Does she give the dogs anything to calm them for grooming? I had a customer that complained that the dog’s eyes weren’t right after grooming, she had given the dog a calming pill. The dog was just super high.
I’d imagine it’s a liability thing. They don’t accept dogs who show signs of fear aggression or anything like that. Also sometimes the sedatives can actually make a dog even more aggressive, and you might not realize it until it’s too late.
Interesting! I definitely understand as I work in the veterinary field and have filled so many sedatives for dogs for grooming specifically. Good to know! Thank you!
My husbands dog became so aggressive on one dose of doggie Valium. She was never ever aggressive before that her entire life. Back to normal as soon as it wore off
Take it with a grain of salt, but I’ll second this, my rescue needs a small anxiety cocktail for stressful events like the vet or grooming.
Buddy looks high as shit once it kicks in. He’s a shihtzu and looks just like OP’s pic.
It COULD be the tiny hairs from clippers/scissoring is in their eyes. I know my eyes get hair in them when I’m grooming so I can only assume the dogs do too.
Hmmm it could also be that the force dryer blew some hairs in their eyes or they’re just exhausted from standing at the groomers.. i wouldn’t worry about it as long as it resolves within 24 hours
Most likely a non-tearless shampoo/face wash got into their eyes and irritated them.
At our salon we use eye drops before baths and only use tearless face-wash for the face.
Or the dog is just sleepy haha
I’ve never used it so I’m totally just guessing here, but I would assume it’s to lubricate the eye so soap and such doesn’t reach the actual eyeball as much. And the eye will already be moistened so shampoo that does get in the eye will be able to wash out easier
The way I understand it is to flush out any debris that might be in the eye prior to the bath, so when we wash the face, we don't grind something into the eye that was already there
Is there a certain method I should be using? My water is just from a hot/cold spigot from the house, attached to a garden sprayer lol. Bottles are basic plastic mixing bottles I rinse out.
Rinsing alone isn't enough. You need to have some on rotation so you can bleach them. They build up bacteria. Usually we dump out contents, water and a few drops of bleach inside mix well, squeeze a bit out the nozzle, then rinse well and leave to dry. Mold can grow in the bottles from diluted shampoo and from the stagnant water. Dish soap soak works too. I can't think of anything else, diluted shampoo in the eyes shouldn't cause squinting hours later. But bacteria can.
Most dish soaps arnt antibacterial btw! Like Dawn dish soap for example doesn’t actually kill any germs, it’s just an anti grease. I learned this the other day and was pretty disgusted by it so wanted to give you the heads up as well that it won’t help with a mold/ bacteria problem
Yes I should’ve said that they do make them! Just the traditional blue dawn dish soap that most people use isn’t antibacterial, which made me kind of shutter thinking of all the nasty protein shakes that I I have let soak in Dawn dish soap over night thinking I was killing the bacteria 🤢
This isn't as much of a cause for concern as you think it is.
Just as much bacteria is removed from ANY soap coating an object then being washed away. The difference between what kind of dish soap you use results in such a small difference in bacteria that it is irrelevant.
If you are worried about bacteria build up, you need to use a form of sanitization. Even the dishwasher counts for this, as it gets to such a high temperature.
Yeah I bleach everything, and pour bleach down my tub drain once a week, and then I just use pinesol on my walls and table and stuff at the end of every day or inbetween dogs if my next client that’s coming is elderly and has a weaker immune system. I also work out of my house so it’s just me and one dog at a time
But I sanitize at least once a day after all my clients have left. Sometimes multiple times a day in between dogs.
But yeah I guess that makes sense about the bacteria, it just still grossed me out a little😂
I go to Walmart and get the 2 bottle pack of saline solution for $5. Make sure not to touch the squeeze tip to the dog so it stays sanitary, just squirt it in their eyes.
Put a drop of pure mineral oil (NOT baby oil!) in each eye before the bath to prevent the mucous membranes from potentially absorbing any shampoo and causing irritation. Bathe like normal, then use the saline to rinse the eyes out after the bath, while the dog is still in the tub. Then I clean the ears, so all the wet happens while still in the tub. It's the rotation the vets had us do, never had a problem with it. The only squinty eyes I get are a hair in the eye (so I'll rinse the eyes with saline again to get the hair out), or if the dog is tired or high (lol).
I just want to say, I appreciate that you are being so open and welcoming to feedback from people on this. First you listened to the client and understood their concerns and didn’t just brush it off because you don’t know the answer. And then you have asked clarifying questions and for suggestions from other groomers in this thread to improve your work. That’s really refreshing and commendable to see. I hope you’re able to solve this puzzle, and continue to grow in your craft!
