Do all Bichon Frise have tear stains? Your Bichon Frise has adorable round eyes that make you want to cuddle with her immediately, but these round eyes can lead to brown streaks on her face. The shape keeps the tears from gathering in the center to be reabsorbed by the eye. Instead, the tears tend to spill right out of the duct onto your pup’s face.
Do all Bichon Frise have Tear Stains?
This can lead to tearing staining under her eyes. Wipe under her eyes with a damp rag several times a day, adding a drop of no-tear puppy shampoo to the cloth if you see a bit of brown appearing. Changing her water to distilled water can also help. Distilled water doesn’t contain iron oxide, which can discolor her fur with secreted tears. Do all Bichon Frise have Tear Stains?
Her tear stains might be completely normal, or they might be a sign of an eye infection or problems with the tear ducts. If she’s suffering from allergies, she might lick her lips often and leave brown stains, her eyes might water more. Staining may vary from dog to dog and may be light pink or a rusty brown in color.
The stain may also be caused by several factors. Bichons can have a number of eye diseases. (Some of the more serious diseases can cause blindness but may not be responsible for excess tearing!) Bichons are sometimes found to have very small tear ducts or to have tear ducts that are blocked. To determine this problem, your vet will put a stain in the eye to color the tears. He will then look for drainage to the nose and if the yellow stain does not show up there, he will know the duct is blocked.
Sometimes Bichons can have an extra row of eyelashes or have eyelids that turn inward. In these conditions, the lashes irritate the eye, causing tears. Obviously, infection in the eye can be a problem and can be treated by prescription ointment or drops. Never put any drops or ointment into the eye without a veterinary prescription.
Bichon Frise have tear stains (opens in a new tab)” rel=”noreferrer noopener” class=”rank-math-link”>Do all Bichon Frise have tear stains / Tear Staining Due to Allergies
Bichons with allergies may also tear and this will probably be a seasonal problem. In fact, sometimes the tear staining clears up on its own without any kind of special treatment. Dogs that have never teared before may start to have a problem in later life. Oddly enough, the older Bichon may have a problem with dry eye and this dog may also have some eye staining. Puppies will often tear when they are teething, which then clears up without treatment.
The description of the perfect Bichon calls for the eye to be round. A round eye will spill tears over the rim rather than always flowing to the corner and down the tear duct. Some Bichons with proper round eyes, however, may never have eye stain. Some kinds of infections are caused by bacteria that cause the redness. Also, excessive amounts of iron in the dog’s diet or water can cause the staining, since iron turns reddish when exposed to air.
How to Clean Tear strains off Bichon Frise?
The first action should be a veterinary examination and he may recommend a visit to a veterinary ophthalmologist, especially if he suspects a serious problem. If there is no serious problem or if the tearing is seasonal, as with allergies, your simplest solution may be to treat the staining cosmetically.
Cleaning Hairs Under Eye
Regardless of the cause, keeping the face clean is part of the solution. This means cleaning the hair under the eye several times a day. Remember you are never to put any drops or ointment into the eye without a veterinary prescription. However, you can wash the hair itself and should do so several times a day.
A mild shampoo, dilute lemon juice or saltwater can be used. Or you can look at your pet store for a product that cleans the hair (which will probably be a salt solution). There are products available to place on the hair under the eye that will allow the tears to flow over the area without soaking in. These look like a white cream. You can do the same thing with Vaseline. Keep the hair trimmed around the eye.
Several solutions are suggested that may help to avoid staining if there seems to be no inherited physical problem or disease present in the eye. One solution may be to allow your dog to drink only distilled water. Iron in the water will cause any secretions to stain pink or reddish color.
This is because iron in his or her secretions turns red (as in the color of rust when iron oxidizes) once saliva is exposed to air. You will notice that spots where your dog licks will also have that pink or reddish stain, also from iron in the saliva. Some breeders add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar per gallon to the distilled water for drink
Diet
Diet can change things for many dogs but it is important your veterinarian has ruled out medical causes before changing your dog’s diet. If your tap water is high in minerals, consider swapping your dog to filter water. Always feed from stainless steel or ceramic food bowl. Plastic is easily scratched and can harbor bacteria which can cause facial irritation.
There are a few veterinary prescription diets (hydrolyzed protein diets), where the protein is broken down into very small particles from which the body (theoretically) shouldn’t react.
