# Tear Stains - HELP!



## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

I know there have been lots of threads on stains but I need help!

Murphy is a mess. We've been adding Tylan powder to his food for almost 3 months, I bought it from a dog pharmacy, and it's not helping at all. I use a tear stain cleaner on his face almost every day too. 

Does anyone have any other ideas that have worked for them? He looks so messy all the time!:frusty:


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

I hear food doesn't cause/ or cure tear stain. I've been lucky adding yogurt and parsley to Oliver's food.
What food are you feeding Murphy?


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Galen's stains have totally gone away with the Tylan but not Smarty's. Same food, same water, same everything so I'm looking forward to your answers.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Tylan helped when Rufus was getting them for awhile, but Marley just has more goop. Thank goodness he is black or he would have nasty tear stains! It's less now at two years old than it was as a pup. Does it get better as they get older?


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

good buddy said:


> Tylan helped when Rufus was getting them for awhile, but Marley just has more goop. Thank goodness he is black or he would have nasty tear stains! It's less now at two years old than it was as a pup. Does it get better as they get older?


I hope so! :juggle:


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Kodi never had staining until recently. I wash his face, I have switched food, but he still has staining. I'm not sweating over it too much. It is what it is. When I took him for his CERF, the Dr. said the goop in his eyes was because they were too dry. When he goes for his shot, I'll ask the vet about it.


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

I hear food doesn't cause/ or cure tear stain. However I always hear about "switching foods". I love to hear what foods you were feeding before you changed and what food you change to.
Oliver and Comet eat Orijen


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## galaxie (Dec 1, 2009)

I replied on facebook too, but we used Angel's Eyes on Roscoe. 1/8 tsp per day for 3 months. Also 1 tbsp of yogurt in each meal every day.

I did the parsley thing for awhile, too, but I got tired of chopping it up, lol. Try to yogurt! I've heard that the tear stain thing can be caused by red yeast, the yogurt keeps the bacteria levels in the stomach in check, reducing or eliminating the red yeast problem.

Good luck Ann!


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## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

Have you tried just using a little corn starch below the tear duct at the corner of the eye? this dries the tear up which can then be brushed away with the use of a toothbrush,possibly worth a try.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

I'll try adding yogurt and see if that helps. He's on Tylan and they all eat Merrick BG and I change up the protein source from Buffalo to Chicken. It's been the same no matter what I'm feeding them. 

Yogurt will be my next try.


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## Gypsy (Feb 22, 2009)

Hi All,
I visit the forum a lot but have very seldom posted. I wanted to share my thoughts on "staining". 
I have 2 babies. Bentley is black and will be 15 mo old on the 20th. He has a somewhat shiny coat. Oliver, his half brother, is cream colored, was 10 months 2 days ago and his coat is more like cotton. 
Can't see Bentley"s "staining" of course because he's black but Oliver is "rusty" from it. (maybe because he's occasionally out in the rain - no huh?) Anyway, I don't think there are too many remedies I havent heard or read about and I've chosen to do nothing other than keeping the eyes and facial features clean and free of drainage. 
Why put him through antibiotic rx, changes in food, topical medications, etc.? I love my darlings, (as I know we all do) and if it doesn't appear to bother them it's not about to bother me. I feel of course that an illness/ injury really needs attention. As long as their health is not affected I choose not to fuss with what nature has given my "babies"for cosmetics.


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## marb42 (Oct 19, 2008)

The Angel Eyes worked very well on Marble, although it made his face messy for a while. I just mixed it in with his dry food and he loved it. I think Marble's staining due to some type of yeast infection, so if that's what causing Murphy's staining, it may help. I know Tylan and Angel eyes are similar. Marble just got back from the kennel, and now he has staining again along with a yeast infection in his ear


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## trueblue (Jan 22, 2008)

Ann, I use this on my cat, and it works really well. http://www.pageonepetcare.com/order.html


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## MacGyver (Nov 9, 2009)

We have been using angel eyes with MacGyver for about 2 months now and have seen a HUGE improvement. We tried parsley and a variety of foods, but never saw a change until we started the angel eyes. Good luck!


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## Milo's Mom (Aug 31, 2008)

I use a probiotic, I-stain for Milo. I just mix it with his food. It works very well.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

trueblue said:


> Ann, I use this on my cat, and it works really well. http://www.pageonepetcare.com/order.html


What stuff do you use Kim?


