Why Does My Schnauzer Have Eye “Gunk”? And What to Do

The first thing I always notice about our Schnauzer’s eyes is how large, brown, and beautifully doe-eyed they are. The second thing I started to notice was a slight build-up of dark “gunk” at the inner corners. I wanted to make sure we weren’t missing something about her overall eye health, so I looked into what causes it and what we should do to help prevent and treat it.

Why do Schnauzers have eye “gunk” and what to do about it? Schnauzers can generate a build-up of eye discharge due to normal flushing out of dust and other particles. However, is can also be a sign of a more serious eye condition. Keep the eye area clean with a warm wash cloth and watch for more serious symptoms.

Eye discharge is a common condition in Schnauzers. The discharge can have a limpid and watery consistency or a pus-like discharge, which forms a crusty residue at the inner corner of their eye.

In most cases, you don’t have to worry about the “gunk”, and can easily clean it out using a damp, warm washcloth. But occasionally, it could be a sign that he is suffering from a severe medical condition.

What Causes the Black Crusty Build-Up?

There are a couple of reasons why your Schnauzer’s eyes are teary. Beth Kimmitt, a doctor of veterinary medicine at Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, explains that a dog’s eye is continually producing tears. While the tears shouldn’t result in any ocular discharge, a small amount of discharge is no cause for alarm.

The easiest way to determine whether your pup’s eye discharge is healthy is to check its consistency. Clear eye discharge is often caused by allergies or a foreign body in the eye, like dust or debris. It could also be the result of too much wind blowing in his face.

Often, the discharge will dry before you have a chance to check it. This is because every time your Schnauzer blinks, he releases tears that provide protection to his eyes. The tears also help to clean out any irritants like a lash, fur, or dust. The residue builds up and leaves a crusty residue behind.

However, if you notice that your dog’s eyes have chronic crust or a thick goopy discharge, he may be suffering from an eye problem. You might also want to read my article Do Schnauzers Get Cataracts? 10 Eye Problems to Know About.

Some conditions that can cause your Schnauzer to get teary are:

Allergies

Like humans, Schnauzers can be allergic to numerous things. Common symptoms of a canine allergic reaction are:

• Pawing at their eye
• Excessive eye discharge
• Itchy, runny eyes
• Red or irritated skin
• Excessive scratching due to skin irritation

You can begin treatment at home by flushing the eye out with an over-the-counter sterile eyewash. However, you should also contact your veterinarian for additional options. Visiting with your vet will also rule out more serious problems and may help you determine why your Schnauzer has allergies.

Conjunctivitis or Pink Eye

Conjunctivitis is characterized by a swelling of the eye’s lining. If this is the cause for the teary eyes, the discharge will be watery, yellow-green pus. Other symptoms of this condition are redness of the eyes, excessive blinking, crusty eyes, pawing at the eyes, and keeping eyes closed for too long. Again, a visit to the vet is key to resolving this situation. As with human conjunctivitis, this is highly contagious and can actually be transmitted to you and your family! If you believe your Schnauzer has Pink Eye, be sure to wash your hands.

Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (KCS)

Also known as dry eye, this condition is characterized by an inability to generate enough tears. If your Schnauzer’s eye glands are infected or if your dog has experienced trauma recently, they could be rendered incapable of producing tears. Symptoms of dry eye include yellow discharge, excessive blinking, and inflammation of the eyelids.

Glaucoma

This eye problem is caused by too much pressure in the eye, and it can be identified in several ways. These include bulging eye(s), cloudy eyes, and occasional tearing. If your pooch is suffering from glaucoma, they’ll experience intense pain. You should seek medical help immediately.

Epiphora

This entails excessive tear production in your dog. As more tears flow freely down your dog’s face, they drench their fur and cause skin irritation, infection, and odor. Symptoms of this health problem are wetness around the eyes, an unpleasant odor, and brown stains underneath their eyes.

If your Schnauzer is experiencing any of the symptoms above, it’s just best practice to see a veterinarian.

Once you have ruled out anything serious, you can simply maintain your pup’s eye health at home by removing the eye discharge and resulting “gunk” with a daily routine for both preventing build-up and cleaning it, if necessary.

Ways to Prevent Eye “Gunk”

Trim Hair Around Eyes

One of the causes of teary eyes is the presence of foreign objects like hair. If you have not been grooming your Schnauzer, it could be that several hair strands found their way into the eyes.

So after clearing the gunk, the next step to take is to trim their hair. Focus on the area around their eyes and use blunt scissors to avoid injuring them. If not confident in your grooming skills, hire a professional pet groomer. 