You can also prepare you dogs food at home using the same high-quality ingredients that you eat. A home-prepared diet can work wonders and sometimes all it takes is a change from commercial to home-prepared.
Taking Care of Eyes
Caring for the eyes of a Bichon frise is one of the most important aspects of its health. This article will help you out with some of the things that you can do to ensure that your Bichon has clean and healthy eyes.
If there’s one dog that can make you go all gooey inside and melt even the toughest of hearts with its twinkling eyes and stuffed-toy like appearance, it’s the Bichon Frise.
There’s something about this furry little creature that makes you want to just cuddle up to it and protect it from any possible danger. But this adorable cuteness does come at a price. Among the various health problems of the Bichon Frise, it’s the one affecting the eyes of these angelic dogs that are most common. However, they’re also very easy to take care of.
Eye Problems of the Bichon Frise
The Bichon Frise has small, dark, button-like eyes, which gleam in innocent mischief. However, due to the excess hair around the eyes, dirt gets accumulated near the eyes, resulting in tear stains.
And since these dogs have a snow-white coat of fur, these stains become even more visible to people looking at the dog. It not only makes the poor little dogs uncomfortable but also mars their appearance to some extent. Fortunately, we have some tips that you can use to keep your Bichon’s eyes clean and clear.
Groom of Eyes
If you own one of these dogs, you’re well aware of how high maintenance they are. It’s not only their fur that needs this high maintenance though. Make it a point to make sure that the area around the eyes gets extra attention. Since the fur around the eyes offers protection from dirt and dust, you can’t really remove it from there.
It is in fact, this very dirt and dust that is getting collected and producing the tear stains. What you can do is, neatly trim the hair around the eyes. This will ensure that your dog gets protection from the foreign particles, and at the same time not allow too much gunk to get accumulated. Plus, it will reduce the level of irritation that he feels around the eyes.
You can have a professional dog groomer do this for your Bichon, or if you think you have the hang of it, you can do it yourself. Be extremely careful though.
Keep the Eyes Clean
Apart from regular grooming and trimming, you need to make sure that your Bichon’s eyes remain clean at all times. It comes with the territory really. You simply can’t expect to have a Bichon as a pet and then conveniently ignore its eye cleaning regime. Especially if he’s prone to tear staining.
You need to constantly keep an eye on his eyes and make sure that when you see tear stains forming, you get a soft cloth and some water out. Gently clean the area around the eyes and wipe away the stains. After you have wiped the eyes clean, you can apply some petroleum jelly around the eye (be careful to not let it enter the eyes). This petroleum jelly will prevent the particles of dust or dirt from entering the eyes by keeping them at bay.
Conclusion
Because of the Bichon Frise Cotton, powderpuff appearance. Tear staining will be quickly noticed. The thing to check into are:
- Non-Metal Food Bowls
- Keep Hair Trimmed around Eyes
- Use Non-Tear Shampoo
- Drink Distilled / Water with no Iron Content
- Modifying Diet
- Prescription Eye Drops from Veterinary
- Check with Vet for plugged tear ducts, or infection
Top 10 Bichon Designer Breeds / Parents /Size / Video
| Designer Mix | Parents | Size | Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maltichon | Bichon / Maltese | Height / 8-11 inches Weight / 8 - 13 lbs | Maltichon |
| Bichpoo | Bichon / Poodle | Height / 9 - 14 inches Weight / 6 - 9 lbs | Bichpoo |
| Shichon | Bichon / Shih Tzu | Height / 9 - 12 inches Weight / 10 - 15lbs | Shichon |
| Yorkie Bichon | Bichon / Yorkie | Height / 9 - 12 inches Weight / 6 - 8 lbs | Bichon Yorkie |
| Chi Chon | Bichon / Chihuahua | Height / 8 - 10 Inches Weight / 6 - 10 Lbs | Chi Chon |
