Poodle`s Excessive Tearing Could Be Result Of Blockage, Irritation, Infection

December 08, 1985|By Ann L. Huntington, D.V.M., King Features Syndicate.

Q--My 1-year-old white poodle has a problem with her eyes: The wool around them is badly stained. Her tear ducts were flushed earlier this year, but that hasn`t helped. I`ve had white poodles before, so I know staining is common, but I`ve never known the problem to be as bad as what I`m seeing now. Jan W.


A--Yes, tearing is especially common with small white poodles. As far as I know, there`s no medical data showing that white poodles have more eye disorders than any other color poodle; they just seem to show up more. The staining is purely a chemical phenomenon, caused by an enzyme in the tears that reacts with the protein in the hair around the eyes. And that`s what leaves the reddish-brown color so noticeable in white-faced dogs.

However, excessive tearing is a problem that can result from one of three conditions:

1. The ducts that normally drain tears away from the eyes may be blocked, either because of an infection or because of a hereditary defect (excessive narrowness or even lack of a duct).

2. Excessive tear production may result from a chronic irritation to the eye itself. One cause can be that some dogs` eyelashes sometimes grow pointing in toward the eye rather than out. The constant rubbing against the eyes causes a great deal of tearing.

3. Tearing could be caused by an infection such as conjunctivitis.

All three possibilities must be taken into account before you can reach a therapeutic conclusion. First, the tear ducts must be checked. A simple test can determine whether a dog`s tear ducts are functioning normally. If your dog had the ducts flushed early this year, it`s advisable to have the eye stain test done again to make certain that the tears are flushing through the ducts in a normal fashion. If the ducts were originally plugged and then were able to be flushed, the tear stain test should be repeated a few weeks later to make certain that the eyes didn`t plug up again. So, if the test wasn`t repeated, have your veterinarian do it now.

On the other hand, if the ducts are working but there`s a lot of tearing, then the other causes I`ve described should be investigated. If your vet is baffled, you might consult a veterinary ophthalmologist.

There is another possibility: Excessive tearing in some smaller breeds of dogs may be due to ``shallow lacrimal lake.`` Don`t let this technical term throw you. It simply refers to a condition where a dog has tight-fitting eyelids (the skin fits tightly around the face) and may have an eye socket that does not have room for tears. Even if there`s no irritation to the eye, and even if the tear ducts are working properly, this condition will cause an overflow of tears. It can be corrected with surgery.

There is an oral medication that some people give their show dogs to conceal this problem. I do not recommend it, except possibly for short-term use, because it alters the actual chemistry of the tears so they don`t stain. Obviously, it does nothing to alleviate the overflow.

Q--I must return to England permanently in the next couple of months. I own a beautiful 4-year-old border collie who is highly sensitive. (She seems to have had a rough time when she was a puppy, but has finally gained some confidence.) My lifestyle is such that she is with me all the time; she even sleeps in my bedroom at night. She is shy of other dogs and when I had to put her in a kennel for a short period of time, she was in great distress. It really upset me very much to have abandoned her that way; she is not spoiled, but genuinely timid and shy. With me, however, she is a most affectionate little dog, wonderful company and a lively companion.

My problem is the prospect of putting her through the turmoil of a long plane ride, followed by being left in quarantine in England for six months. Will she be a nervous wreck when she emerges? Is it fair to put her through it? I care for this dear little animal so much, it`s hard to be objective. The thought of parting from her for good is a painful one, so I really don`t want to leave her behind with someone else. If it weren`t for the long quarantine period in England, I would have no hesitation in taking her with me.

She has a good 10 years of mischief left in her. Is it possible that she will overcome the trauma of all this after a little while, or will it affect her permanently?

Margharita M.


A--Your letter is most poignant, but also difficult to respond to with a definitive solution. First, I`d like to explain the reason for England`s 6 month quarantine. The British Isles is one of the few places in the entire world where rabies does not exist! To prevent the slightest possibility of its being introduced, the British have established this seemingly lengthy quarantine period that just about spans the rabies incubation period.