Is it normal to bearly start getting tear stains?

[BellaNotte]

I had read so many things about tear stains, and was surprised Cici disnt have any at all (except when she accidentally drank water from the hose but it went away 2 days later). Well since I got her she didn't have any at all, but when she turned 8 or 8.5 months she started getting some small amount of red staining. And now she's 9 months and it's more and more noticeable :\.
And if I go one whole week without washing her face, it smells really bad. Is that normal?

Just wondering if it's normal for a maltese to not get tear stains until they're older, I thought they were supposed to have them since babies if they were going to have any at all.


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[StevieB]

Well, Steve does not really have staining, but I wash his face every couple of days. If I went a whole week he would smell and be a crusty mess! How often are you washing the teary area under her eyes?


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[LJSquishy]

They can start tear staining at any time. Usually when puppies have tear stains, it's attributed to teething. As they get older, it obviously isn't from teething but it could be environmental allergies (likely), the shape of her eyes, or blocked tear ducts.

Both of mine had zero tear staining for quite a while and then one day London got really bad tear stains. I think she has mild environmental allergies (she doesn't seem affected by it though), and Preston has some also now but I'm not sure what his might be.

[BellaNotte]

Originally Posted by StevieB

Well, Steve does not really have staining, but I wash his face every couple of days. If I went a whole week he would smell and be a crusty mess! How often are you washing the teary area under her eyes?


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I was worried there's was something wrong if if smelled bad.

I'm washing her face (under her eyes) every day or every other day sometimes. Just once I didn't wash her face until it was bath time one week later, and once I didn't wash it for 4 days, so those two times is when I noticed it smelled bad. But I take off her eye gunk every day.


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[BellaNotte]

Originally Posted by LJSquishy

They can start tear staining at any time. Usually when puppies have tear stains, it's attributed to teething. As they get older, it obviously isn't from teething but it could be environmental allergies (likely), the shape of her eyes, or blocked tear ducts.

Both of mine had zero tear staining for quite a while and then one day London got really bad tear stains. I think she has mild environmental allergies (she doesn't seem affected by it though), and Preston has some also now but I'm not sure what his might be.

I'm hoping she doesn't have any retained teeth, I heard that could cause staining too? Do groomers usually know how to notice retained teeth? I look in her mouth but it's difficult to see the back teeth.


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[Ladysmom]

Originally Posted by BellaNotte

I'm hoping she doesn't have any retained teeth, I heard that could cause staining too? Do groomers usually know how to notice retained teeth? I look in her mouth but it's difficult to see the back teeth.


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Groomers don't check their mouth for retained teeth, vets do. Has Cici been spayed? Normally a vet will remove any retained baby teeth at the time of the spay or neuter.

[BellaNotte]

Originally Posted by Ladysmom

Groomers don't check their mouth for retained teeth, vets do. Has Cici been spayed? Normally a vet will remove any retained baby teeth at the time of the spay or neuter.

She was spayed at 5 months but didn't get any baby teeth removed. Her teeth were falling out quickly and when she was about 6.5 her ver said she had a few retained teeth, but the nurse said it was just one (infront of the vet) and he said that maybe it was 2. The following week 2 fell out, but I don't know if they were really the only ones left.


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[hoaloha]

Depending on the cause of the staining, it can happen at any time. If the stains are very rusty red and smell bad, I think that points more to a yeast and bacterial overgrowth. In those situations, you may talk to your vet about a short course of antibiotics to kill the bacteria. In addition, and perhaps can be tried first, is very strict eye and face hygiene with once or twice a day washings with Spa lavish, a few drops daily of eyewash (such as Collyrium eye wash with boric acid as an inactive ingredient) to help flush out any eye irritants as well as the boric acid helps prevent staining, oral probiotics, and colloidal silver swiped under the eye area. Of course, I'd make sure her diet and water of good quality. Hope this helps! Tear stains are soooo frustrating! I have to be on top of Obi's eye care too- you're not alone in your battle!

[BellaNotte]

Originally Posted by hoaloha

Depending on the cause of the staining, it can happen at any time. If the stains are very rusty red and smell bad, I think that points more to a yeast and bacterial overgrowth. In those situations, you may talk to your vet about a short course of antibiotics to kill the bacteria. In addition, and perhaps can be tried first, is very strict eye and face hygiene with once or twice a day washings with Spa lavish, a few drops daily of eyewash (such as Collyrium eye wash with boric acid as an inactive ingredient) to help flush out any eye irritants as well as the boric acid helps prevent staining, oral probiotics, and colloidal silver swiped under the eye area. Of course, I'd make sure her diet and water of good quality. Hope this helps! Tear stains are soooo frustrating! I have to be on top of Obi's eye care too- you're not alone in your battle!

Thanks! I will do the face washing daily now, and I'll have to try the eye wash, I never thought about that before but it sounds like a good idea! I remember reading some members here give yogurt with probiotics, is there a certain kind? Thanks . And I think she's on a good diet, she'd eating California natural grain free and drinking filtered water from our refrigerator.


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