| Kashon | Bichon / Cairn Terrier | Height / 9 - 15 Inches Weight / 10 -18 Lbs | Kashon |
| Goldichon | Bichon / Golden Retriever | Height/15 - 20 inches Weight /20-40 Lbs | Goldichon |
| Chonzer | Bichon / Miniature Schnauzer | Height /10-16 inches Weight / 25-35 lbs | Chonzer |
| Glechon | Bichon / Beagle | Height /15-16 inches Weight / 15-35 lbs | Glechon |
| Corgi | Bichon / Corgi | Height /11-13 inches Weight / 31-37 lbs | Corgi |
Name - Link for Research
Parents - Breeds of Dogs
Size Height / Weight
Video - Video of the Bichon Designer Breed
Chart of Bichon Birthing Accessories
| Breeder Box | Do Not used Wired Dog cage |
| Heater | We use space heater for whole Room |
| scale | To Weigh Puppies make sure they are Gaining Weight |
| Clean towels | Chande during Birthing to clean up |
| Protected Space | Keep Mother away from other Dogs to avoid Distress |
| Draft Protection | Drafts can chill and kill a Puppy |
| Squash protection | Mothers can accidently squash a puppy |
| clean bedding | to replace after birth - will be wet |
| Seclusion | Needs her Privacy - she can get Hyper |
| Rubber Gloves | Keep things Clean and from Blood |
| Scisorrs & Thread | For Cutting Cord |
Puppy Birthing Complications
| Complications | Steps |
|---|---|
| If Unsure | Take to Vet If Time allows |
| Keep Mother Isolated | If Other dogs around she could get defensive and accidently Hurt Puppies |
| Puppy Accidentally Crushed | Make sure Not Giving Birth in Dog cage - puppies can work themselves through mesh and get Damaged |
| Not Breathing | Gently Give it Mouth to mouth |
| Not breathing | Massage Puppy trying to gently force fluid from his lungs |
| Puppy Stuck | Gently Pull |
| Puppy Breech | Help Guide legs out |
| Puppy Cold | Raise Enviorment to 85 degrees |
| Puppy Cold | Change Wet Bedding |
| Puppy Cold | Warm Puppy up put on Your body till body heat warms him |
| Puppy Cold | No drafts - No metal Floor Pan on Cage |
| Puppy not going on Nipple | Help Guide him to nipple till he gets hand of it |
| Puppy not feeding | Try Small baby Bottle let him suck - do not force him - can drown him with milk going in lungs |
| Puppy not feeding | Use puppy Milk Supplement |
| Puppy Not feeding | check for Cleft Palate |
| Puppy Not Feeding | Take to Vet - he can show you Catheter Feeding |
| Puppy Not Growing | Make sure Mother has plenty Food Water |
| Puppy Not Growing | You can check on scale |
| Labor stops or is prolonged over 24 hours | Take to vet - C section can save litter and Mother if needed |
| Mother does not Remove Membrane | You will Need to Manually remove it |
| Mother does not chew through Umbilical Cord | You will need to cut it 1/2 " away from puppies body tier with thread |
And Recommended Steps
Expense Table for Owning Bichons Frise
| Average Cost of AKC Puppy | Puppy Shots | Food | Grooming 4 / per year | Cage / Accessories / Bowls / Brushes / Leash / Collar | AKC - Registration Within 6 Months of Purchase | Micro Chip | Yearly Meds Heart Worm Worming | Dog License | Total Investment | Puppies Possible / Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ 450 - No Breeding Rights | $ 120 | $ 10 / Wk High Quality Food | $ 45 ea / $180 Yr | Cage - $50 Rest - 50 | $ 35 | $ 45 - One Time Cost By Vet | Heart Worm Meds - $60 / Yr Worming - $ 30 / YR | $ 35 / Yr | $ 1575 / Dog | 1-6 Puppies Average 3 |
| $ 750 - $ 950 Puppy with AKC Papers and No Restrictions | Total Investment | |||||||||
Breeds Descended from Water Dogs
| Name of Breed | Country of Origin |
|---|---|
| American Water Spaniel | United States |
| Barbet | France |
| Cantabrian Water Dog | Spain |
| English Water Spaniel | England |
| Irish water Spaniel | Ireland |
| Lagotto Romagnoio | Italy |
| Poodle | Germany |
| Portuguese Water Dog | Portugal |
| Pudelpointer | Germany |
| Spanish water Dog | Spain |
| Tweed water Spaniel | England |
| Wetterhoun | Netherlands |
Bichon Frise Resource Links
| Bichon Frise Club of America | United States | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Bichon Frise AKC | United States | Link |
| Bichon Frise United Kennel Club | UK | Link |
