Causes of Goopy Eyes: How to Help Your Pet

Do you remember waking up as a kid with ‘sand’ in your eyes and saying the Sandman came last night?

I'm pretty sure, though I could be wrong, that most pets have never heard of the Sandman. But many of them are very familiar with the feeling of crusty and goopy eyes.

It is normal for your pet to experience crusty or goopy eyes from time to time in the morning. But if the issue is continuous or lasts throughout the day, it could be an indication that there is a more serious condition going on.

Let’s eye-dentify some of the causes and symptoms of crusty and goopy eyes in pets so you will know whether it was just the Sandman visiting your pet or something more serious. And eye promise no more cornea puns!

When Eye Goop Is Just the Sandman

Tears are essential to keep your pet’s eyes healthy. Tears provide oxygen, nourishment, and hydration to the outer layers of the eye as well as remove debris from the surface of the eye.

At the inner corner of your pet’s eye is a duct through which tears normally drain. At times, such as in the morning, you may find goop or a crusty build-up accumulated there. That crust you find is made up of dried tears, oil, mucus, dead cells, dust, and possibly some other debris. Gross, right?!

Typically, it is clear or it may be light brown to slightly reddish-brown in color. Generally, you can remove it with a warm, damp cloth in the morning and your pet has no further issues the rest of the day.

If it is just typical morning eye goop, your pet’s eyes should be clear and open. They shouldn’t be red or inflamed after you remove the crust or goop. They should not be exhibiting any signs of eye discomfort either.

When Eye Goop Is More Serious

If your pet has eye goop that is occurring repeatedly and continuously throughout the day if the eye discharge changes in any way from its normal color or consistency, they have excessively watery eyes, and/or any of the symptoms of eye discomfort occur (listed below), there is likely a more serious cause, and you need to seek veterinary care for your pet.

Signs of Eye Discomfort

• Squinting or closing their eye
• Increased blinking
• Rubbing or pawing at their eye or face
• Sensitivity to light
• Elevated third eyelid

What Causes Goopy Eyes

There are several possible causes of goopy eyes in dogs and cats. When you know what to look for, you'll have a better sense of when your pet needs to see a vet.

Allergies

There are many allergens that cause allergic conjunctivitis. These can include dust, pollen, grasses, smoke, food, household cleaners, plants, and many other things.

Pets with allergic eye issues have the following symptoms:

• Eye discharge or continuous watering of the eyes (generally a clear, watery discharge)
• Redness
• Swelling of the conjunctiva (this is what conjunctiva can look like)
• Eye discomfort

Read more about conjunctivitis and see a photo of what it looks like, so you can identify it in your pet.

Anatomical Abnormalities

Pets can have physical and structural traits that cause goopy eyes. Such abnormalities include rolled-in (entropion) or rolled-out (ectropion) eyelids or abnormalities of eyelashes, such as extra lashes (distichiasis) or those growing from the eyelid underside (ectopic cilia) or malformed eyelids (eyelid agenesis).

If your pet is seeing a vet regularly, an eye exam will uncover these issues. The rolled lids are somewhat obvious and some are really severe. The eyelash abnormalities are a bit tricker without a veterinary exam.

Ectropion and distichiasis are rare in cats; entropion occurs in Persians, Burmese, and Himalayan cats.

Symptoms include:

• Ocular discharge (generally a clear, watery discharge)
• Moisture around the eyes
• Brown staining of their fur
• Squinting
• Redness
• Rubbing eyes
• Eye discomfort and pain
• Elevated third eyelid
• Runny nose
• Swollen eyelids
• Cloudy cornea and ulceration

Blocked Tear Ducts

Tear ducts (nasolacrimal ducts) allow tears to drain from the eye. When they become blocked, tears overflow from the eye and run down your pet’s face.

Tear ducts can become blocked for a few different reasons. Some possibilities include:

• Shape and size of the head and muzzle
• Hereditary defect in the formation of the tear duct (imperforate puncta)
  • Cocker Spaniels are commonly affected
• Foreign objects (common cause in dogs), like dirt or debris from being outside
• Infections
• Dental issues, such as a tooth root abscess
• Tumors

Symptoms of a blocked tear duct include:

• Excessive watering
• Staining under the eye or on the face
• Discharge (may be milky white)
• Redness
• Swelling of the eyelid or the area over the duct
• Skin infections below the eye noted by redness, itching, and/or hair loss

Corneal Ulcers

The clear outer layer of your pet’s eye is the cornea. An abrasion or open sore on their eye is called a corneal ulcer. There are many causes of corneal ulcers in pets. Such causes include the following:

• Infections (bacterial or viral)
• Eye injuries
• Self-trauma from rubbing their eye or face
• Anatomical abnormalities of the eyelid or eyelashes (entropion, ectropion, ectopic cilia)
• Exposure to chemicals, such as shampoo or conditioner
• Corneal disease (spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defect)
• Dry eye

They occur commonly in brachycephalic breeds due to their flat faces, eyelid abnormalities, and their protruding eyes.

