# Tear Stains!



## AgilityHav

Hello everyone!

I have a newly occuring problem! Our baby girl(5 weeks) is already starting to get tear stains! Hailey(her mom) never had that problem...she's black all around her eye...however the puppy has a white strip that goes really close to her eye....and were already getting tear staining.

I have heard of several ways to deal with it, but I was wondering what you guys have done with it.

Some things I have heard:

Apple Cider Vinager in water
Anti-biotics
Tums
other Ph changing substances
boric acid powder

Im not to fond of the anti-biotics or boric acid(it seems a little strong!) and I would prefer something natural. When it gets longer I can wrap it...but I would like to start preventing any further staining as soon as possible! 

Thanks for any input!

Natasha


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## Me&2Girls

Natasha, I've heard that when they are teething they can often have problems. I like the apple cider vinegar (raw) in their water (start with 1/8 teaspoon and build to 1 tsp or 1 tbsp). Others have had success with Trader Joe's Greek yogurt. Also for a gentle face cleaner, I've heard people rave about the blueberry facial wash from Spa. For my Maltese, I've found a great tear stain removing product from the website www.malteseonly.com I swear it smells like plain water, but the darn stuff works. You just use twice a day (I like to dry with a wash cloth) and then when it dries the stain starts lightening within hours. It's expensive at $24 per bottle, but I know it works.

Also, once those puppy teeth are in, your problems may disappear. Good luck!


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## mintchip

I give Oliver Trader Joe's Greek yogurt and some fresh parsley. I heard recently about blueberries. Blueberries are a favorite of Oliver's.


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## jabellar

mintchip said:


> I give Oliver Trader Joe's Greek yogurt and some fresh parsley. I heard recently about blueberries. Blueberries are a favorite of Oliver's.


Okay, this may sound like a VERY stupid question, but I have to ask to make sure...

To avoid tear staining... Do I FEED Castro Trader Joe's Greek yogurt, or do I APPLY it to the stained area and wash it off?

:brick:

I know, I know... but when it comes to home remedies, one can never be sure!!!!


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## mintchip

I add it to his kibble


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## mellowbo

Natasha,
When I got Lulu I was panicked about tear stains. My breeder said not to worry, it was teething. I tried Eye Envy, Angel Eyes, vinegar in water and everything else I could fine. Like you, I really didn't want to use anti-biotics so I have 2 bottles of Angel Eyes around here. Then I went to the raw diet and it all cleared up! Since I got tired of cooking the "raw" diet I went to Evo small bites which is so much like the raw diet their poop even turns white when it dries, (but that's another thread) lol. But, still, no tear stains. She does sometimes get tears, but no stains.
I really don't know if it is the diet or that the teething is over. I'm just saying, there is hope and it will probably go away.


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## Redorr

I have also read on here that the Pawier vitamins help with teary eyes and staining. I give them to Lola but it hasn't stopped her tearing during this season. But with her black face, I don't know about stains.


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## littlebuddy

i started using istain, his tear ducts are plugged so, we will see how this works. the parsley, can you cut it up and put it in the yogurt? i know yogurt helps the belly but didn't realize it helps the staining. i will try anything!


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## bella serra

hepl!!!
MY BELLA IS 7 MO'S..AND TEARING IS JUST GETING WORSE...I HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT WITH ANGELEYES, SHE ONLY DRINKS ALKALINE WATER, AND IS ON NATURALBALANCE FOOD....HELP!!!!
WE ARE SO FRUSTRATED...
BELLAS MOM


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## Kathie

We got Abby when she was 7 mos. and her eyes ran all the time and caused terrible stains. After a couple of months we took her off Science Diet because of too many poops and started her on Blue Buffalo. I don't know the time frame since I wasn't paying much attention to it but it finally occurred to me that her eyes weren't running anymore. She is now 14 mos. and the problem has not reoccurred. BTW, Blue Buffalo has dried blueberries in it. Just a thought!

Kathie


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## Me&2Girls

You might want to consider using a digestive aid. Call Nature's Pharmacy - their west coast number is 1-661-948-3939. There is also a probiotic sold on Amazon.com called iStain that a number of the Maltese exhibitors use. Remember you've got a puppy still at 7 months, so it may just be teeth (but I think the adult teeth should all be in at this point)


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## judith

i have tried everything mentioned including pawiers to no avail, i just started using angel eyes again.


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## tikaboo

*Tear Stains Canine Candida: Caused by yeast overgrowth.*

*Tear Stains Canine Candida: Caused by yeast overgrowth.*
Many tear stains are caused by a type of red yeast. The best way to combat this is from the inside out by adding/sprinkling probiotics on the dog's food. Lactobacillus acidophilus comes in the form of powder, capsule, or liquid. It is nearly tasteless and very inexpensive. You can find it in most vitamin aisles or in health food stores. It's the same probiotic that is found in yogurt and is very effective at combating yeast when taking internally on a regular basis.

You can also use it topically if you buy plain, non-blended yogurt. When you first open it, you'll see it separates into solid on the bottom and a clear-ish liquid on top. The liquid is the probiotic. You can dip a cotton ball in the liquid and swab the face with it. You can also open a few of capsules, mix it in lukewarm water then store it in the fridge to be used as needed topically This is very soothing on itchy skin.

This is a good thing to add to your dogs food even if you don't currently have problems as it is a natural preventive to all kinds of Skin, food allergy, intestinal issues.

Here are some very informative links/articles on yeast problems in dogs. You will be surprised at how many other symptoms your dog has that may be related to a systemic/internal yeast overgrowth.

