Veterinary medicine: ..Ephiphora in dogs.

Veterinary medicine: Ephiphora in dogs. Ephiphora is the veterinary term for excessive tearing. Common causes include small tear ducts, tear duct inflammation or a plugged tear duct, foreign objects in the tear duct and ingrown eyelashes. Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, causes inflammation of the eye's conjunctiva, the mucous membranes lining the eye. Not only is ephiphora a sign of conjunctivitis, but a severe bout of the condition can cause tear duct scarring resulting in constant discharge. Other eye diseases, including glaucoma or corneal ulcers, can cause ephiphora. Depending on the problem, your vet might refer your dog to a veterinary ophthalmologist for treatment. Ephiphora in dogs. The facial structure of some dog breeds predisposes them to excessive tearing. That's especially true of dogs with shallow eye sockets, including the bichon frise, poodle, Maltese, cocker spaniel and Shih Tzu. In general, brachycephalic, or short-nosed, breeds have facial structures and skinfolds predisposing them to ephiphora. These include the pug, bulldog, Pekingese, Lhasa apso and boxer If there is no physical reason for your dog's excessive tearing, dietary changes might solve or reduce the problem. Feed your dog a high-quality food free of dyes. You might provide distilled water for him to drink, rather than tap water. Tap water, especially if it originates from wells, might have a high iron content. The iron could cause normal tearing to appear rust-colored.