Because the pigments in tears may quickly dye light-colored fur, white dogs are more prone to have noticeable tear stains on their faces than other breeds. Additionally, dogs with long facial hair might be more prone to uncontrollable crying.
Shih-tzus, Pekingese, and pugs are short-nosed dog breeds that frequently have shallow eye sockets or problematic hair growth in the skin folds around the eyes, which makes them more prone to excessive tearing. Additionally, compared to other breeds, cocker spaniels and poodles are more prone to have blocked tear ducts.
How may tear stains on white dogs be avoided?
A brief “facial grooming” once a day will help keep such stains at bay. Some advice:
- Apply a suitable canine eye-wash to the eyes, such as Terra Septic eye drops or saline eye-wash solutions.
- Rub the area around and under your eyes using an eye wash wipe. Two ready-made possibilities are Opti-Clear and Bio True; a homemade alternative involves boiling one cup of distilled water with one spoonful of boric acid powder. (Make careful to keep chilled, and prepare a new batch every week.)
- Using a wet washcloth and dry shampoo or waterless shampoo, wash the hair on the muzzle. 3% hydrogen peroxide on a paper towel is another option. After that, comb and blow-dry.
- Keep the hair clipped around the eyes to prevent irritation and tearing.
What causes white dogs to have tear stains?
Dog tear stains are a result of epiphora, which is the medical term for excessive tear production. Tears from your dog often flow into the nasolacrimal duct through the eyelid. The tears then flow into the nose from there. The tears back up and come out of the eyes, though, if this duct is obstructed for any reason or if it does not form properly.
The residue subsequently becomes embedded in the fur around the eyes, frequently taking on a dark brown or reddish hue. Porphyrin, a waste product produced by the breakdown of red blood cells, is usually the cause of a rusty tint. Breeds with light-colored coats, like the Bichon Frise or Maltese, obviously have the most noticeable tear stains.
Do white dogs generally have tear stains?
Porphyrin is the cause of the reddish-brown staining in tears (Figures 1 and 2). When the body breaks down iron, chemicals called porphyrins are created. Porphyrins are eliminated from the body through the GI system, urine, saliva, and TEARS!
Although all dogs have some porphyrin in their tears, certain dogs have more, and white or light-colored canines always have more pronounced stains.
Do dog tear traces disappear?
You can ensure your dog is more comfortable in the interim by taking the necessary actions. Trim the fur around the eyes frequently to prevent discomfort. With a paper towel soaked in warm water, wipe away the extra tear-damaged area.
If your dog is pawing at their eyes, use a dog-safe eyewash to eliminate irritants. To prevent future harm, you might want to think about getting your dog an Elizabethan collar.
There are several products on the market that make the claim to be able to remove the stains. Most of the time, these are a waste of money and possibly dangerous for your dog.
In general, routinely wiping away tears will lessen the amount of porphyrin, the stain-causing pigment, as well as any potential yeast infections. Colloidal silver can be used to clean the fur and is secure around the eyes.
Carry a soft cloth or handkerchief to wipe your dog’s eyes periodically during the day. Although it can take a few weeks before you notice a decrease in tear stains, this will eventually help.
Some claim that switching to filtered water and adding apple cider vinegar to your dog’s food can be helpful, though you should speak with your veterinarian to determine the proper dosage.
Hydrogen peroxide, topical vinegar, and eye makeup remover are examples of products that should not be used close to the eyes. Avoid using these items close to your dog’s eyes.
Does your dog have eyelid smudges from tears? What do you do with them? Tell us in the comments section below!
Can groomers get tears out of clothes?
First things first: there is no one-size-fits-all method for removing tear stains. It might not be the same for another dog as it is for yours.
While some owners (including owners of professional show dogs) say that certain methods work, others have never been successful. Here, we’ll present the most popular and widely acknowledged techniques.
The Quick and Easy Method
Ask a dog groomer to carefully cut away all the discolored hair from the area around the eyes. Although it’s a temporary solution, many owners opt for it. And while certain stains will always be visible, the majority of it has been dealt with.
