Things You'll Need
Small grooming scissors
Cotton swabs
Mineral oil
Hydrogen peroxide
Water
Bowl
Soft cloth
There are many theories about what causes tear stains, the brownish trails found beneath the eyes of many small dogs, and even some larger ones. Some people believe that the tear ducts of the breeds prone to the condition are simply too small and/or narrow to wick away excess moisture quickly enough. Others think that running eyes and tear stains are an external manifestation of a minor internal virus. Whatever the cause, tear stains on your poodle are unsightly and quite easy to remove.
Use a pair of small grooming scissors to carfully cut away the stained hair from around the corners of the poodle's eyes. Be very careful; this hair may be damp and/or matted. Have a professional groomer cut away this hair if you are not comfortable doing it yourself.
Dip a cotton swab into a little mineral oil and carefully apply it around your poodle's eyes, close to the edges of the eyes, to protect them. The mineral oil is non-caustic to your dog's eyes.
Mix together one part of hydrogen peroxide with 10 parts of water in a bowl.
Dip a cotton swab into the hydrogen peroxide solution. Rub it carefully over the tear stain trails to lift them and clean the areas.
Dip a soft cloth into clean water and wipe it over the places where you applied the hydrogen peroxide mixture to remove any of the solution or any of the mineral oil that remains.
References
Photo Credits
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poodle pair image by Tinu from Fotolia.com
Writer Bio
Jourdan Townsend has been writing since childhood. Her articles appear in a collection of student works at the University of Oklahoma as well as in the school's "Honors College Journal." Townsend also composes poetry, some of which can be found in an edition of the "Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans." Townsend holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication.