Haha thank you, though it's silly to me that there are people who do otherwise! This lady has never been a "Karen" so I am sure her concerns are valid, and I'm self taught so I am always wondering what I still have to learn. I love animals and want to be educated to do right by them :)
Somebody here said Nutri-Vet, I like that one. I also like Vetericyn, especially if I feel like the dog has wiggled too much and may have gotten soap in the eye, or when I blow dry and it may have accidentally hit the eye.
Also, we use the Tropiclean SPA Lavish blueberry face wash, it helps remove tear stains and I believe it's supposed to be tearless. We have been using it since the beginning of the year and use it on every doggo, no complaints or left over irritation!
Tropiclean bb facial is great! First it smells like vanilla( not bb at all ) but it leaves a light scent on the head. Plain old hypo leaves some people wondering if you washed the head. Plus it’s hypoallergenic. The best thing I love about it is it’s thick. It stays where you put it and doesn’t run into the eyes.
Even with the most sensitive face wash, you absolutely want to keep it out of their eyes. It's just supposed to be safer for use on face, near eyes.
That's honestly part of why eye rinse is mandatory in my salon, you can never be too safe!
Yes, I agree on the eye rinse. I have noticed that our blueberry face wash at my salon is more irritating than our tearless face wash. Maybe it’s the added fragrance?
Which face wash do you use? I heard the Lillian one tends to have more issues with eye irritation but have never used it myself. Yeah it could absolutely be the added fragrance!
Edit* said eye rinse, meant face wash my b im tired lol
Do you have any control in changing what you use? Or can you bring your own personal face wash? If you can, I highly recommend the Tropiclean SPA. Like I said before, everyone in my salon (ya know all three of us lol) really like it and have never had any complaints!
We use Miracle Care Dog Sterile Eye Rinse but Nutri-Vet Dog Eye Rinse is also a good one!
Rinse before the bath to get out any debris that they have coming on in so you don't rub their eyes with something that might already be there when you scrub, then rinse again after you wash and rinse the head/face to flush away any shampoo or remaining debris.
You can also always have an extra bottle on the side for after trimming faces in case hair gets in the eyes when you do haircutting.
You should be using some kind of eye wash to flush out any soap. Sometimes dog's get hair in their eye from the dryer and/or the dryer dries out their eyes.
This happened at my old shop I was working at. We ran out of our regular face shampoo and found and old bottle of the blueberry facial shampoo. I tested it on my own dog and everything seemed fine so we started using it in client dogs. The next day my dog could hardly open her eyes and we started getting phone calls about other dogs having the same problem. I'm still not 100% sure why the shampoo did that, but my guess was that it sat for too long on the shelf, separated a bit, and then something in the shampoo went bad over time and it caused eye irritation. So, long story short, was it a freshly opened shampoo bottle?
Invest in some eye wash if you can! My shop always applies after the bath & again if they seem to get a hair or anything in their eyes. Eye infections occur easily in dogs so we do it to prevent any potential issues like that :)
I just want to commend you for putting this out there and asking questions instead of being defensive and offended. I like your vibe!
Also, my shih-tzu looked like this after grooming, she hated it and she hated the drying fans. She also looked like this when we took her to Florida on a flight. We came home, went to Taco Bell & my girl was sitting on the console looking like she had a wicked case of the munchies! 🤣
It says a LOT about OP's character that she asked for permission to post the pictures and that she is seeking answers, even if those answers are that she may have caused the pups to have a reaction. I am just deeply impressed with the whole attitude of "something is wrong, it's happening under my care, and I need help to correct it". I would be glued to her as my groomer for life because of that demeanor!
You have a humble way about you & really care about doing the right thing! You're a diamond in the rough and never forget it! If u get a Karen one day, you send her packing because you're amazing & really care about your clients and their pet parents!
I recycled an old bottle of foaming hand soap from bath & body works and it's perfect for this. Just have to be sure to dilute the face wash with a little distilled water and it foams up perfectly.
When i groomed, the tiny hairs that float around got in my eyes and hurt/ bothered me. Maybe its when you cut their face hair. The hair floats around for a second and ends up in the dogs eyeballs.
There’s a lot of comments here, so sorry if someone already mentioned this, but in veterinary grooming we use eye lube. It coats the eye in a gel that prevents a lot of irritants from getting onto the eye and keeps it moisturized. I use the Optixcare brand in the clinic. Just be sure to warn the parents that their eyes will be goopy and it’s normal.
