Severe tear stains in a Bichon can be caused by many different things. A diet that is not light enough, as well as eye or nasal diseases, may all make tear stains worse. Even the type of grooming style can influence how visible the stains become. If the dog is otherwise healthy but tear stains remain serious, a short-coat style may help. Wiping the skin around the eyes regularly in daily life can also reduce the problem to some extent.
Bichon Tear Stains
For people with no previous dog-owning experience, the term ?tear stain? may not be very easy to understand. Normally, tears are produced by the tear glands and then drain through the tear ducts into the nasal cavity. But in breeds with more prominent eyes, such as poodles and Bichons, if too much tear fluid is produced, it may flow down around the eyes instead. Over time, the hair around the eyes changes color and looks dirty, and on a pure white Bichon those tear stains become especially obvious.
How to Remove Bichon Tear Stains
In everyday care, owners should pay close attention to the skin and coat around the eyes. If the area is damp, it should be cleaned promptly. Keeping the hair around the eyes as dry as possible is extremely important. Some people say that using cornstarch around the eye area can also help a little. In other words, as long as care is careful, the Bichon can still remain as adorable as possible. The breed's coat is usually white, so brown tear stains stand out strongly on the face, but proper grooming and regular trimming can help reduce their appearance to some extent.
What to Do If the Tear Stains Are Severe
Sometimes the problem is caused by an improper diet. Most dogs do not tolerate highly salty, greasy foods well, and if a Bichon is regularly fed such foods, the negative effects often appear on the body surface over time. The daily diet should therefore be kept light. Tear stains may also worsen when the dog is ill. For example, skin disease can irritate the Bichon and make it tear more, which then makes the tear stains worse.