Eye Boogers (Discharge): The Reasons Why and How to Help Your Pet

Eye boogers happen to the best of us, including our furry family members. Does your dog wake up with eye discharge every morning? Or is it a constant occurrence throughout the day? Eye boogers can range in color and the cause can be anything from minor allergies to an underlying eye infection. Find out everything you ever wanted to know (and some you didn’t) about eye boogers in pets, including the reasons why and how to help.

Why Do Animals Get Eye Boogers and What Are They?

During the day, your dog (or cat) blinks their eyes every few seconds, allowing tears to move across the surface of the eye. Blinking moisture into the eye keeps it clean and removes anything foreign. But when they sleep, they don’t blink. Without fresh tears to wash away the gunk, mucus and other debris build up in the corners. This is typically what you see after your pet wakes up. Normal eye discharge will be clear to whitish-gray with a watery consistency. It should look similar to the eye boogers that humans get. 

Is it Normal For Your Pet to Have Eye Boogers Every Day?

Pets get eye boogers most often when they are asleep. This is a natural occurrence in dogs and cats (and humans) and can happen every day. You should not be worried about daily eye discharge as long as its appearance stays normal. If you notice your pet’s discharge looks more pus-like with crust, you may want to consider taking them to the vet. Pus in the eye can be a sign of an infection or other issue.

When Should You be Worried About Your Pet’s Eye Discharge?

As humans, we don’t tend to think about our eye discharge unless they are overly dry or caked with gunk. This is also true for your pet. Take notice of your pet’s behavior. Are they blinking or squinting a lot? Do they seem to be in pain or generally uncomfortable? Chances are their eye discharge is abnormal.

Look for these signs of eye issues in your pet:

• An increase in discharge, watery or otherwise
• A change in the consistency of the eye boogers
• Are they dry or bloodshot?
• Blinking or squinting more than average
• Thick, smelly discharge
• Do they hold their eyes closed or appear sensitive to light?
• Pawing or rubbing their eyes
• A foreign object visible in the eye

If your pet has any of the above symptoms, it’s time to schedule a vet visit!

Common Causes of Eye Discharge

If your pet’s eye discharge does not appear to be normal, the reason may be one of these common causes.

Conjunctivitis is inflammation in the lining of the eye and can occur from many things, including allergies, tear duct problems, and injury. The symptoms of conjunctivitis are watery discharge, yellowish-green pus, or mucus in the eye. The eyes may also be itchy, bloodshot, and crusty.

Epiphora, or excessive tearing, can be the result of many things, such as allergies, eye pain, inflammation, etc. Apart from constantly wet eyes, the fur around the eyes may be stained and smelly. Dry eyes can occur from injury, distemper, or the body’s immune system. With dry eyes, you will notice a firm, sticky eye discharge, mucus, and inflammation.

Corneal ulcers are painful sores caused by trauma, disease, or foreign objects. Corneal ulcers typically cause red, watery eyes, squinting, sensitivity to light, and eye rubbing.

How To Treat Eye Boogers in Your Pet

The first step in maintaining your pet’s eye health is to take them for a check-up and let your vet determine if their discharge is an underlying infection or other issues. Once you get this under control, try these tips for cleaning your pet’s normal eye discharge:

• Trim the fur around the eyes. Long hair can make discharge worse, so be sure to give your pet a regular cut.
• Don’t use your fingers to take gunk out of the eye. Our hands can contain harmful bacteria that can enter your pet’s eye. Use a clean, damp rag to wipe eye boogers out of your pet’s eyes. You can also use a tear stain remover to clean the fur around the eyes.
• Pet stores sell non-toxic eye drops for canines that you can use to help moisturize the eyes. However, you should ask your vet before using any products in or around the eye.

*Note: AZ Animals does not attempt to give medical or veterinarian advice. If you believe your pet has unusual discharge, take them to see the vet for a professional opinion before trying any home remedies or OTC products.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Alexandr Jitarev/Shutterstock.com