Additionally, owners of show dogs often choose to let the hair grow out completely rather than shaving the corners of their dogs’ eyes (including the stained hair). Then, shortly before the performance, they will carefully apply creams or chalk with a lot of colour to cover the stains, and they will rinse it out right after the performance.
The answer is simple cosmetics, so if you’ve ever wondered how they make their dogs appear so polished, don’t try it at home, pet owners.
Preventative measures
Another option is to prevent the stains altogether, which would mean using preventive rather than treatment. Owners can accomplish this by simply blotting away tears as they form.
This implies that you’ll need to manually clean your eyes multiple times each day with a soft, slightly damp towel. Even though it might be a highly time-consuming operation, it has been shown to be effective in cases of extensive ripping.
Commercial Cleaning Products
Throughout my professional career, I have never come across a commercial solution that was a foolproof technique to get rid of dog stains. And trust me when I say that if I did find it, all of my clients would worship me as a grooming goddess.
Many groomers use soap-free Tropiclean face shampoo (the blueberry variety) to assist get rid of tear stains. If used frequently enough, SOME consumers have mentioned tear stains that is less severe.
What about tear stain removing products like Angel Eyes?
These soft chews make the claim that they use anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds to lessen oxidation generated through tear ducts. Does it operate? They don’t publicly disclose what the Angel eyes’ active medicinal components are, and I’ve heard conflicting reports. In that scenario, I strongly advise speaking with your veterinarian before giving your dog any nutrients or drugs.
Quality of Water
According to certain veterinarians and show groomers, tap water with a high mineral and iron concentration may produce more porphyrin, which results in pronounced staining. Use only filtered water as a solution. Although the findings seem to vary once more, it won’t hurt to try the experiment.
Quality of Food
Any dog needs a healthy, balanced diet, so if you haven’t converted to premium dog food, now is the time. In any circumstance, I strongly advise you to choose the proper food for your dog’s health and happiness because doing so could even help with tear staining.
Why do white dogs develop brown eyestalks?
Dr. Andrew Miller, MRCVS, the author After earning his degree in veterinary medicine from Bristol University, Andrew Miller, MRCVS, has been practicing for more than ten years. Andy works as a full-time veterinarian and fact-checks articles for Pure Pet Food. Only-Pet Food The experts in healthy dog food include Pure Pet Food, and media sites like the BBC, Good Housekeeping, and The Telegraph frequently feature healthy canines. By collaborating with prominent veterinarians and nutritionists, Pure Pet Food is improving dog food. – The manner in which we modify
Dogs frequently experience tear stains, which appear as reddish-brown streaks around the dog’s eyes and are especially noticeable on dogs with white or light-colored hair. They are typically caused by a dog crying excessively or by a problem preventing proper tear drainage.
What meals make dogs cry stains?
Tear stains’ brown hue is caused by molecules containing porphyriniron, which are produced as hemoglobin breaks down. The GI tract, saliva, urine, and tears are all ways that these molecules might be eliminated! These molecules are present in the majority of pets’ tears, although some pets have more molecules than others, which causes staining.
Prevention & Treatment:
- To prevent hair from getting into your pet’s eyes and creating discomfort or inflammation, keep the hair around the eyes shorter than the rest of the coat.
- Verify the quality and suitability of your pet’s food. In general, foods with a lot of moisture, good protein, and little carbohydrates are advised. Consider how many carbs are present in their diet (including treats), as this will affect how much inflammation occurs throughout the body. Finally, stay away from all additives, preservatives, and fillers. By avoiding them, you can increase your pet’s resistance to inflammatory responses.
- Keep your pet’s pH levels in mind. When talking about the nutritional value of a pet’s diet, pH imbalances are a critical factor. The majority of the time, veterinary-prescribed drugs like omeprazole and/or Pepcid are to blame for a high stomach pH. Pepsin (a digestive enzyme in the stomach that breaks down proteins and polypeptides) levels are often reduced by these drugs. Malabsorption or maldigestion may eventually result from low pepsin levels.