Symptoms of corneal ulcers include:

• Pain (squinting, excessive blinking, or keeping the eye closed)
• Redness of the whites of the eye
• Discharge (clear, white, yellow, or green discharge)
• Cloudy or hazy cornea
• Pawing or rubbing at the eye
• Lethargy
• Change in appetite

Read more about corneal ulcers and what they look like.

Dry Eye (also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca – KCS)

Dry eye is a condition that results from an inadequate production of tears which results in inflammation of the cornea and drying of the surrounding tissues.

Common conditions that cause dry eye include immune-mediated inflammation of the glands that produce tears, congenital traits, genetics, hypothyroidism, infections from viruses, such as canine distemper or feline herpes virus, medications such as sulfa drugs, and nerves going to the tear glands can be damaged by inner ear infections, surgical removal rather than repair of a cherry eye, trauma, or other causes.

Certain breeds of dogs are predisposed to the condition. Cats of any breed are susceptible.

Symptoms include:

• Ocular discharge (thick white or gray)
• Crusty eyes
• Redness
• Excessive blinking
• Cloudy eyes
• Squinting

Read more about dry eye (KCS) and the age and dog breeds most affected. Cats of any breed are susceptible to dry eye.

Foreign Body in the Eye

When an object becomes trapped within the area of the eye, it is referred to as a foreign body. Foreign bodies in the eye, such as grass, leaves, twigs, sand, metal fragments, or any other small object, occur commonly in pets.

Symptoms include:

• Pain
• Redness
• Tearing
• Swelling
• Eyelid spasms
• Rubbing or pawing at eye or face

Foreign objects can cause a watery or thick mucus discharge.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a painful disease that occurs when fluid builds up in the eye, resulting in increased intraocular pressure. If left untreated it can result in blindness.

Symptoms of glaucoma may include:

• Eye pain
• Dilated pupils
• Redness
• Squinting
• Change in appetite
• Avoidance of light

Glaucoma causes watery ocular discharge.

Read more about dry eye (KCS) and the dog breeds most affected.

Infection (bacterial, viral, or fungal)

There are a variety of bacterial (canine brucellosis, Lyme disease, or leptospirosis), viral (distemper, herpes, canine influenza), and fungal (blastomycosis, cryptococcus or histoplasmosis, coccidiomycosis (Valley Fever)) infections that result in ocular discharge in pets.

Symptoms of eye infections include:

• Discomfort and pain
• Excessive blinking
• Squinting
• Swelling around the eye
• Redness

Infection can cause different types of ocular discharge ranging from watery to a green or yellow thick, sticky discharge.

Irritants (wind, pollen, dust, chemicals, or scents)

Your pet’s eyes can become irritated by a variety of things in your pet’s environment and cause ocular discharge and crusting.

Symptoms can include:

• Redness
• Tearing
• Discharge (clear, watery, or thick mucus discharge
• Swelling
• Squinting
• Pain

Read more about harmful scents.

How to Treat Goopy Eyes

As you can tell from the list above, the symptoms are very similar, with a few differences, for most of the causes of crusty or goopy eyes. So, if your pet has crusty or goopy eyes repeatedly or continuously, especially if they show signs of pain, seek veterinary care as soon as possible.

Without prompt treatment, which could be medical and/or surgical, these conditions can cause your pet to go blind or result in the removal of their eye (enucleation).

The type of treatment your veterinarian will recommend will be determined by the cause of the eye's discharge. Often treatment is multitherapeutic and includes any of the following:

• Topical eye medications (antibiotics, antivirals, steroids, and/or serum)
• Allergy management
• Tear stimulant eye drops (veterinary prescribed)
• Artificial tears (sterile and preservative-free)
• Oral medications such as pain medications, NSAIDs, antibiotics, antivirals, or antihistamines
• Surgery
• Elizabethan collar

Note: Consult with your veterinarian before applying anything in or near your pet’s eyes.

