A warning for pet owners: Beware of using some over-the-counter medicines not approved by the FDA because you could end up doing more harm than good. Veterinarians are now cautioning pet owners after the Food and Drug Administration recently issued warning letters to companies producing medications used to treat tear stains.
Tear stains are the discoloration around the eye of small dogs or cats -where the tears are not fully draining. Veterinarians say pet owners are often concerned about these stains, but it's usually only a cosmetic problem and doesn't need over-the-counter drugs.
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"Anytime it's a cosmetic problem, I wouldn't consider it significant enough to risk giving antibiotics and the potential for getting antibiotic resistance to develop in that patient knowing as I do that it's purely a looks or appearance problem rather than a health problem," said Kansas State University Ophthalmologist Dr. Jessica Meekins.
The products not approved for use by the FDA are:
- Angels' Eyes
- Angels' Glow
- Pets' Spark
- Glow Groom
- Health Glow
The FDA says those tear stain removers also contain the medically important antibiotic Tylosin Tartrate, which is not approved for use in dogs or cats, nor for the treatment of conditions associated with tear stains.
Read the warning letters sent by the FDA: