How to Clean Shih Tzu Eyes: A Proper Prevention of Potential Problems

Britta Thygesen 22.08.2022 0

Proper Shih Tzu eye care is essential to keeping your canine’s eyes healthy. This breed has a shortened face and big eyes. These two things make a Shih Tzu adorable, but at the same time, these characteristics can also lead to some health problems. Their bulging eyes are especially prone to several diseases, including cataracts, corneal ulcers, eyelash issues, pink eye, and bacterial infections.

I’m going to tell you how to clean Shih Tzu’s eyes. You cannot prevent inclination to a genetic eye condition, but wash and check them regularly. You will know your dog’s eyes well enough to notice the warning signs of potential problems. In most cases, Shih Tzu eye infection treatment is far more effective when the condition is caught early.

How to Clean Shih Tzu Eyes: Manual for Dogs’ Owners

Clean the area surrounding the eyes of the dog.
Place a cloth over the affected region to cleanse your pet’s eye.
Wipe the inner eye region to prevent irritation.
Take out the dirt from the corner of the dog’s eyes.
Use a clean, soft towel to dry the area well.

The answer is simple if you’re wondering how to keep Shih Tzu’s eyes clean. Wipe the ocular region every day, even though you can’t see the contamination. While the eye area may not appear unclean, food particles, damp hairs, and grime can build up. Keeping those huge and gorgeous eyes healthy for years is as simple as wiping them once daily.

To clean your dog’s eyes, you’ll need:

A cleanser for the eyes;
Cotton balls or other soft material;
A set of Q-Tips (cotton swabs);
A soft and dry towel.

How to clean your Shih Tzu’s eyes — a step-by-step guide

Let’s start! Follow the step-by-step guide below not to fail this process.

You may use wipes to clean your eyes, or you can make your own cleaning solution out of warm water. When using wipes, be sure they don’t include irritants that might harm your Shih Tzu’s eyes.

Step 1: Clean the surrounding area of the eyes.

The cotton ball or soft rag should be soaked in the solution and wrung out so that it has enough liquid but is not weeping water.

Start wiping from the inner corner of the eye outwards. Wipe 3 times:

Once above the eye;
Once, just below the eye;
Once down the nose.

Step 2: Cleanse the dog’s eyes by placing a cloth over the affected region.

Shut an eye for a minute to avoid irritating it. To calm your Shih Tzu down, if they wriggle while you’re doing this, provide mild praise and stroke the back of their ears.

Step 3: Wipe the inner eye region in a downward or nose-directed motion.

After soaking for around one minute, you can proceed to gentle wiping. With a finger inserted under the cloth, clean the inner eye region with the abovementioned moves. The dirt in your pet’s eyes might irritate him, so don’t use an upward motion while wiping.

Step 4: Take out the debris from the corner of the eyes and surrounding areas.

To remove crusties from the hair, gently use your fingernail, towel, or cotton swab on the affected area. You can use a cotton swab instead of a cloth to reach the interior corner. It is safer to remove boogers from your Shih Tzus’ inner corner of their eyes, thanks to a cotton swab’s soft, rounded tip.

To avoid dragging the swab into the central eye region, gently glide the swab toward the nose instead of jamming it in the corner.

Continue using the abovementioned treatments until the eye region is free of crusts. Remove any residual dirt from the surrounding area. Be careful not to poke your dog’s eye.

Step 5: Dry the area thoroughly with a clean, soft towel.

Then, dry it thoroughly with a soft, clean cloth. Leaving an eye to air-dry will allow germs to thrive in the damp region, which might lead to an illness.

How to keep your Shih Tzu’s eyes clean?

A dog’s facial shape might make it more susceptible to ocular discharge than other breeds, such as Shih Tzus. A lot of little dog breeds are known for their excessive tearing. If you’re wondering how to clean Shih Tzu tear stains — use tear stain removers that do not contain tylosin tartrate. Please, do not use apple cider vinegar, milk of magnesia, hydrogen peroxide, makeup remover, and other human products.

Your Shih Tzu’s eyes will remain healthy for many years if you follow this simple instruction regularly:

Take a look at the eyes;
Make sure the ocular areas are free of debris;
If not — remove the debris that accumulates around the eye’s rim;
Dry its eyes.

These amazing and sensitive creatures are prone to Shih Tzu dog eye problems. Daily cleaning is the most effective way to prevent tear staining and infection. Keep a close check on their eyes for any irregularities. If you observe any changes during your daily home eye inspection, you should make an appointment with your veterinarian.

FAQ on Shih Tzu Eyes

I hope you’ve already learned how to keep Shih Tzu eyes clean, but if you still have some questions, check them below.

Do Shih Tzus sleep with their eyes open?

Dogs often sleep with their eyes half open, which is normal, but rarely can a problem arise. Some breeds are more likely to sleep with their eyes open at night. Lagophthalmos is a common problem in short-faced dogs like Shih Tzus. Their eyes can’t close completely because of this issue.

Why does my Shih Tzu always have eye boogers?

Boogers are a buildup of mucus that usually helps to remove dirt and debris from the corners of the eyes. In addition to the watery section, there is a fatty and mucus-containing component. Tears’ watery component disappears over time. As a result, some crust or mucus may be in the eye’s corner.

Why do Shih Tzus eyes water?

Many Shih Tzu dogs suffer from excessive tearing due to their shallow eye sockets or hair development in the skin folds around their eyes. If your Shih Tzu has watery eyes, it could be due to various things, like poorly groomed fur with food particles that can be transferred into eyes, infections, allergies, etc.

Do Not Forget to Do It Regularly

Unfortunately, the Shih Tzu’s large eyes make it particularly vulnerable to dirt and debris, resulting in an infection due to an overgrowth of mucus and bacteria. You can keep their eyes clean and healthy daily with a gentle wipe. Regular cleaning makes it possible to see changes in eye conditions that might necessitate medical treatment.