Besides seeking veterinary care, there are some things you can do to help improve your pet’s comfort and decrease some of the discharge.

Daily Eye Cleaning

If your pet is suffering from the eye conditions listed in this article, it is important to clean your pet’s eyes daily and, in some cases, multiple times per day.

Step 1

Remove any hardened crust or thick ‘goopiness’ if it is caught in the fur. This hard gunk pulls on their fur, causing discomfort if not removed. In some cases, you may find it helpful to use a flea comb to loosen and remove it. Be careful not to scratch your pet’s eye or skin with the comb. Even paper towels are abrasive.

Note: If the crust is thick and well entangled into the hair, soak a clean, soft cloth in warm water and apply the compress to your pet’s eye for a minute or two. This will soften the crust and make it easier to remove without causing irritation.

Step 2

Soak a cotton round or a soft cloth in warm water, sterile saline or eye wash solution, or the water from the iClean mini and gently wipe away any remaining crust or debris.

An advantage of using the water from the iClean mini is that it has antibacterial benefits and, in some cases, bacteria is present in the area covered in goop.

Work from the inner corner of the eye outward. Repeat until there is no more crusting or goop.

Note: DO NOT use harsh products around the eye as this can lead to further irritation.

Note: When cleaning your pet’s eyes, ALWAYS use a clean cotton round or cloth.

Note: Do not rub too hard as this can cause irritation and worsen the condition.

Reward your pet. The more positive the experience, the more willing they will be to let you clean their eyes.

Regular Grooming

Keep the hair around your pet’s eyes and nose trimmed as short as possible. This helps the area stay drier, which decreases irritation and risk of infection, as well as lessens the build-up of ocular discharge.

If your pet spends a lot of time outside, wipe their bodies down with a damp cloth or pet wipe, to remove allergens and irritants. You may also find it beneficial to bathe your pet, especially if they have allergies, weekly in a hypoallergenic, tear-free shampoo and apply a leave-in conditioner that repels allergens, such as The Stuff for dogs.

Regularly brush your pet’s coat to remove any allergens or possible irritants from their hair. See which brushes we recommend for cats and different dog coat types.

Clean, Clean, Clean

Routinely cleaning your pet’s environment helps keep the area free from allergens and irritants that can cause runny, watery eyes.

• Dust and vacuum daily to remove dust mites and other irritants.
• Wash their bedding several times a week.
  • NOTE: To make it easier, consider covering their bedding in allergen-proof covers. If their bed is small enough, you can use king-sized pillowcase covers to keep allergens from getting into the bed foam.

• Clean food and water bowls daily.
• Use air purifiers.
• If chemical cleaners are known to aggravate your pet’s allergies or cause eye irritation, consider using the iClean mini for cleaning your home.
  
  

Diet and Supplements

A proper diet is essential for any pet. If your pet has allergies to food or the environment, discuss with your veterinarian about what diet will benefit your pet the most.

Anti-inflammatory supplements such as Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil), can help decrease inflammation and discharge.

Antioxidants protect the eyes from free radicals and oxidative stress. Some antioxidant-rich foods include blueberries, carrots, and spinach.

Probiotics help support a healthy immune system and they keep your pet’s gut microbiome stay in balance. A strong immune system not only helps pets fight infections but is also beneficial for pets with allergies.

Additionally, when the gut microbiome is imbalanced, pets have an increased risk of allergic responses. Lastly, probiotics help reduce inflammation. Inflammation is associated with many eye issues and inflammatory responses that lead to itching redness, swelling, and hives. Managing inflammation will help with allergic reactions.

Preventing Eye Goop in Dogs and Cats

Shampoos and conditioners, especially those that aren’t tear-free, can cause irritation to your pet’s eyes. Prior to bathing, apply artificial tear ointment (human brand or pet brand featured below) to their eyes. Human tear-free shampoos are never recommended, see which ones are safe for pets.

While your pet should not hang their head out the window while you drive because of the potential for eye injuries, if it's something they can't live without, consider applying artificial tear ointment (pet-specific brand) or using goggles (doggles) to prevent irritants from getting into their eyes.

Prior to walking your pet, apply artificial tear ointment or drops to help clear out pollen and dust. Additionally, avoid walking your pet when pollen counts are highest, such as in the early morning or late afternoon.

While managing crusty or goopy eyes can seem daunting, your pet appreciates it – even if they don’t say thank you!

‘Eye’ hope you find the best way to keep your pet’s eyes healthy! If you have any questions, ask them in the comments section below.