# Obstructed tear ducts



## Mama Jax (Feb 15, 2015)

Hey everyone. Since we brought Jax home over a month ago, he's always had watery discharge from his eyes and constant eye boogers. I always always always have to wipe them off. Today I actually saw the tear/discharge/booger stream down his face. I asked the vet about it and she said it might be obstructed tear ducts. She says he does not have conjunctivitis. His eyes aren't red or seem to be bothering him and the boogers are clear/white.

She said to massage between his eyes and nose to try to open the ducts and put a warm compress on it to see if that helps. What worries me is that she said sometimes they are obstructed permanently and won't open up on their own. But she also said this happens a lot in puppies and it might go away as he gets older. And that it's strange though because she's never seen it in a German Shepherd (usually just the smushy faced dogs).

Anyway, I would love to stop wiping his eyes all day long and for it to not look like he's always crying! 

Has anyone had experience with this and did it go away with massages and/or time? Thanks. And here are some updated pics of my Jax.


----------



## J-Boo (Mar 5, 2015)

I haven't experienced this with a dog, but just thought I'd chip in that this is pretty common in human babies, too. I work in a NICU, we do the same thing for them, warm compress and massage.

I personally had surgery at 5 years old to open up clogged tear ducts, so I guess that's not super rare either. And I don't think my face is particularly smushy, LOL


----------



## Mama Jax (Feb 15, 2015)

J-Boo, my vet said her son had the same issue and had to massage/warm compress as well. Very interesting. I'd never heard of this before today. Thanks for your input!!


----------



## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

My puppy had it and my vet actually put him on an antibiotic ointment to try. He said it was the first line they tried, but didn't usually work and often they would be obstructed permanently. However, it DID work for my pup and he hasn't had a reoccurrence (he just turned 2).


----------



## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

Did your vet actually place stain in the eyes to ensure they're truly blocked?

If they are and it does not open up, they can do surgery to fix the problem


----------



## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

True ... my vet did do the stain test .. and his were blocked.


----------



## MadLab (Jan 7, 2013)

I used lanolin and vaseline 50/50 mix around the eyes if any issues like this.


----------



## Mama Jax (Feb 15, 2015)

Thanks everyone. No she didn't do a test, but I think I will ask for that to be done if it doesn't resolve soon. I hope an antibiotic ointment or vaseline mix will help before having to do surgery :/

Thanks again.


----------



## Mama Jax (Feb 15, 2015)

Galathiel, when your pup had it, was the discharge really bad? Like really really bad? Or just annoying and just didn't seem normal? I ask because I googled pictures of obstructed tear ducts in dogs and I saw a couple pictures where the parts surrounding the eyes were just completely soaked. Jax's don't get THAT bad, but to the point where I just don't think it's normal and I've never ever seen a dog with constant tears/eye boogers. His come down from the inside corners of his eyes. The pics I saw, like I said, were all around the eyes.


----------



## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

Mama Jax said:


> Galathiel, when your pup had it, was the discharge really bad? Like really really bad? Or just annoying and just didn't seem normal? I ask because I googled pictures of obstructed tear ducts in dogs and I saw a couple pictures where the parts surrounding the eyes were just completely soaked. Jax's don't get THAT bad, but to the point where I just don't think it's normal and I've never ever seen a dog with constant tears/eye boogers. His come down from the inside corners of his eyes. The pics I saw, like I said, were all around the eyes.


The tear ducts are the inside corner of the eye. Berlin has always had a tear stain on his left eye. Likely there is some mild obstruction at least of the tear duct. He has never had large amounts rolling down his face. I've never done a stain test to see if it's truly draining. I just wipe it with a baby wipe


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

I had one dog with obstructed tear ducts. Took her to a good opthamologist and they were able to open the lower ones in each eye without an operation. When I asked about the others, they said that the operation was not without risk and not worth it so long as one duct in each eye was working. So try an opthamologist if this doesn't work.


----------



## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

middleofnowhere said:


> I had one dog with obstructed tear ducts. Took her to a good opthamologist and they were able to open the lower ones in each eye without an operation. When I asked about the others, they said that the operation was not without risk and not worth it so long as one duct in each eye was working. So try an opthamologist if this doesn't work.


IMO no procedure should really be done by a regular vet. I would always recommend seeing an opthamalogist


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

In this instance, I would want to see an eye doctor too. Veterinarians & Public

However, with my dog, my own vet was able to work his way through her issues. Stain, ointment, pipette type cleaning, then when he went to do the surgery, it turned out that on the one side there was no duct at all. We didn't do anything with that, and she leaks, I wipe.


----------



## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

For my pup, I felt like I was always wiping his eyes and carried a towel or tissue around to have handy because I can't STAND anything on a dog's face. Even when we're outside playing, I make him stop while I wipe dirt off his muzzle to his dismay. It wasn't swollen or anything, just ... always seemed to be runny.


----------



## Mama Jax (Feb 15, 2015)

Thank you all for your input!! It's been very helpful.


----------