- Examine the protein content of your pet’s food. For instance, red meats, which are high in iron, may cause certain pets’ tears to become stained. If your pet frequently gets tear stains, you might want to try eliminating this to see if it helps. Because their body has to work harder to break down the increased iron and magnesium in red meat, it causes tear staining. This may further strain the liver in dogs who already have health issues with it. As was already noted, an excessive intake of iron can result in an overproduction of porphyrin, the substance that gives tear stains their brown hue.
- Check the quality of the water that is available to your pet. Iron and magnesium are typically present in tap water, particularly well water. These, as was previously mentioned, aid in the formation of porphyrins. In order to help avoid or remove tear stains, it is important to give your pet filtered water.
- To clean around the eyes, use a dry shampoo or waterless shampoo that has been carefully developed. To assist remove existing tear stains, dry shampoos and waterless shampoos are advised since they give the user more control than conventional shampoos. This might be helpful when attempting to clean the delicate eye area to prevent inflammation.
- Pay attention to the materials used to make your pet’s dishes. Plastic bowls should not be used since they are more likely than glass, ceramic, or stainless steel to house bacteria. Any bacteria in your pet’s dish can spread readily to their coat and create an infection. Whatever the material, it is recommended to routinely wash your pet’s bowl with soap and water to prevent the spread of bacteria.
- Surgery (to treat entropion). This procedure calls for anesthetic gasses to be administered to your pet in order to work closely on the eyes. In order to stop the eyelid from rolling inward, the surgeon will then remove a portion of skin from the eyelid. Occasionally, this operation might need to be repeated depending on the circumstances.
- Any form of infection or ulcer can be treated with medications, minerals, and vitamins.
- Antibiotic overuse can also be a factor since it alters the good, natural bacteria in the stomach that fight inflammation. If you notice that your pet frequently takes antibiotics, it is advisable to consult with your veterinarian to identify the source of recurrent infections in order to prevent misuse.
NorthPoint Solutions:
A pre-soaked wipe from Nootie that is reasonably priced and of veterinary-grade aids in clearing buildup and avoiding stains around the eyes.
A waterless eye wipe is also available from EarthBath, although it isn’t designed specifically to remove tear stains. This product, which helps provide a preventative and maintenance treatment for less severe discoloration, is manufactured with natural and organic materials.
Bear in mind the ears! A top-notch ear cleaning solution can assist in removing buildup and maintaining clean ears and eyes. The eyes and some ear-related conditions can cause inflammation. We particularly like EarthBath, Earth Animal, and Kenic. We like Liquid Health’s ear cleaning solution for dogs who spend a lot of time swimming or with difficult ear buildup. We would be pleased to assist you in selecting the appropriate course of action for your circumstances.
Omega 3 fatty acids are recognized to be deficient in the majority of pet and human diets. An excellent fish oil produced to strict standards can aid in reducing inflammation. Additionally, studies on humans do indicate a connection between ocular issues and the administration of essential fatty acids. [1] High-quality fish oils are sourced ethically and responsibly, are packaged in glass (never plastic), and are kept in the refrigerator. Some of the brands we suggest are Nordic Naturals, Thorne, and Omega Alpha, all of which are available on our shelves.
It’s crucial to exercise frequently! Like people, dogs and cats gain from regular exercise to lower stress, maintain a healthy weight, and encourage correct digestion. All organ systems, including the skin and liver, are effectively cleansed by exercise since it increases blood flow and oxygenation! Regular exercise can also aid in controlling body weight. Even a few extra pounds can raise inflammation on multiple levels in dogs and cats. It’s a seemingly insignificant detail, but it changes everything!
Eat fewer or no high-carbohydrate snacks. Instead of biscuits, use jerky, chews, and freeze-dried meat. Most pet biscuits are made of carbohydrates and sugars like as flour, tapioca, molasses, maple syrup, potatoes, and other ingredients and contain very little to no meat, if any at all. These have a direct impact on how much inflammation is present in the body. Pet treats from Small Batch, NOBL, and Nandi freeze-dried are some of our favorites. For a delicious and healthy treat, you may even add some frozen raw food! Ask, and our staff will be pleased to share their personal favorites with you.