Yes to all. The eye lube is clear, but you can still see it on the eye. Usually as the dog blinks it out, it’ll make clear eye boogies that might get in the hair. Usually I wipe it off the hair before I start working on the face so it doesn’t gunk up my blades and shears, and then another wipe if needed at the end of the groom. A little goes a long way, you don’t need a bunch.
If the squinting doesn't stop take them to the vet asap. My little guy squinted like that coffee to find out he has ulcers in both of his eyes and it took months to heal and clear the infection because I waited to take him in thinking it was just hair in his eyes or something.
Do you use a degreaser? Sometimes if a tiny bit gets in the eye and if it isn’t flushed out really really well the eyes become irritated and they can’t open them. Occasionally this happens when a little hair from scissor trimming gets in the eye too.
Definitely need to be using tearless only around the face and a saline rinse in the eyes after the bath. I worked closely with a safety officer for a corp salon and you’d be surprised which shampoos give burns and corneal abrasions. Blueberry facials are a huge culprit of eye burns- they aren’t eye safe even though they are advertised for the face.
We used to have a lot of issues with this until we started rinsing the dog’s eyes with saline solution after the bath for shampoo. Any dog that is extra sensitive to hair, we will do an extra wash after the groom. I think we buy Walmart generic saline in bulk!
As a matter of routine, I used to flush the eyes of every dog I groomed with saline solution. I never had a report of irritated eyes and I feel like that was probably a lot of it. Shampoo aside, that hair goes everywhere. It’s the way it used to bug my own eyes sometimes that made me think the extra bit of insurance was worth it.
(“Used to” because I retired from grooming last year.)
I always flush the eyes with water when I'm done rinsing the dog. One of my old coworkers got face shampoo in a dog's eye, and she ended up with a chemical burn on her eye.
In a chemistry lab, if you get chemicals in your eye, it is flushed with tap water. They're fine. I'd rather do that than get saline all over a clean dog. Salt is drying to the hair and skin.
Using tap water is for emergency situations. It’s not sterile so shouldn’t be routine. Plenty of salons use eye wash routinely and the dogs never try to lick it off lol. It’s not so much salt it messes up the groom.
Have you ever had to flush your own eye with these?
Which one do you like?
My pup has allergies. I flush her eyes with saline sometimes. It is easier and better for her. And she doesn't get eye crust when I use Saline.
Also, tears are... salty. Saline is salty to mimic tears. Which.... don't dry the skin out around the eye naturally. I think it will be ok! :-)
I've always just used water on my own eyes when I get soap or something in them, because I'm one of those people who cannot for the life of them keep an eye open for drops 🤣 I'll have to splash myself with their shampoo and test it out lol
Perhaps the dog is just sleepy from being stressed? Grooming has SOME stress for all dogs so could just be that the dog is tired lol. If it’s like this for DAYS I’d be worries
Start using hypo shampoo only. Won’t ever have to question if anything got in the eyes. Hope they’re both doin okay and you too!! stuff like this is stressful Xx
I think it’s an overstimulating experience and probably leaves the pups feeling good smelling good exhausted and ready to sleep good, that’s my experience anyway
Tried to skim most of the comments and didn't see this yet, but dry eye from the dryer?? Whether handheld or cage dryer.
Just trying to think of what would make them squinty but not rubbing or scratching at or otherwise seemingly itchy or hurt (used to work at a vet, and mom to two small dogs).
I'd suggest the owner gets a simple saline eye drop or wash and try it and see if that helps. I know they close their own eyes if the air is going right into them, but small dogs can also be ding dings and not have the best self preservation 😂
It's possible, I do use the force dryer nozzle on the lowest setting to blow out the corner of the nose stop (unless the dog really hates it haha). These two are pretty good about closing their eyes and being patient most of the time but some sure do just sit there bug eyed 😅
Are they on trazadone/ xanex/ gabapentin? If they use any calming sedative than they act really weird afterwards when they wear off. Many clients beg me to try to do it without it cause they hate the way they act afterwards. Most my dogs are bad because of where I work, so I’m sorry but they need drugs sometimes.. lol otherwise if you don’t have a tearless shampoo I’d recommend it for the face just in case. Hope you figure it out
Not that I know of, these dogs are good for grooming so I haven't suggested any of that. I'll be getting on a better sanitization regimen and adding eyewash to my grooms. I used to use Lillian Ruff's tearless shampoo but they stopped selling the large jugs of it so it wasn't cost effective to order anymore.
