The 7 Best Tear Stain Removers for Dogs

Best Overall

Angels’ Eyes Gentle Tear Stain Wipes

$14 at Amazon $14 at Chewy $17 at Walmart

Eye wipes are so convenient. These individual pads are slightly textured so they can gently wipe away your pet’s eye gunk. They are pre-moistened with solution so all you have to do is swab around each eye to remove dried discharge and mucus. Be sure to use a fresh wipe for each eye, and there’s no need to rinse after.

Angels’ Eyes makes several products focused on tear stains. These wipes are mostly purified water, but they contain aloe vera and chamomile extract for soothing. They are unscented and pretty heavily saturated with cleaning solution. The wipes are just under three inches in diameter, so they are particularly easy to use with small pets, but you may have to use a few extra for larger dogs.

You can use these daily or as needed. To keep your dog’s eye area clean, it can help to also wipe around the eyes with a warm, damp cloth or cotton ball. Always wipe from the inner corner of the eye outward to avoid contaminating the eye.

^{Quantity: 100 wipes | Active Ingredients: Purified water, glycerin, decyl polyglucoside, propylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, dimethyl isosorbide, aloe vera, disodium edta, benzalkonium chloride, and chamomile extract}

Best Eye Wash

Burt’s Bees Natural Eye Wash with Saline Solution

$7 at Amazon $7 at Walmart View on Petsupermarket.com

Known for natural products targeting the care of pets and humans, Burt’s Bees has several pup-related eye products, including this simple eye wash made with saline solution. Created without sulfates, parabens, phthalates, colors, or fragrances, the solution is pH balanced for dogs and has saline in order to mimic your pet’s normal tears. It can be used on puppies as young as eight weeks old. To use, apply two to three drops in each eye as needed, then dab away any remaining liquid with a soft, dry cloth or tissue.

Burt’s Bees products are cruelty-free, meaning they aren’t tested on animals. The company focuses on natural and responsibly sourced ingredients.

^{Quantity: 4 fluid ounces | Active Ingredients: Water, glycerin, sodium chloride, benzalkonium chloride}

Best Paste

Squishface Wrinkle Paste

$19 at Amazon $19 at Walmart

This thick paste is a popular choice for wrinkly breeds like bulldogs and pugs. It can be used on tear stains, but also can be applied between the folds of irritated, red wrinkly skin. Wipe the area first, and then use a pea-sized glob for tear stains. Be sure to wipe off any extra and don’t get it too close to the eyes.

The cream is antibacterial and antifungal and uses ingredients like zinc oxide and coconut oil to soothe skin and to create a barrier against fungus and moisture. The manufacturer suggests using it daily for about a week and then continuing only if stains and irritation aren’t gone. After that, you may only need it every other day to keep tear stains and red skin in check. Because this has to be rubbed on the skin and not into the fur, it may be difficult to use for long-haired breeds. 

^{Quantity: 2 ounces | Active Ingredients: Coconut oil, avocado oil, shea butter}

Best Soft Chew

Zesty Paws Tear Stain Bites

$28 at Amazon $30 at Chewy View on 1-800-PetMeds

To help your dog maintain normal eye moisture and visual function, Zesty Paws delivers tear stain prevention ingredients in the form of a chicken flavored treat.

The Zesty Paws Tear Stain Bits are made with sustainably sourced fish oil to provide a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids (100 milligrams per chew). Each chew includes a proprietary antioxidant blend made with cranberries, along with additional active ingredients including marshmallow, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Depending on your dog's size, a daily serving will consist of one (up to 25 pounds) to three chews for dogs over 75 pounds. For all dogs, start by giving them half of one chew to see how they like it before moving up to the full daily dose.

Zesty Paws is a dog supplement company formulating and manufacturing their products in the Untied States. The brand is a member of the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), an organization that aims to standardize the quality of products in the animal supplement industry.

^{Quantity: 90 chews | Active Ingredients: Cranberry antioxidant blend, marshmallow, vitamin c, vitamin e, fish oil, eyebright extract, ceylon cinnamon, quercetin, astaxanthin, and lutein}

Best Supplement

Purina Pro Plan Fortiflora Probiotic Supplement

$31 at Chewy $31 at 1-800-PetMeds View on PETCO

Tear stain supplements hope to work on tear stain formation from the inside out, says Caos. They have natural ingredients that are targeted toward a healthy immune system, as well as skin and coat health and lubricated eye membranes. But a good probiotic may help too. Probiotics help with the immune system and gut health, but research also suggests they may help with eye health.

Popular with veterinarians, Fortiflora from Purina Pro Plan comes in single-use packets or as chewable tablets. Give a tablet or sprinkle the powder over your dog’s food once a day at mealtime. It’s meant to be given under your vet’s supervision.

^{Quantity: 30 packets | Active Ingredients: Enterococcus faecium}

Best Comb

Petpost Tear Stain Remover Comb

$12 at Amazon $12 at Chewy $14 at Walmart

Before using a tear stain remover, you might want to try using a fine-toothed comb to gently brush through the eye area with a little water.

“This will help separate the hairs, remove material that has congealed or gunked up, and make it easy to clean,” Caos told The Spruce Pets.

This small comb from Petpost has rounded, stainless steel teeth for safety and comfort. They bend slightly so they aren’t as stiff as a similar-looking flea comb.

The comb is just over two inches, so it’s relatively easy to maneuver around the eye area for all but the smallest dogs. It can be a little difficult to clean when eye gunk gets caught deep in the prongs. Washing after each use with hot, soapy water can help keep it clean.

^{Quantity: 1 comb | Active Ingredients: N/A}

Best Chews

Angels' Eyes Natural Plus Chicken Flavored Soft Chews Tear Stain Supplement

$28 at Chewy

Angels' Eyes Natural+ Tear Stain soft chews are an easy to administer supplement to add to your dog's daily routine. Each treat-like chew is chicken flavored and made without any wheat, corn, or artificial flavorings. The supplements are formulated to support healthy tear duct function with a blend of active ingredients—eyebright, olive leaf, cranberry, and marshmallow root.

The daily dosage correlates with a dog's current weight, so for dogs over 50 pounds, with a recommended dosage of three chews a day, this product is more expensive and makes a 90 chew supply last for only 30 days.

^{Quantity: 90 chews | Active Ingredients: Proprietary cranberry blend, eyebright, olive leaf, and marshmallow root}