Beaphar Eye Lotion

The rust-coloured mark under a white dog's eye is what owners notice. The watering that put it there is the thing worth asking about, because a stain is a record of something that has been happening for weeks rather than a problem in its own right.

This is a sterile saline solution for cleaning in and around the eyes of dogs and cats, in a 50ML bottle. It comes ready to use with a soft applicator nozzle shaped to work close to an eye, and Beaphar add MSM — methyl sulfonyl methane — which they include for the sensitive membranes around the eye. Their instruction is regular use, to keep the eyes clear of the dirt that can lead on to other eye problems, and they also list it as an aid to removing tear stains.

• 50ML bottle
• Sterile saline solution
• Formulated with MSM for the membranes around the eye
• Soft applicator nozzle, ready to use
• For dogs and cats
• Also used as an aid to removing tear stains

A cleaner cannot fix a cause. Constant watering usually has a reason behind it — a blocked tear duct, an in-turned lash, an allergy, or simply the shape of a flat face — and rinsing the result does nothing about any of them. Beaphar publish no MSM concentration to us, and no instruction on how many drops or how often beyond "regularly", so there is less to go on here than the bottle suggests. And the line that matters most: an eye that is red, cloudy, held shut, or sore enough that the animal rubs it deserves a same-day vet appointment, not a wash.

Who it's for: owners of a white-faced or flat-faced dog dealing with staining, and anyone with a cat or dog whose eyes need a regular wipe-out rather than an occasional emergency.