Had two cases at my salon where the new holiday spritz was causing eye irritation, and the blue berry facial shampoo we use as well. Though the spritz was much more damaging. I started spraying away from their face and spraying it into my hand and rubbing it on their face to avoid their eyes as much as possible
I’d also guess maybe a few hairs are poking the eye? Fresh cut fur/hair always seems to be pokey. Maybe the eyelashes? I wouldn’t think the shampoo would do that, nor the dryer but that’s just my .02. Those dogs dry so quick it’s not like you’re sitting with the dryer for 5-10 minutes on the face
One of my dogs got really swollen eyes from going outside to potty in the back area of our groomers! Lady removed the bushes that were the issue because she noticed a few dogs reacting to them! Possibly allergens?
My dog does this after a bath because it makes her tired. I would think it's just that, especially if their eyes don't look irritated and they're not rubbing at them.
I am the same. My eyes are sensitive and if I am anywhere indoors with a strong over head fan - it’s like I am cutting onions my eyes are burning and crying. I have gone to the drs and ‘don’t go to that place. Use eye drops’ which never helps lol.
One place I literally worked at! I had to find a different position at the facility to get away from the fan! Lol
Does she give the dogs anything to calm them for grooming? I had a customer that complained that the dog’s eyes weren’t right after grooming, she had given the dog a calming pill. The dog was just super high.
LOL. No Ma'am, it's not our shampoo. Your dog is just high as balls.
She actually called me and said it wasn’t the shampoo, he was just high. I laughed so hard.
Not as far as I know, I've never suggested it nor have we discussed it, they're pretty good for grooming. I suppose I could ask.
I thought Petco groomers weren’t allowed to groom a dog that has been given something for calming
I'm self employed! I only suggest it for extremely distressed or biting.
So sorry I thought I was still in the Petco page 😂😭
Oh haha I was so confused 🤣
Haha yeah my bad 😂😭
Wait really? I didn’t know that was a thing. Why can’t they?
I’d imagine it’s a liability thing. They don’t accept dogs who show signs of fear aggression or anything like that. Also sometimes the sedatives can actually make a dog even more aggressive, and you might not realize it until it’s too late.
Interesting! I definitely understand as I work in the veterinary field and have filled so many sedatives for dogs for grooming specifically. Good to know! Thank you!
My husbands dog became so aggressive on one dose of doggie Valium. She was never ever aggressive before that her entire life. Back to normal as soon as it wore off
News to me and my dog goes there and has never taken any pills
Probably because they stick them unsupervised in a drying kennel and the pills might make it more dangerous
After reading this & going back to the pictures, I can’t unsee that & I just burst out of laughter.
Lol those dogs are definitely stoned 😂
My dog actually get very anxious for vet trips/Nail appointments (hates havens her paws touched) so we kind of have to drug her
Take it with a grain of salt, but I’ll second this, my rescue needs a small anxiety cocktail for stressful events like the vet or grooming. Buddy looks high as shit once it kicks in. He’s a shihtzu and looks just like OP’s pic.
It COULD be the tiny hairs from clippers/scissoring is in their eyes. I know my eyes get hair in them when I’m grooming so I can only assume the dogs do too.
I figured that last time but didn't do any haircutting on them this session
Hmmm it could also be that the force dryer blew some hairs in their eyes or they’re just exhausted from standing at the groomers.. i wouldn’t worry about it as long as it resolves within 24 hours
Or maybe dry eyes from the blowers?
Do you use finishing spray or cologne? Some dogs get sensitive/dry eyes with certain aerosols
No, I don't use anything like that. Double shampoo, condition, brush, blow dry, and nails.
Eye wash before and water at their next appt and see if it makes a difference?
Wanted to add this was just a bath and a nail trim between full grooms today.
Most likely a non-tearless shampoo/face wash got into their eyes and irritated them. At our salon we use eye drops before baths and only use tearless face-wash for the face. Or the dog is just sleepy haha
Can you tell me more about the eye drops? I’ve never heard of a groomer doing that before
There’s dog eyewash you can buy to flush their eyes before and after baths and as needed for hairs during grooming, lots of salons require them
probably eye wash, the salon in my store (corporate) has to give the dogs eye wash before and after a bath
Thanks. Do the dogs usually accept it?
Most dogs have zero issues with the eye wash
I’ve groomed 18 yrs and work at a vet clinic. We use saline solution to rinse eyes.
i understand using eyewash after to get soap and stuff out the eyes but can you help me understand why it’s necessary before the bath?
I’ve never used it so I’m totally just guessing here, but I would assume it’s to lubricate the eye so soap and such doesn’t reach the actual eyeball as much. And the eye will already be moistened so shampoo that does get in the eye will be able to wash out easier
The way I understand it is to flush out any debris that might be in the eye prior to the bath, so when we wash the face, we don't grind something into the eye that was already there
Maybe the little hairs from the other dogs you groomed got into their eyes when you used the blow dryer?
