Tear Stain Causes and Removal Options

Nature of Tear Stains
Whenever hair rests around the eyes some amount of tear staining results from the hair wicking moisture from the
eyes. But there are many other sources of tear stains.  Tear staining can be traced to health and diet, as well as
genetics. Most veterinarians agree that face staining results from excessive tearing. In this case, the damp face hair is a
breeding ground for bacterial and yeast growth. The most common is "Red Yeast" which is usually associated with
reddish-brown facial stains, and which may emit a moderate to noticeably strong odor. Tear ducts may become
infected and result in excess tearing and noticeable staining. Some doctors advise that the eye structure was the most
probable source of the problem. If that is so, then genetics would likely play a role and explain why the problem is more
pronounced in some pets of the same breed. If you are purchasing a puppy and you are concerned about the potential
for tearing and staining, you should observe the mother and sire, and others in the direct lineage. Eye duct surgical
procedures to increase their tear capacity may help some pets; ask your veterinarian. If bacterial and yeast infections
are involved you need to take steps to mollify and eliminate their presence. Veterinarians can prescribe medication to
treat bacterial and yeast infections. Your veterinarian or eye specialist veterinarians can determine if excessive tearing
is the source of stains, and describe alternatives available.

Tear staining in the dog and especially in the small breeds (Poodles, Maltese, Bichons, Pekes ) is common but should
never be called "normal." The reality is that these breeds have tiny hairs in the inner aspect of the lid margin that acts
as wicks for tear accumulation. As well, the tear film is constantly evaporating and in a number of breeds there is
overproduction of tears. The tear ducts which carry the tears down into the nasal cavity, in general, are totally
functional. It is rare that the tear ducts are non-functional. Treatment is variable - the area in which the tears are stored
can be deepened surgically; the hairs around the inner aspect which are causing irritation can be moved out of the
way and there are a few other alternatives as well. Oral medication has been suggested as a means of chemically
changing the metabolism of the tears and making the staining less apparent. Treating the skin irritation where the tears
flow onto the face should also be considered. In all cases the ophthalmologist should see the animal to give the pet
owner the best of all the alternatives.

Hair coat stains also occur in areas other than the eyes. White and light color coats, wrinkled faces and short nosed
breeds like our beloved bulldog can acquire water stains from pet drinking water, bacteria and red or pimple looking
bumps may appear as well, try using a stainless steel bowl for food and water and clean at least 3 times weekly in a
dishwasher to sterilize them. Minerals in the water may stain facial hair in the whisker, and mouth areas, as well as
other areas on the chest and front legs when water regular drips. Purified waters/bottled water with low mineral content
may be the answer.

Ear infection or ear mites can cause the staining as well. Cleaning the ear after every bath is very important. I do not
use a drying powder but have heard that they can be useful. If there is any dark discolor or yellowing of the coat
around the ear hair this is a good sign of an ear problem.

Some pet foods with certain additives will stain hair in the mouth area, HOWEVER BEET PULP WILL NOT CAUSE
TEAR STAINS, that is mis-information to assume it will. Beet pulp used in dog foods and treats are "sugar" beets, they
are white, not red and do not contribute to tear stains.

Your first step is to determine the source of tear and face stains. As we have noted, it may be water and food sources
and that can be corrected. Tear staining often involves more complex solutions requiring veterinary introspection to
determine the source.

If bacterial and yeast infections are involved you need to take steps to reduce and eliminate their presence.
Veterinarians can prescribe medication to treat bacterial and yeast infections. Your veterinarian or eye specialist
veterinarians can determine if excessive tearing is the source of stains, and describe alternatives available.


Tear Stain Removal
Tear stain removal has become much easier with various products now on the market just for this purpose.
There are tear stain home remedies using mixtures of milk of magnesia, corn starch and peroxide, or bleach (usually
hydrogen peroxide) used for human hair. However, if you were not to mix these properly, use precisely the right
strength of each ingredient, and apply them safely, you could potentially harm your dog. No solution should ever be
splashed into the pet's eye, or allowed to wick through the facial hair into the eye area. Read and follow all instructions
very carefully.
Keep in mind that you are treating the eye area of your pet and you can harm their sensitive areas. A full amount of
caution and concern must be exercised whenever you use any product or mixture near eyes.
Keeping tear stains at minimum is more of a concern for dogs that are shown, and for the dog not being shown, taking
steps to safely minimize the condition should be satisfying enough rather than complete elimination. Consult your
veterinarian with any questions you may have.


Tetracycline
Consult your vet for this method as it requires a RX anyway. This method should only be used when all others have
failed and should only be used for 1-2 courses of treatment and not relied on as a continued treatment. Some have
found success in eliminating tear staining by putting a Maltese on a ten day course of low dose tetracycline.
Occasionally this may need to be repeated. Do not use this in puppies that have not yet cut their adult teeth.
Tetracycline has been shown to cause teeth which have not erupted to permanently stain yellow.