Wipe your Schnauzer’s Eyes Daily

The simplest way to prevent this discharge is to make cleaning their eyes part of their daily grooming. Always use a damp washcloth or baby wipes to clean them. If you opt for baby wipes, ensure the ingredients used won’t irritate your pup.

Clean your Schnauzer’s Bedding

Perhaps the reason why your dog has teary eyes is that they keep collecting dust from their soiled bedding. To prevent this, wash their bedding at least twice a week. Not only will this reduce the amount of dirt on their bedding, but it will also minimize pet odors.

Schedule Regular Eye Check-Ups

A regular visit to your vet can help to nip eye problems in the bud. You should have your Schnauzer examined at least once every year, and even more often if they’re very young, seniors, or have special medical needs.

From these frequent visits, your vet can detect eye problems early enough and recommend the measures to take to avoid similar issues down the road.

Pay Attention to Diet

Another way to prevent eye discharge is to provide your Schnauzer with a healthy diet. This should contain plenty of dog foods rich in vitamins C, D, and beta carotene. These nutrients promote eye health and prevent eye diseases that could cause teary eyes.

Check Collar

On the same note, avoid using collars that exert too much pressure around the dog’s neck. If the collar is too tight, it could be hampering proper drainage of the conjunctiva; hence, causing the discharge.

How to Remove Eye Discharge

1. Use a Damp Cloth. Avoid removing the gunk using your fingers. Just as with humans, a Schnauzer’s eyes are very sensitive. As such, any attempt to clean their eyes using your fingers might cause irritation. The right thing to use is a damp cloth.
2. Keep your dog calm. Schnauzers are generally well-mannered, which means you won’t have a problem clearing the residue. But if they seem restless or afraid, you’ll need to find a way of calming them down. For instance, you can have an individual, whom the dog is familiar with, hold them in their laps during the cleaning process.
3. To clean the eyes, first wet a clean washcloth with warm water. You can also use baby wipes. Next, wring it out so doesn’t drip with water but is damp enough to remove the crusty residue.
4. An important point to note here is that the water should be lukewarm or at room temperature. If it’s too hot or too cold, it’s only going to irritate your pup’s eyes further. Also, don’t fall into the temptation of using a napkin or paper towel. Both of these items can disintegrate upon contact with water, which creates the risk of some bits remaining in your dog’s eyes.
5. When clearing the build-up, use very light or soft strokes. You don’t want to end up poking her eyes. When necessary, rinse and wring the washcloth between strokes.
6. It’s not advisable to use any soap or shampoo at this point. Whether it’s dog-friendly or not, you shouldn’t use any other cleanser other than plain lukewarm water.

Additional Options for Cleaning Your Schnauzer’s Eyes

Try Dog Tear Stain Removers

You can also purchase a dog tear stain remover. However, you should only resort to this solution if it’s been recommended by your vet.

A good example of such a product is Burt’s Bees Tear-Stain remover. This solution is specially formulated for small dogs like Schnauzers. It can help to clear stubborn gunk buildup from your pup’s eyes, and it makes a great addition to his grooming kit.

Use Pet Eyewash

Depending on the cause of his teary eyes, your vet might have recommended that you buy pet wash for your Schnauzer. Most of the pet eye drops are non-irritants and non-toxic, so you don’t have to worry that your Schnauzer will have any side effects.

But even then, it is wise to consult your veterinarian on the specific eye drops to use on your breed.

Pet eye drops are one of the most recommended solutions for a dog’s eye discharge problem, and for a good reason. Not only do they clean out the crusty buildup and flush out irritants, but they also keep your Schnauzer’s eyes well-lubricated. Plus, they help to soothe allergic reactions.

That said, you should never apply the eye solution directly to the eyes. Instead, look for a cotton ball or pad and wet it with the solution. Be careful not to drench it as this may trigger irritation.

When cleaning, start from the inner corner and work your way to the exterior section. Also, ensure you use a new cotton ball for each of the eyes to avoid spreading bacteria, viruses, and infections.

Eye “Gunk” is Common, But…

Gunk buildup is a common occurrence in Schnauzers. However, depending on the consistency of the discharge, it could be a sign of an underlying medical condition.

If the discharge is mostly clear and watery, it’s probably a result of allergies or foreign objects.

If the discharge is yellow or green, and its consistency is thicker, it could be an indication of a severe eye problem. Most eye conditions are also accompanied by other symptoms such as inflammation, odor, and skin irritation.

Keeping your Schnauzer’s eyes healthy and knowing the difference between what is normal and what isn’t can be a meaningful act of dedicated care.

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