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

Oliver had tear stain as a puppy. I spoke to the Vet about it.She said--"only use plain water to clean the stain, any other product could make it worse"


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## Lindzarie (Jun 30, 2008)

I was advised to switch to an organic dog food by our vet and it helped with about 60% of the staining and gew to go away and then we tried a powder recommended by a trainer with no luck so we are now switching to angle eyes! I feed gizmo Castor & Pollux Organix Adult Canine Formula Dry Dog Food and the same brand wet food with the lamb which I have also read is very good for dogs. You can get it at petco! Some dogs have food allergies that cause more than normal staining and that seems like it may be the case here. Good luck!


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## trueblue (Jan 22, 2008)

Scooter's Family said:


> What stuff do you use Kim?


I use the Eye Wash, and I also bought the powder that you're supposed to put on after the fur is dry, but I was never able to master the art of applying it, so I'm not sure if it's really effective.  I use it every day, and he hasn't had any reaction to it at all. I've used it on Santos a few times to clean away the eye boogers, but since his face is black, you don't see any staining.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Yogi gets runny eyes when he hang out in the bushes so of course it turns pink. My Tzu and Lhasa both have dry eye and the medicine makes the eyes run and stain. I have found using the Ice on Ice after cleaning the area (I put it on a comb and brush it on) helps keep the staining from being completely out of hand and even though it does not cure it, it is easier to clean off.


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## karin117 (Mar 29, 2008)

Look at the ingredience in Angel Eyes, Tylan is added and the ingrediens that "do the trick"...

Tylan work on grampositiv and gramnegativ kocker, mycoplasma, some of the familys of Bracdhyspira spp, but a lot of the familys have become immun. It also work on stafylokocker.

There is becomeing more and more immuninty toward Tylan.

Tylan is a antibiotic, and based on Tylosin. When we use anitibiotic for long terms, we get more and more immun bacterias out in the world. Very, very important to know.

If keeping the eye clean do not help, maby there is cloggd tear ducts, and they need to be flushed??? It is very simple for the vet to find this out. They add colour in the eye, and see if it comes out thru to nose of the dog. It do not hurt at all. If the need to be flushed, she dog will get sedetive and it all go very quick.

Sometimes you only need to flush the teardduck
ts once, but some dog will get them clogged repeatedley, and need this done on a more regular basis.


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## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

Hello Everyone,so many remedies.But if your doggies are not suffering from a yeast infection then there is no reason to give them all these antibiotic based treatments as they lower their immune systems,or to alter their diets.Your vet can very quickly and easily tell if their tear ducts are maybe a little too small [a very common problem] by putting a harmless die into the eye and then waiting to see if it stains the face thus proving that it is the tear ducts that are too small.Sometimes you can tell your self, if it is just one eye that seems to be weeping.Like humans their eyes can water for variety of different reason very cold weather very bright sun etc.Obviously if they have other underlying problems the the antibiotics and diet changes will help.Hope this doesn't sound like a bossy manual!


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Gypsy said:


> Hi All,
> I visit the forum a lot but have very seldom posted. I wanted to share my thoughts on "staining".
> Anyway, I don't think there are too many remedies I havent heard or read about and I've chosen to do nothing other than keeping the eyes and facial features clean and free of drainage.
> Why put him through antibiotic rx, changes in food, topical medications, etc.? I love my darlings, (as I know we all do) and if it doesn't appear to bother them it's not about to bother me. I feel of course that an illness/ injury really needs attention. As long as their health is not affected I choose not to fuss with what nature has given my "babies"for cosmetics.


I totally agree. As long as it is not a medical problem, I'll leave him alone.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

I've seen no improvement with the Tylan so I guess I'll stop it. Murphy is due for his check up so I'll ask about his tear ducts while we're there. Thanks for all the info everybody! I may still order the eye wash stuff Kim.


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## ls-indy (Apr 10, 2008)

*Three-Way Contact Lens Solution....*

I don't wear contacts - but found a suggestion to try 3-way solution on tear stains. It has something in it that counteracts proteins and bacteria on contact lenses. I use some on a cotton ball on the tear stained area. It doesn't bleach the stained area....but if you keep at it, you'll see the new growth hair is not stained.... It's not perfect, but much better. I've also used yogurt added to their meals....


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## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

Lynda, that certainly makes sense . . . never thought of that. I do use the all-purpose solution for my contacts and might need to try it on Jackson. He has one eye that is worse than the other, but the vet said his ducts are fine. I tried Angel Eyes and saw no improvement, and Jackson hated it, plus it was expensive and messy. I saw on the Rescue site under grooming where someone recommends purely for cosmetic purposes to dab a little whitening toothpaste on the stains overnight. I tried that and Jackson immediately started trying to rub his face on my couch! Just what I need . . . bleached spots on the couch :frusty: They also recommend a Bausch and Lomb eyewash which I have not tried. 

I have trimmed some of the bad stain area away because I could not get it clean, but the contact solution is the next idea . . . thanks!