TUMS
If you need to change the pH of your dogs system to aid in preventing yeast or infection then Tums is primarily a
source of Calcium, known as an antacid formulated as 500 mg Calcium Carbonate. Giving your Maltese 1/2 of the Fruit
flavored variety twice a day will help change the pH of the tears. This will change the tears' environment and can help
make it hostile for the continued growth of yeast and bacteria.

White Vinegar
A teaspoon of white cider vinegar can be added to your dogs drinking water to control new tear stains.  It may take a
while for your dog to "decide" to drink this water so start with a little less and gradually increase the amount of vinegar.
 Vinegar works much like TUMS in that it can changes the pH of the drinking water. Changing the pH of your dog
slightly will do wonders in the tear stain war and help eliminate bacteria and deep stain color and prevent yeast build
up and is best used as a prevention once you have the tear stains removed or nearly removed. This will help for the
future of the tear stains and make them a minimum occurrence.

Milk of Magnesia, corn starch and peroxide
Use equal volume of MOM (plain white) and peroxide, and then use the corn starch to make a good paste of this; put on
and work well into the stained area and let dry 4 hours. Wash out, CONDITION WELL. Keep doing this for several days
until tear staining is gone, although I would recommend skipping a day or two between applications if possible. Apply a
thin coat of desitan diaper rash ointment after the area is washed out and dry. Try this every other day if possible and
the choice way of doing it. If your dog has heavy stains then do this for 3 days in a row, then skip every other day.


Corn Starch and Peroxide
Make a paste with corn starch and peroxide, apply with a small toothbrush, leave overnight and remove it with warm
water or peroxide in the morning.

Angel Eyes
Is a product that has tylan an antibiotic in it and it works wonders to clear up the tear stains. Be sure you are not going
to be taking your dog in for a liver check before placing on the Angel Eyes because it can and will most of the time give
back false negatives.  It does not cause any harm to the liver. Just causes a false negative.  Also please be sure you
dog has cut all it's baby teeth before starting this treatment. The Tylan that is in it is very likely to cause the adult teeth
to stain if they have not erupted =.

Optrex Eye Wash
Clean around the eye area with cotton pads moistened with Optrex (contains Boric Acid and Witch Hazel).


Boric Powder, Baby Powder & MOM
Measure equal parts Boric Powder, Baby Powder, mix together with Milk of Magnesia to smooth paste. You can make
up a jar full. Apply to affected area with a soft toothbrush, allow to dry then brush off. If badly stained use a few drops of
10% peroxide in paste.

Add one tablespoon Boracic Acid to a cup of boiling water, mix well. Place several cotton swabs into a plastic
container. Pour the cooled solution over the swabs and seal the container. Use one swab daily to clean away tear and
face staining. Make up a new mix at least once weekly.

Daily Face Wash
One Tablespoon Boric Acid to One Cup Boiling Filtered/Distilled Water
Bring water to a boil, remove from heat and add the Boric Acid stirring until it dissolves. Let cool and place in a
squeeze bottle. Make a new batch every week.
Do this every day, squirting on a paper towel to clean the eyes. Keep folding the towel and rewetting with the solution
and cleaning until there is no discolouring from the eyes on the towel any longer. Then dry with another paper towel
and discard. You could use a washcloth but for hygiene - I prefer paper towels which are disposable and
biodegradable.
Boric Acid is most commonly found and recovered in the Tuscan region of Italy, also from Italy's hot springs and their
vapors. It occurs as the mineral "sassolite" .
In the USA, Boric Acid is recovered from brines from the Searles Lake in California.
Boric Acid is antiviral and antiseptic and used commonly in the form of an eyewash and controls the browning of tears.
If you clean your dogs eyes every day ( takes a few minutes) you will both be happy and your dog will look lovely. You
will prevent many eye conditions if you take a few minutes every day to clean the face.
Boric Acid should not be used in a powdered form directly on the eyes - if you get it in the eye you will cause it to ulcer.

You should also make sure your dog does not have a tear duct obstruction (blockage) and have corrected the food
and water issue first so he don't keep getting tear stains. After all if you treat the tear stains to remove them while at the
same time you feed a food that causes tear stains you won't gain nothing. Try the least invasive of the above methods
first, give them 2-4 weeks to work, then if your not satisfied go to another method of treatment. Do not use multiple
treatments at the same time. Always have your vet give the dog a complete exam to rule out any serious eye condition
first before trying anything else. The commercial products just don't work very well so it is best to just forget about
them unless you have a very mild case of stain.

~~~
The information on this page was put together by Becky Stephens of ClaBec Maltese.

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