What if Your Dog’s Discharge Is Actually Healing?
Reframing pus, goop, and gunk as signs of detox — not disease.
I see this question almost daily.
Whether it's eye goop, skin ooze, ear gunk, or mystery slime, the ask is always the same:
“What can I put on this to make it stop?”
It’s a fair question — one I used to ask myself. But over time, I learned to turn that question around. Not just, how do I make this stop? but why is it happening in the first place?
Because more often than not, these discharges are not “invasions” — they’re expressions.
🧹 The Body Is Trying to Clean House
Our dogs are intelligent, living systems. When something doesn’t belong — whether from diet, environment, stress, or suppressed imbalance — the body looks for a way out.
If it can’t eliminate waste through the bowels or urine, it may choose another route.
And so, the skin leaks. The eyes weep. The ears ooze. The body speaks.
This isn’t dysfunction. It’s wisdom.
🧯 When We Stop the Discharge Without Listening to It
The modern response is to wipe it, plug it, cream it, or medicate it away.
But here’s the problem: when you stop a discharge without addressing the cause, you’re not solving the issue — you’re just pressing it down. And what’s suppressed often comes back stronger.
Many veterinary treatments (especially creams, antibiotics, or steroids) shut the exit without clearing the reason the body opened it in the first place.
Sometimes this leads to more chronic issues — repeat infections, skin conditions, deeper imbalances, or even more visits to the vet.
📚 What the Research Says (Yes, There’s Backup)
If this idea feels radical, you’re not alone. But others are starting to say the same:
Discharges = Detox: Holistic sources describe things like eye goop, skin weeping, and ear slime as natural elimination responses, especially during detox. Dogs Naturally Magazine and Welloiled K9 both acknowledge discharges as signs the body is working to cleanse itself.
Skin as Elimination Organ: The skin isn’t just a barrier — it’s a detox organ. If the liver, kidneys, or bowels are overwhelmed, the skin helps pick up the slack. Texas A&M VetMed confirms this, along with Only Natural Pet.
Suppression Can Worsen Illness: Using drugs to “make it stop” can drive the imbalance deeper. Dr. Peter Dobias and Dogs Naturally both note how antibiotic or steroid use may offer temporary relief — but at the cost of long-term escalation.
Vet Interventions May Add to the Load: Even well-intended treatment can increase toxic burden if it doesn’t honor what the body is already trying to do. Dr. Angie Krause shares that overuse of drugs like steroids can suppress healing and contribute to chronic illness.
These voices — even if they don’t all speak the same language — point to one truth: Discharges are communication. Suppressing them without understanding them is a dangerous game.
🕯️ A Lantern, Not a Lecture
If you’re dealing with this now, please don’t feel judged. I’ve done it too. I’ve used the creams. I’ve tried to “fix” the gunk. But the more I listened, the more I saw: the body knows.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is step back, shift the inputs, and let the body finish what it started.
💡 Need Help Reading the Signs?
If your dog is dealing with discharges and you’re unsure what they mean — or how to support the body without suppressing it — we’re here to help. The Companion Doggos Help Desk offers personalized guidance for dog owners and breeders who want to walk a more natural path. Sometimes a second pair of eyes (and ears) makes all the difference.
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