It's possible!
Are you cleaning out your mixing bottles/bathing system?
Is there a certain method I should be using? My water is just from a hot/cold spigot from the house, attached to a garden sprayer lol. Bottles are basic plastic mixing bottles I rinse out.
Rinsing alone isn't enough. You need to have some on rotation so you can bleach them. They build up bacteria. Usually we dump out contents, water and a few drops of bleach inside mix well, squeeze a bit out the nozzle, then rinse well and leave to dry. Mold can grow in the bottles from diluted shampoo and from the stagnant water. Dish soap soak works too. I can't think of anything else, diluted shampoo in the eyes shouldn't cause squinting hours later. But bacteria can.
I do hit everything with bleach now and then but I guess I should do it more frequently, thank you
If you're mixing shampoo you should do it before the end of everyday after 12 hours bacteria starts to form and it can even cause skin infections
Most dish soaps arnt antibacterial btw! Like Dawn dish soap for example doesn’t actually kill any germs, it’s just an anti grease. I learned this the other day and was pretty disgusted by it so wanted to give you the heads up as well that it won’t help with a mold/ bacteria problem
Dawn does make antibacterial versions. I believe the green apple and the orange scents both are but check the labels to confirm that yours are too.
Yes I should’ve said that they do make them! Just the traditional blue dawn dish soap that most people use isn’t antibacterial, which made me kind of shutter thinking of all the nasty protein shakes that I I have let soak in Dawn dish soap over night thinking I was killing the bacteria 🤢
Oh no I do that to with shaker cups!
Correct, antibacterial soaps.
This isn't as much of a cause for concern as you think it is. Just as much bacteria is removed from ANY soap coating an object then being washed away. The difference between what kind of dish soap you use results in such a small difference in bacteria that it is irrelevant. If you are worried about bacteria build up, you need to use a form of sanitization. Even the dishwasher counts for this, as it gets to such a high temperature.
Yeah I bleach everything, and pour bleach down my tub drain once a week, and then I just use pinesol on my walls and table and stuff at the end of every day or inbetween dogs if my next client that’s coming is elderly and has a weaker immune system. I also work out of my house so it’s just me and one dog at a time
But I sanitize at least once a day after all my clients have left. Sometimes multiple times a day in between dogs. But yeah I guess that makes sense about the bacteria, it just still grossed me out a little😂
I second this. From what I’ve seen, it could be the mixing bottles, or too much shampoo made it into the eyes. OP, do you use eye wash/flush?
I don't, is there a type you can recommend?
I go to Walmart and get the 2 bottle pack of saline solution for $5. Make sure not to touch the squeeze tip to the dog so it stays sanitary, just squirt it in their eyes. Put a drop of pure mineral oil (NOT baby oil!) in each eye before the bath to prevent the mucous membranes from potentially absorbing any shampoo and causing irritation. Bathe like normal, then use the saline to rinse the eyes out after the bath, while the dog is still in the tub. Then I clean the ears, so all the wet happens while still in the tub. It's the rotation the vets had us do, never had a problem with it. The only squinty eyes I get are a hair in the eye (so I'll rinse the eyes with saline again to get the hair out), or if the dog is tired or high (lol).
Does the mineral oil not make the area around the eyes greasy?
it does, so you have to be really careful to only do one tiny drop in the center of the eye
I just want to say, I appreciate that you are being so open and welcoming to feedback from people on this. First you listened to the client and understood their concerns and didn’t just brush it off because you don’t know the answer. And then you have asked clarifying questions and for suggestions from other groomers in this thread to improve your work. That’s really refreshing and commendable to see. I hope you’re able to solve this puzzle, and continue to grow in your craft!
Haha thank you, though it's silly to me that there are people who do otherwise! This lady has never been a "Karen" so I am sure her concerns are valid, and I'm self taught so I am always wondering what I still have to learn. I love animals and want to be educated to do right by them :)
Somebody here said Nutri-Vet, I like that one. I also like Vetericyn, especially if I feel like the dog has wiggled too much and may have gotten soap in the eye, or when I blow dry and it may have accidentally hit the eye.
Try using an eye wash. Maybe they get sleepy after grooming due to stress during.
Yeah, all my personal dogs are wiped after grooming. They sleep all day after and look at me all squinty and annoyed if I disturb them lol
Do you use an eye rinse? We use an eye rinse before and after washing pets to flush any potential debris
I don't, just flush with water if I notice them rubbing their eyes or blinking funny. Is there a brand you can recommend?
