could try to clip the hair back on him.
If you are worried about whether you might accidentally jab your dog, you should seek the assistance of a professional dog groomer.
5). Comb for dog’s eye
If you have any muck or boogers trapped in your eyes, you can use an eye comb to get them out – but only if they are stuck in your hair and not in your eyes themselves.
So that’s an outline of the procedure I use to clear dog eye snot. There is more that you should be aware of, particularly if you want to avoid the need to remove crust in the first place.
What are dog eye boogers, and how do you get rid of them?
You shouldn’t just wipe away the boogers and crust from your dog’s eyes and forget about them. If there are some very valid reasons why the hard muck and crust is in there in the first place, it is possible that this is a warning sign for a more serious condition to come up later.
The hard crust is referred to as “eye boogers.” Veterinarians refer to this as a discharge from the eye because fluid is dripping from the eye area. It can appear in various colours, including brown, yellow, and green, and can be watery, pus-like, or crusty in consistency.
What’s crucial to remember at this point is that eye boogers don’t always indicate the same thing, so you should always consult with your veterinarian if you have any concerns about your pet.
Should you clean your dog’s boogers out of his eyes?
If dog eyes are not kept moist, they will not function properly, may impair vision, may even be uncomfortable, and may drive the dog to scratch at their eyelids. This is why I want to wipe my dog’s eye boogers and keep them as free of hard crust as possible when it comes to eye care.
However, you should only clean them if you are confident that you can do so without hurting your dog or damaging their eyesight.
What causes dogs to have boogers in their eyes?
This is not a detailed list, but it is a list of the reasons for hard crust and muck based on my research into eye boogers in dogs and how to clean them properly.
Excessive watering of the eyes
Known as epiphora in the medical community, this condition describes a dog’s eyes weeping up excessively, resulting in them being perpetually wet. This will frequently be the case with dogs with flatter faces, such as poodles.
It has been discovered that breeds like this have difficulty adequately expressing excessive tears. As a result, you will notice what is known as tear staining, which is when the fur that runs down from the eyes becomes darker.
It is possible to treat this illness, and when it becomes severely serious, there are surgical treatments available.
Irritation of the Eyes
The medical title for this ailment is Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, and it is essentially the polar opposite of the condition I discussed before, epiphora, in appearance. Your dog will develop eye boogers as a result of this disease, but they will also itch a lot.
Because there will be no lubrication where there was previously, your dog will be significantly more unpleasant if something little goes into their eye — it won’t wash out as quickly as before.
Veterinary assistance is required for this ailment, so consult your veterinarian if you feel your dog is suffering from it.
Allergies
Were you aware that dogs can also suffer from hay fever? The dust or pollen that some dogs are allergic to can induce allergic conjunctivitis, which causes weeping eyes and redness. If dogs are exposed to too much of it, they can get this condition.
This occurs when microscopic particles of pollen or dust enter the eyelids and irritate them, causing them to weep excessively and perhaps leading to infection or discharge.
Please, you should consult with your veterinarian if you have any suspicions about an allergy. It is possible that eye drops or antihistamines will be effective in clearing up the muck and crust associated with allergies.
Conjunctivitis disease
Conjunctivitis, often also known as pink eye, is an inflammation of the eye’s outer layer and the inner eyelids that affect the eyes and their surrounding tissues.
According to what we’ve learned thus far, allergens can sometimes induce conjunctivitis. In other cases, it can be caused by a virus or bacteria, and it is frequently accompanied by yellow or green puss-like discharge and eye crust.
I believe conjunctivitis is highly contagious, so if one of your dogs has it, they should seek immediate medical attention and antibiotics from a veterinarian.
Conclusion
You will be required to perform a variety of tasks that you may not be comfortable with due to your dog’s ownership. Another one of those tasks is cleaning dog eye boogers, but it is an absolute must if you love your dog to be happy and healthy.
Please keep in mind what could be producing the hard gunk while you go about your business. As previously stated, it could indicate a more serious problem than a simple snot.
Fortunately, softening dog eye boogers at home is a reasonably simple process. Now that you know how to clean it, keep up the good work, and contact your veterinarian if you notice anything unexpected.
We appreciate you taking the time to read!
Finally, we hope you found this article interesting? And what do you think about ”How to Clean Dog Eye Boogers: Soften and Remove Hard Crust Safely!?”
Please feel free to share your thoughts with us in the box below.
Check the facts
Please get in touch with us if you would like to contribute to this article or advertise.
And let us know if you notice something that isn’t quite right.
