Special Options
If your dog is very sensitive and has dry skin, you need to use a very mild shampoo with conditioner. If your dog is very dirty or oily, you will need a stronger degreasing shampoo to get the job done. If your dog has skin conditions such as yeasty skin, Schnauzer bumps, or seborrhea, you may need a medicated shampoo.
Tearless shampoos are great for cleaning faces of dogs and for the entire body of puppies who are usually wiggly and tend to get shampoo in their face. You may also consider placing a nonprescription, mild petrolatum-based ophthalmic ointment in the eyes prior to shampooing. Drs. Foster & Smith and PetFoodDirect.com carry Protective Pet Ophthalmic Ointment.
Tearless Shampoos
Tearless means less tears, not necessarily no tears. Tearless products have a milder primary surfactant that is less likely to irritate the sensitive eye tissues. Contrary to popular belief, tearless shampoos do not contain numbing agents. Tearless shampoos usually use less aggressive detergents that do not attack the protein of the eye. They may also include ingredients that serve as a counterirritant to the primary detergent, reducing the possibility of irritation.
This mild shampoo is also great for using on dogs that you bathe frequently that do not have dirt and oil build up. If your dog is really oily or dirty this would not be the best shampoo to use, except on the face.
What are the signs of eye irritation?
Rubbing the face on things, pawing at the eye area, redness, swelling of the inner eyelid, and squinting are all symptoms of eye irritation. The first thing to do is flush the eye with plenty of cool water for several minutes. To do this, hold the dog's head up and gently run a slow stream of water either directly from the faucet or from a clean cup while holding the eyelids open. Be very careful not to get water into the dog's nose. Flushing the eye will help remove any irritants left on the eye. If the symptoms don't improve immediately, go see a veterinarian.
Basically, tearless means a supermild shampoo that won't remove oil. It's okay to use for frequent bathing or on faces, since the surfactant, or cleaner, in it is so mild it rarely causes eye irritation. Even so, always flush the eyes when you rinse the dog.
Hypoallergenic
Hypoallergenic doesn't mean that your dog won't be allergic to it; it means there is less chance it will cause an allergy. Hypoallergenic shampoos are not necessarily mild. The nature of the detergent, whether it is harsh or mild, is not related to allergic reaction. Most often, hypoallergenic shampoos are formulated with little or no fragrance and colorants. To be more seriously hypoallergenic, a formula should also not contain botanical or protein ingredients. Unfortunately, there is no industry definition for this term. Many — but not all — hypoallergenic shampoos are also tearless. Even if they are, if you get any shampoo in the pet's eyes, be sure to flush them thoroughly with water for a few minutes to remove all traces of shampoo.