Pay attention to red meat, too many carbohydrates, and additives/preservatives in your pet’s food. These frequently have a propensity to irritate and inflame, resulting in tear stains. For pets with tear stains, the best food is one that is fresh and well-balanced. Just keep in mind that it can take several weeks or even months to notice a difference; perseverance and consistency will pay off eventually!
Knowledgeable author:
Do puppy tear stains fade with time?
Many of your babies will have tear stains, especially the lighter-colored puppies (since you can see it more easily). This is not a reason to visit the vet or be concerned in young puppies. The first month or two after you bring a healthy puppy home, their eyes should start to tear; this is an indication that the eye is healthy, flushing, and functioning properly. This will nearly always just fade away as your puppy gets older.
On the other hand, a puppy older than five months old who continues to have tear stains and a persistently wet region behind their eyes is a problem. Today, I want to discuss about this.
When tears spill over onto the face, the condition known as epiphora takes place. It may be brought on by an overabundance of tears, a deficiency in tear drainage, or a combination of the two.
Everybody has probably experienced the tearing and irritation that happen whenever something gets in our eyes at some point. Epiphora can be acute or chronic. Tears are the eye’s natural response to irritation and serve as an effort to wash away the offending substance.
When epiphora persists, the continual moisture around the eyes causes skin irritation and serves as a haven for yeast and germs, which may be the reason your dog keeps rubbing his eyes. Porphyrin, a pigment contained in tears, accumulates over time and causes the red staining that we perceive around the eyes.
Visiting your normal veterinarian or a veterinary ophthalmologist should be your first step. To ensure sure there are no foreign objects inside the eye, they will examine it. They’ll be on the lookout for distichiasis, also known as an ectopic cilium, which occurs when an eyelash grows improperly so that it ends up towards the cornea rather than away from it. This is typical of some breeds, such as poodles.
They will look for additional causes of excessive tear production include glaucoma, uveitis, and conjunctivitis. Sometimes epiphora is caused by a difficulty with tear drainage rather than an overabundance of tears.
Typically, tears leave the eye through tiny openings called puncta and travel down a duct called the nasolacrimal duct before draining into the nose. Because of this, we always need to blow our noses after a good weep.
When this duct is occasionally clogged by debris like grass awns, rhinitis, or sinusitis, the surrounding soft tissue swells and the duct eventually becomes occluded.
Breeds like poodles are more likely to develop imperforate puncta, which occurs when the nasolacrimal duct fails to form properly and chronic epiphora results from a lack of drainage. The nasolacrimal duct’s patency and the presence of corneal ulcerations can both be checked by your veterinarian using a fluoresecein stain. A few minutes after applying fluorescein stain to the eye, in a typical dog, the stain will start to show up around the nose.
Depending on the underlying cause of Epiphora, different treatments will be used. If a foreign object is causing the irritation or clogging the nasolacrimal duct, sometimes flushing the eyes helps solve the problem. Cryosurgery or electrolysis can be used to remove an aberrant eyelash if it is the source of the issue. When the nasolacrimal duct becomes blocked due to glaucoma, sinusitis, or rhinitis-related swelling, the original ailment is treated first, and the nasolacrimal duct’s patency is typically restored once the swelling subsides. When a puncta is imperforate, surgery may be required to open the puncta or to perform a dacryocystorhinotomy, which makes a hole in the nasal cavity through which tears can flow.
By keeping the hair around the eyes trimmed and gently wiping the eye corners with a paper towel dampened with warm water, you can boost your dog’s comfort level in the interim. To maintain your dog’s eyes healthy and clean, use a dog eye wash on a regular basis. Use an Elizabethan collar if he is pawing at his eyes to stop any self-inflicted injury to the eyes until you can take him to the vet. There are many tear staining products on the market, but I do not advise using them before consulting your veterinarian because they have a tendency to conceal sickness and do not deal with whatever may be the underlying cause of your dog’s epiphora.