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## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

Ann~
How much Tylan powder are you giving Murphy? Are you adding it to dry dog food, where he might not be eating it all? I would wrap it in a piece of cheese, or something "moist" I knew Miley would eat ALL of. And I gave her 1/32nd of a tsp everyday for 6 weeks. Tear stains gone. It got rid of whatever infection she had that was causing the tear stains. And you have to wait for the hair to grow out, or clip the stained hair. It will not get rid of the existing stains. You will notice the hair growing in being stain free. Hope that helps.


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## susieg (Aug 28, 2009)

I took Lola to the vet today for an eye infection and I talked to the dr. about the staining since she was already examining her eyes. I had coincidentally read this thread before my vet visit, so I remembered a few things to ask.

I asked her if there was any medical reason to treat the staining or if trying to treat it was just for cosmetic reasons. Her answer in Lola's case is that treating it would be purely for cosmetic reasons. Lola's eye staining [and beard too] doesn't smell and isn't crusty, it just causes a rusty color. She said the staining can be from salt from tearing and its not necessarily yeast. The beard can stain for the same reason....salt from saliva and food. She said she's seen good results with angel eyes and that its not bad for the dog's health. When I mentioned parsley or yogurt, she said she hadn't heard of that & to just stick with angel eyes. This was my first time using this vet b/c my regular vet was out....so its really just another opinion.

I'm sure every vet will have a different opinion, and maybe different dogs have staining for different reasons, but just thought I'd share the info.

Oh, and funny story: the other day, someone at the park said Lola's coloring was so unique the way she had a little brown just on her face. I laughed and said, no....that's just eye and beard staining. He was embarrassed. I can just pretend she's parti-colored


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

clare said:


> But if your doggies are not suffering from a yeast infection then there is no reason to give them all these antibiotic based treatments as they lower their immune systems,or to alter their diets.Y


I agree with Clare for this. Isabelle has gone back and forth with tear stains her entire life. She was under control in Cali and when we moved to SC her allergies went insane and so did her tear staining. Isabelle has had tear ducts flushed, they did the dye testing, eyes cerfed, etc. She still just gets tear staining. She also developed pretty severe allergies out here (no food change) but when it is pollen season (right now it is insane) Isabelle gets children's allergy medicine. Basically if DH and I start acting up, we treat Belle. I don't want to put her on steroids and it was coming to that. Some of you know that I shaved Belle down and put a topical spray on her as well. I feel like I have finally gotten her allergies under control (it was a rough time!) which has slowed down her tear staining a lot. However, Saturday I had her down in Columbia and outside from 9 am to 5pm in high pollen time and her face was completely wet again.:frusty: But my husband was outside gardening and if he didn't have kleenex I bet his face would have been wet too!:crutch:


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

I have Tylan that I bought from a pet pharmacy and the dosage was 1/8 of a teaspoon. We were putting it on his wet food and he eats every bite! LOL He's been getting it for almost 3 months now and I don't notice any difference. He has a check up this month so I'll ask the vet about it. If it's just cosmetic then I'll give up and as long as he's clean, I won't worry about it. I'm a clean freak though...wonder if a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser would work?!?


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Scooter's Family said:


> I'm a clean freak though...wonder if a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser would work?!?


I am so picturing you running after Murphy with a magic eraser! When he shreds it and bites you, I want to high 5 him-HAHHAHAHAHA!:croc:


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## trueblue (Jan 22, 2008)

Get the eye wash...it works like magic eraser.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

clare said:


> Hello Everyone,so many remedies.But if your doggies are not suffering from a yeast infection then there is no reason to give them all these antibiotic based treatments as they lower their immune systems,or to alter their diets.


I have a dog with a black face, so this is not a problem for me. However, I did want to comment on this. As far as I know, antibiotics have NO ability to clear a yeast infection. Antibiotics are for bacterial infections. In fact, women who are put on antibiotics for various bacterial infections often get secondary yeast infections as a result.

As far as antibiotics lowering the immune system is concerned, I have never read anything to substantiate this either. It _IS_ true that repeated antibiotic use, especially in low doses and for a prolonged period of time cause bacteria strains to become resistant to antibiotics. This is a VERY bad thing, for the dogs, for humans around them and for the environment.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

trueblue said:


> Get the eye wash...it works like magic eraser.


I ordered it, Kim. :biggrin1:


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## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

clare said:


> .But if your doggies are not suffering from a yeast infection then there is no reason to give them all these antibiotic based treatments as they lower their immune systems,or to alter their diets.