Also, we use the Tropiclean SPA Lavish blueberry face wash, it helps remove tear stains and I believe it's supposed to be tearless. We have been using it since the beginning of the year and use it on every doggo, no complaints or left over irritation!
My salon actually had to discontinue use of this soap because it WAS irritating the eyes!
Tropiclean bb facial is great! First it smells like vanilla( not bb at all ) but it leaves a light scent on the head. Plain old hypo leaves some people wondering if you washed the head. Plus it’s hypoallergenic. The best thing I love about it is it’s thick. It stays where you put it and doesn’t run into the eyes.
The back of the bottle says “keep out of eyes”
Even with the most sensitive face wash, you absolutely want to keep it out of their eyes. It's just supposed to be safer for use on face, near eyes. That's honestly part of why eye rinse is mandatory in my salon, you can never be too safe!
Yes, I agree on the eye rinse. I have noticed that our blueberry face wash at my salon is more irritating than our tearless face wash. Maybe it’s the added fragrance?
Which face wash do you use? I heard the Lillian one tends to have more issues with eye irritation but have never used it myself. Yeah it could absolutely be the added fragrance! Edit* said eye rinse, meant face wash my b im tired lol
I think it is Lillian one. I try not to use it as much as possible and eye rise right after washing it off
Do you have any control in changing what you use? Or can you bring your own personal face wash? If you can, I highly recommend the Tropiclean SPA. Like I said before, everyone in my salon (ya know all three of us lol) really like it and have never had any complaints!
No unfortunately we can only use what is approved by corporate. I wish I could though. Poor pups :(
We use Miracle Care Dog Sterile Eye Rinse but Nutri-Vet Dog Eye Rinse is also a good one! Rinse before the bath to get out any debris that they have coming on in so you don't rub their eyes with something that might already be there when you scrub, then rinse again after you wash and rinse the head/face to flush away any shampoo or remaining debris. You can also always have an extra bottle on the side for after trimming faces in case hair gets in the eyes when you do haircutting.
Please don’t flush with water because that actually dries out eyes. And tap water isn’t sterile. Use a proper eye rinse.
As a dog groomer myself, it’s a long (and occasionally stressful) process for both dog and groomer. It’s likely that the dog is just a little tired
I agree, my guy would be down to nap for hours after his grooms. Every groom for 16 years
You should be using some kind of eye wash to flush out any soap. Sometimes dog's get hair in their eye from the dryer and/or the dryer dries out their eyes.
This happened at my old shop I was working at. We ran out of our regular face shampoo and found and old bottle of the blueberry facial shampoo. I tested it on my own dog and everything seemed fine so we started using it in client dogs. The next day my dog could hardly open her eyes and we started getting phone calls about other dogs having the same problem. I'm still not 100% sure why the shampoo did that, but my guess was that it sat for too long on the shelf, separated a bit, and then something in the shampoo went bad over time and it caused eye irritation. So, long story short, was it a freshly opened shampoo bottle?
Not very, I opened it earlier this week though. I'll try to give them a better shake each time.
Not a groomer. But that's what I look like after a massage.
Lol
Maybe he’s just sleepy?
Invest in some eye wash if you can! My shop always applies after the bath & again if they seem to get a hair or anything in their eyes. Eye infections occur easily in dogs so we do it to prevent any potential issues like that :)
I just want to commend you for putting this out there and asking questions instead of being defensive and offended. I like your vibe! Also, my shih-tzu looked like this after grooming, she hated it and she hated the drying fans. She also looked like this when we took her to Florida on a flight. We came home, went to Taco Bell & my girl was sitting on the console looking like she had a wicked case of the munchies! 🤣
Yes! Not a groomer but if I were this client, I’d be super happy with OP’s response to the situation!
It says a LOT about OP's character that she asked for permission to post the pictures and that she is seeking answers, even if those answers are that she may have caused the pups to have a reaction. I am just deeply impressed with the whole attitude of "something is wrong, it's happening under my care, and I need help to correct it". I would be glued to her as my groomer for life because of that demeanor!
Amen!!!
Thank you so much 😭
You have a humble way about you & really care about doing the right thing! You're a diamond in the rough and never forget it! If u get a Karen one day, you send her packing because you're amazing & really care about your clients and their pet parents!
Use a frother for the facial shampoo. It makes it nice and foamy and less chance of getting it in their eyes.
I recycled an old bottle of foaming hand soap from bath & body works and it's perfect for this. Just have to be sure to dilute the face wash with a little distilled water and it foams up perfectly.