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-31227411_ITM
http://www.scribd.com/doc/989906/Dog-Tear-Stains-Not-Just-Cosmetic
http://ezinearticles.com/?Yeast-Infections---Candida-in-Canines&id=735063


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## tikaboo

judith said:


> i have tried everything mentioned including pawiers to no avail, i just started using angel eyes again.


 A probiotic/acidophilus is not an overnight quick fix, it is a long term fix to the red stains. you will need to be consistent with the use of it for a while to eradicate the internal overgrowth of the yeast that causes the red staining. It will not stop the tearing or goop, that will need to be cleaned up with a tissue daily.


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## RikiDaisyDixie

*and clipping near the eyes too causes the staining*

I think that if you can grow out the hair near the eyes it helps too, if you aren't already doing that. When I clipped the hair in the corners, it actually caused more problems because it irritated the eyes as it grew out. Better to have long hair and pull it up in a top knot than bother the eyes.

It is also allergy season...many dogs are itching and also having eye staining more due to allergic reaction to pollens and other things in the air.

My dogs are doing better in all ways due to the raw diet.


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## suzyfrtz

Cazzie had terrible tear staining until I took a tip from this forum and began sprinkling dried parsley in his food. It did the trick...really worked wonders. DH had laughed at me when I told first him about this, but now he has told me, "I was skeptical but it really works!" An added benefit is that dried parsley is inexpensive.
Suzy


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## Pixiesmom

I've been stumped by the tear stains too. You can tell it's caused by yeast from the stinky smell. Pixie will get them, then they'll subside a bit. The weird thing is that they just showed up all of a sudden, literally overnight. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to it. I'm going to try the dried parsley and the yogurt and see what happens. It can't hurt.


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## earthnut

mellowbo said:


> Natasha,
> When I got Lulu I was panicked about tear stains. My breeder said not to worry, it was teething. I tried Eye Envy, Angel Eyes, vinegar in water and everything else I could fine. Like you, I really didn't want to use anti-biotics so I have 2 bottles of Angel Eyes around here. Then I went to the raw diet and it all cleared up! Since I got tired of cooking the "raw" diet I went to Evo small bites which is so much like the raw diet their poop even turns white when it dries, (but that's another thread) lol. But, still, no tear stains. She does sometimes get tears, but no stains.
> I really don't know if it is the diet or that the teething is over. I'm just saying, there is hope and it will probably go away.


Angel Eyes is an antibiotic. Tylosin

Eye Envy contains an antibacterial, according to their website, but they don't give an ingredient list.

Eye stains are not just caused by yeast. There are many causes, so what may work for one dog may not work for another.



> Q: What causes excessive tearing and staining:
> A: Staining can be caused by a variety of things:
> 
> Clogged or Shallow Tear Ducts: Studies indicate that 20-25% of small dogs and cats are born with closed of shallow tear ducts. Tears overflow because there the eyelid space is not deep enough to contain them.
> Excessive Tearing: When the face hair is wet from excessive tearing, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast infections (AKA: Red Yeast, which causes deep reddish-brown stains); Low grade bacteria infections may also cause excessive tearing.
> Cutting Teeth: Cutting teeth may cause changes in the head & mouth structure of your pet, placing pressure on the tear ducts.
> Irritation & Allergies: Some animals get hair or eyelashes into their eyes causing irritation. Many breeds are susceptible to allergies. Shampoos and other chemicals can also irritate their eyesSome foods cause allergic reactions; animals may also build an allergic reaction over time to a type of food.
> Water: Water with high mineral levels causes staining
> Food & Treats: Diet can play a significant role in tearing. Many commercial foods contain additives, preservatives and food coloring. This could lead to staining.
> Fleas: Fleas survive in moisture, which they get from the eye or moth area. This could cause irritation and in addition red stains left behind may be from flea feces.
> 
> These are just a few reasons. There are MANY more!!


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## SaydeeMomma

Just a general question to anyone with an idea: I wonder what it is about the grain-free diet that helps with tear stains. Could our dogs be allergic to the grain?


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## Posh's Mom

Well the grain free diet still causes tear stains with Posh, but I am hopeful of the link on Candida that Tikaboo has provided....that's my theory about the staining, Candida and I will start applying the yogurt "water" topically now.


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## SaydeeMomma

Posh's Mom said:


> Well the grain free diet still causes tear stains with Posh, but I am hopeful of the link on Candida that Tikaboo has provided....that's my theory about the staining, Candida and I will start applying the yogurt "water" topically now.


Oh poo. I thought I was on to something with the grain-free thing.  The yogurt "water" sounds good in theory. I'll cross my fingers.


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## earthnut

You should try the grain free diet and see how it works. Wheat may cause tearing the same way allergies work in humans - causing general malaise and excessive tears. Just try it without changing anything else, otherwise you won't be sure what's causing what. It's worth a try, every pup is different!

I don't think Domino's tearing is caused by yeast: it's not red and it doesn't smell, but I don't know what the cause is. His hair is still growing out so it may just be irritation.


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## SaydeeMomma

Saydee's stains are rusty red. So that means yeast? I'm thinking it's possible the tearing could be caused by allergies to grain, and then that excess moisture is causing yeast.


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## earthnut

Possibly. Though from what I can tell, a small tear drainage duct is common in many of the tear staining breeds, and that's probably more likely than an allergy. The eye simply can't hold a normal amount of tears so they spill out onto the face. There's nothing you can do about a small drainage duct short of surgery. But try different things and see what works!

I found this link about eye stains that is really informative: http://marvistavet.com/html/body_runny_eyes.html

Domino paws his face a lot, so he probably has an infection. So maybe I'll use those antibiotic eyedrops the vet gave me after all.


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