The way my vet explained it, you DON'T treat a yeast infection with antibiotics, but rather an anti-fungal med. Antibiotics actually can CAUSE a yeast infection (ask my daughter!) She has to eat yogurt daily everytime she gets put on an antibiotic, or she gets a yeast infection. I don't think Miley's tear staining was a yeast infection, but rather a low grade bacterial infection. Otherwise, the antibiotic would not have cleared it up like it did. I don't think 6 weeks of an low dose antibiotic is going to lower their immune systems. I'm SO glad I treated Miley with the Tylan powder. She would have to itch her eyes on the carpet or couch...I knew it was uncomfortable for her, whatever she had.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

I like the idea of Kim's eye wash. I looked it up and it says it has boric acid which is funny because when I was a little girl and would get a bad cold with gunky eyes my mother would make a solution of boric acid and warm water and sponge it on with a cotton ball. I don't know the percentages of water and boric acid or I would try making it!! Although, I think I will just order the eye wash......lol


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## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

Just found this:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4899721_make-boric-acid-eye-wash.html

I thought the most important information was to make sure you use the medicinal boric acid and not the one for pests. I have some of that and would not have known there were two kinds. I also don't think I would pour it in the eye, but would try the soaked cotton ball.


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## psow9421 (Mar 24, 2010)

*Tear Stains*

:israel::israel:


Scooter's Family said:


> I know there have been lots of threads on stains but I need help!
> 
> Murphy is a mess. We've been adding Tylan powder to his food for almost 3 months, I bought it from a dog pharmacy, and it's not helping at all. I use a tear stain cleaner on his face almost every day too.
> 
> Does anyone have any other ideas that have worked for them? He looks so messy all the time!:frusty:


 My Lacey had horrible tear stain also! I gave her Tear Stain Away which also contains Tylan powder. The difference is that it is very carefully formulated and also contains anti-oxidants that they claim adds to the effectiveness. They also guarantee results or your money back. What I know for sure is that it worked great for our little dog. They have a website at http://www.tearstain.com . Good luck!!


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## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

susieg said:


> Lola's eye staining [and beard too] doesn't smell and isn't crusty, it just causes a rusty color. She said the staining can be from salt from tearing and its not necessarily yeast. The beard can stain for the same reason....salt from saliva and food.
> Oh, and funny story: the other day, someone at the park said Lola's coloring was so unique the way she had a little brown just on her face. I laughed and said, no....that's just eye and beard staining. He was embarrassed. I can just pretend she's parti-colored


Susie - my Lola is the same story, including the "unique coloring". Lola's face is largely black, so you can't see the stain from her weepy eye. But it surely would if she were white faced. She has red staining on her beard, around her urethra and butt. When she was sandy after a day at the beach and did not get a good enough rinse, she licked the insides of her rear legs alot and they were subsequently stained red. Clearly, her own body fluids stain her hair everywhere. So I have gotten over it. She looks messy a lot of the time, but I know she is fine. We trim the hair on her bottom. I wash and comb her face 1x or 2x a day to get rid of the goop, eye boogers and crustiness after her long walks in allergy season. But I have come to like her little red hair. Everything else in her system seems to be working well. I tried the angel eyes a while back thinking it would stall the weepy eye - but that was simply bad advice.

Ann - check it out to see if there are any problems that cause it, and if it is cosmetic, see if you can live with it. seems that changing food would cause more upset than the benefit of trying to find one that helps the staining.

Also - when I add yogurt to Lola's food she starts eating her poop again! Oy! If isn't one thing, it's another!!!


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Thanks for the "recipe", Kathy. That is one of the many things I wish I had asked my Mom!


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## susieg (Aug 28, 2009)

Redorr said:


> Susie - my Lola is the same story, including the "unique coloring". Lola's face is largely black, so you can't see the stain from her weepy eye. But it surely would if she were white faced. She has red staining on her beard, around her urethra and butt. When she was sandy after a day at the beach and did not get a good enough rinse, she licked the insides of her rear legs alot and they were subsequently stained red. Clearly, her own body fluids stain her hair everywhere. So I have gotten over it. She looks messy a lot of the time, but I know she is fine. We trim the hair on her bottom. I wash and comb her face 1x or 2x a day to get rid of the goop, eye boogers and crustiness after her long walks in allergy season. But I have come to like her little red hair. Everything else in her system seems to be working well. I tried the angel eyes a while back thinking it would stall the weepy eye - but that was simply bad advice.


I hear ya, Anne! Our Lola's sound so much alike... in coloring, separation anxiety, allergies and staining! Ha ha.....and they're adorable love muffins too of course! Maybe they're second cousins  As long as I know the staining isn't medical, I'm fine with it now. My previous dog had the worst smelling eye goop, it was really gross and I was always trying to clean it. So compared to that, a little staining [or even a lot!] isn't so bad.


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