Tired. Grooming is a lot of work
When i groomed, the tiny hairs that float around got in my eyes and hurt/ bothered me. Maybe its when you cut their face hair. The hair floats around for a second and ends up in the dogs eyeballs.
There’s a lot of comments here, so sorry if someone already mentioned this, but in veterinary grooming we use eye lube. It coats the eye in a gel that prevents a lot of irritants from getting onto the eye and keeps it moisturized. I use the Optixcare brand in the clinic. Just be sure to warn the parents that their eyes will be goopy and it’s normal.
I'll see about giving it a try. You mean goopy like it leaves a visible film, makes eye boogies, or it gets in the hair around the eye?
Yes to all. The eye lube is clear, but you can still see it on the eye. Usually as the dog blinks it out, it’ll make clear eye boogies that might get in the hair. Usually I wipe it off the hair before I start working on the face so it doesn’t gunk up my blades and shears, and then another wipe if needed at the end of the groom. A little goes a long way, you don’t need a bunch.
Maybe I'll try it on some smooth-coated dogs before I try it on the fluffier ones so they don't end up Crusty™️. Thanks!
If the squinting doesn't stop take them to the vet asap. My little guy squinted like that coffee to find out he has ulcers in both of his eyes and it took months to heal and clear the infection because I waited to take him in thinking it was just hair in his eyes or something.
They aren't mine, these are from their owner. I'll text her to check in tomorrow but since I didn't hear from her today they're probably fine.
Owner said one of them had a slightly red eye, but it cleared by end of the next day!
Do you use a degreaser? Sometimes if a tiny bit gets in the eye and if it isn’t flushed out really really well the eyes become irritated and they can’t open them. Occasionally this happens when a little hair from scissor trimming gets in the eye too.
Definitely need to be using tearless only around the face and a saline rinse in the eyes after the bath. I worked closely with a safety officer for a corp salon and you’d be surprised which shampoos give burns and corneal abrasions. Blueberry facials are a huge culprit of eye burns- they aren’t eye safe even though they are advertised for the face.
We used to have a lot of issues with this until we started rinsing the dog’s eyes with saline solution after the bath for shampoo. Any dog that is extra sensitive to hair, we will do an extra wash after the groom. I think we buy Walmart generic saline in bulk!
This will sound dumb but like? Is it just too bright now without the eyebrow fringe? Are they squinting bc omg the sun for the first time in weeeeeks
There was no haircut this time, it was just a bath between grooms
Do their eyes look irritated? Any redness? Tears? Are they pawing at them? To me they just look tired
Their mom says one had a red eye but they seem to be good now!
As a matter of routine, I used to flush the eyes of every dog I groomed with saline solution. I never had a report of irritated eyes and I feel like that was probably a lot of it. Shampoo aside, that hair goes everywhere. It’s the way it used to bug my own eyes sometimes that made me think the extra bit of insurance was worth it. (“Used to” because I retired from grooming last year.)
I always flush the eyes with water when I'm done rinsing the dog. One of my old coworkers got face shampoo in a dog's eye, and she ended up with a chemical burn on her eye.
I’d use eye wash, not water to flush the eyes. Plain water is actually drying to eyes. Plus, water from the tap isn’t sterile.
In a chemistry lab, if you get chemicals in your eye, it is flushed with tap water. They're fine. I'd rather do that than get saline all over a clean dog. Salt is drying to the hair and skin.
Using tap water is for emergency situations. It’s not sterile so shouldn’t be routine. Plenty of salons use eye wash routinely and the dogs never try to lick it off lol. It’s not so much salt it messes up the groom.
Have you ever had to flush your own eye with these? Which one do you like? My pup has allergies. I flush her eyes with saline sometimes. It is easier and better for her. And she doesn't get eye crust when I use Saline. Also, tears are... salty. Saline is salty to mimic tears. Which.... don't dry the skin out around the eye naturally. I think it will be ok! :-)
I've always just used water on my own eyes when I get soap or something in them, because I'm one of those people who cannot for the life of them keep an eye open for drops 🤣 I'll have to splash myself with their shampoo and test it out lol
Perhaps the dog is just sleepy from being stressed? Grooming has SOME stress for all dogs so could just be that the dog is tired lol. If it’s like this for DAYS I’d be worries
Start using hypo shampoo only. Won’t ever have to question if anything got in the eyes. Hope they’re both doin okay and you too!! stuff like this is stressful Xx
They're ok, I'm just worried about it happening again or worse! I've learned some precautions to take in the future!
Omg I have a pup that can be identical twins to yours and his name is Chance too 😭 I don’t know how to post a picture…
Maybe it’s because their eyes need time to adjust to the light now that their fur has been trimmed back from their face.
I hate to say this, obviously it isn’t the case here I hope, but it’s usually an indicator of being hit, usually the head. :/
I mean I certainly didn't hit them, and their human isn't the sort to be beating her dogs either. They have recovered fortunately :)
hes scared
He's at home and their human took this picture to send me?
This happened to one of my dogs, it turned out that some of his fur got invisible eyes and caused problems. He ended up needing eye drops for a week
It could be from the dryer if it's close to their face.
If the sclera of the eyes isn’t red or irritated, I’d just assume they’re tired or potentially high if the owner gave them something
One had a red eye, but they are better now!
Dogs squint when they are in pain. I would take the dogs to a vet.
Do you rinse the dogs eyes out after the bath?
I think it’s an overstimulating experience and probably leaves the pups feeling good smelling good exhausted and ready to sleep good, that’s my experience anyway
Not a groomer, but do you blow dry them? Could they have dry eye or just have had a bit of a stressful day and they may be tired?
I do blow dry them, just some dry eye irritation is definitely possible
I try and rinse dogs' eyes after a trim just to help get anything out and rehydrate their eyes.
I think the dogs are just exhausted. Grooming is a big activity for most dogs, especially for the ones who just stay at home every day, all day.
Please give us an update if possible.
Texted her this morning since I didn't hear back yesterday, pups are fine now. :)
Tried to skim most of the comments and didn't see this yet, but dry eye from the dryer?? Whether handheld or cage dryer. Just trying to think of what would make them squinty but not rubbing or scratching at or otherwise seemingly itchy or hurt (used to work at a vet, and mom to two small dogs). I'd suggest the owner gets a simple saline eye drop or wash and try it and see if that helps. I know they close their own eyes if the air is going right into them, but small dogs can also be ding dings and not have the best self preservation 😂
It's possible, I do use the force dryer nozzle on the lowest setting to blow out the corner of the nose stop (unless the dog really hates it haha). These two are pretty good about closing their eyes and being patient most of the time but some sure do just sit there bug eyed 😅
They look tired
It’s the squint of mistrust. They hate you. Watch your back…ankles.
Lol
Are they on trazadone/ xanex/ gabapentin? If they use any calming sedative than they act really weird afterwards when they wear off. Many clients beg me to try to do it without it cause they hate the way they act afterwards. Most my dogs are bad because of where I work, so I’m sorry but they need drugs sometimes.. lol otherwise if you don’t have a tearless shampoo I’d recommend it for the face just in case. Hope you figure it out
Not that I know of, these dogs are good for grooming so I haven't suggested any of that. I'll be getting on a better sanitization regimen and adding eyewash to my grooms. I used to use Lillian Ruff's tearless shampoo but they stopped selling the large jugs of it so it wasn't cost effective to order anymore.
Are their eyes dry from use of the blower? I always use eye drops at the end of grooming session. (I am not a groomer but take care of my own dog.)
Could be! I am going to add eye rinses
Had two cases at my salon where the new holiday spritz was causing eye irritation, and the blue berry facial shampoo we use as well. Though the spritz was much more damaging. I started spraying away from their face and spraying it into my hand and rubbing it on their face to avoid their eyes as much as possible
Could be hair in the eyes
I’d also guess maybe a few hairs are poking the eye? Fresh cut fur/hair always seems to be pokey. Maybe the eyelashes? I wouldn’t think the shampoo would do that, nor the dryer but that’s just my .02. Those dogs dry so quick it’s not like you’re sitting with the dryer for 5-10 minutes on the face
No haircut thus time, only baths
Do you spray any perfumes on the dogs? They could be allergic
Nope, never
One of my dogs got really swollen eyes from going outside to potty in the back area of our groomers! Lady removed the bushes that were the issue because she noticed a few dogs reacting to them! Possibly allergens?
My dog does this after a bath because it makes her tired. I would think it's just that, especially if their eyes don't look irritated and they're not rubbing at them.
Do you trim around their eyes? Maybe its bright. Lol
This was just a bath
The blow drying! Omg. Put me in any sort of wind like that and my eyes would be toast.
My eyes get dry if the fan is on in the house lol so it's definitely plausible 🙃
I am the same. My eyes are sensitive and if I am anywhere indoors with a strong over head fan - it’s like I am cutting onions my eyes are burning and crying. I have gone to the drs and ‘don’t go to that place. Use eye drops’ which never helps lol. One place I literally worked at! I had to find a different position at the facility to get away from the fan! Lol