# Tear Stains



## maltsmom (Feb 10, 2005)

Jack is a little over a year old. When we got him at 3 months, he didn't have tear stains. Within a wek he developed moderate stains under eyes and on his beard. Well after trying and reading everything, I changed his bowl to stainless and now give him only distilled water. The beard stains are gone but not the eyes. I figured oh well, I love him anyway. Now we have little Jill. She is three months. She comes from a line that gets eye crusties but no stains. I have seen grandma, mother, uncle, sister (from a previous litter, same parents) within a week she started getting tear stains. Hers are pretty bad. I am still using the stainless bowl an distilled water and the same food that she got from birth. In fact, I switched Jack to the new brand. What is the deal here? I can't figure out why dogs coming into my house develop stains. Any Ideas? I am losing my mind.


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## dhodina (Apr 1, 2005)

By distilled water do you mean store bought bottled water or tap water run thru a filter? I found with Tunder who had bad stains from the well water that just our filter thing wasn't enough. I called the culligan man and have water delivered for him to drink I think I may heat it for bathing as well. It has been a week and I am seeing a huge improvement.


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## maltsmom (Feb 10, 2005)

I buy polar water in a jug that says distilled. They also have drinking and spring water too. But I buy the distilled. It really helped his beard stains so I know that part is working.


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## Harleysmom (Jan 26, 2005)

I agree. We have the filtered water at the sink (Osmosis) or something like that and our dog had the staining so I bought distilled from the grocery store & it is pretty much gone now.


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## dhodina (Apr 1, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Harleysmom_@Apr 12 2005, 12:42 PM
> *I agree. We have the filtered water at the sink (Osmosis) or something like that and our dog had the staining so I bought distilled from the grocery store & it is pretty much gone now.
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Ok this is totally osmosis were you sleep on your book to study or did I make that up? This is probably going to be another one of those times like when I thought gout was a sexually transmitted disease from the 1800's ( you should have seen my face when a coworker was complaining about his gout acting up)


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

At that age, could this be because of teething? Having those teeth coming in can cause the eyes to tear more. Phoebe's staining got worse shortly after I got her too. And I have her on distilled water, and stainless bowls and I rinse under her eyes with distilled water too. Also, if she has hair that is now starting to get into her eyes, it could cause more tearing. I've been told to cut it but I regret doing that so I am letting some grow back out now hoping that it will eventually lay down. But it is already a dark red









I think the best thing for now is to do your best to keep it clean and dry until the teething is over. I am so jealous of those who dont have any staining. To you lucky folks, did you have any staining during teething? 

Good luck!


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> _Originally posted by dhodina+Apr 12 2005, 01:56 PM-->
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Ok this is totally osmosis were you sleep on your book to study or did I make that up? This is probably going to be another one of those times like when I thought gout was a sexually transmitted disease from the 1800's ( you should have seen my face when a coworker was complaining about his gout acting up)
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One way the water companies filter water is a process called reverse osmosis. Distilled water is completely pure with no minerals in it at all.

Catcher had no tear stains at all when I got him but developed them over time. I figure it is from teething.. He only gets distilled water, etc.....


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

Osmosis was my preferred method of study when I was in college, especially on Thursday nights. 

Can anyone explain the differences between spring, filtered spring, and distilled water?


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## littlepeanut (Dec 5, 2004)

Do you smoke? The smoke can irritate their eyes and make them tear more.


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

I am no expert but I have had this conversation with my chiropractor health nut







He says the best way to "filter" water is reverse osmosis filters. Distilled water (which I believe is evaporated so that all the crud stays behind) is the purest ,therefore would be the best (for drinking and cooking). Spring water would be right out of the ground with all the minerals and stuff that your body cannot use in that form anyway (useless), I would imagine. You should get your minerals out of your food (vegetables) so it is not necessary to have them in your drinking water. I was also told this by my breeder who asked her vet because of the concern that distilled water would not have minerals.


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## maltsmom (Feb 10, 2005)

> _Originally posted by littlepeanut_@Apr 12 2005, 01:19 PM
> *Do you smoke?  The smoke can irritate their eyes and make them tear more.
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No we both quit about 15 years ago!


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## littlepeanut (Dec 5, 2004)

> _Originally posted by maltsmom+Apr 12 2005, 03:50 PM-->
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No we both quit about 15 years ago!








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That's GREAT!!!!!







Good for you!!!!







I was just suggesting that smoke could be the cause because poor Peanut gets all teary when I smoke in the house...I know, I know, time to quit!!!


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by littlepeanut+Apr 12 2005, 03:38 PM-->
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That's GREAT!!!!!







Good for you!!!!







I was just suggesting that smoke could be the cause because poor Peanut gets all teary when I smoke in the house...I know, I know, time to quit!!!
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15 years that is awesome!!







Please say it gets better as the years go on







It has been just over a year for me and I hate it







Its still hard. Peanuts mom if you decide to take the plunge it is possible. I never thought I could do it- if I can ANYONE can!


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Do you use powders on the carpet? Do you have plants in the house? Does your vacuum have a filter? 

What are you feeding them? If it different from the breeder? Do you live in a different area of the country (allergens)?


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## Brinkley & Neyland's Mom (Jun 14, 2004)

Brinkley's staining improved greatly (didn't go away) when I quit using carpet fresheners and plug-ins as much...maybe a coincidence, but I haven't gone back to them.


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## sheila2182 (Nov 28, 2004)

> _Originally posted by JMM_@Apr 12 2005, 09:26 PM
> *Do you use powders on the carpet? Do you have plants in the house? Does your vacuum have a filter?
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> What are you feeding them? If it different from the breeder? Do you live in a different area of the country (allergens)?
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=52111*


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Jackie,what does plants in the house have to do with it??I understand about the others,but I have alot of plants in the house.


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## maltsmom (Feb 10, 2005)

I am going to try and answer everyone at once. No, I do not use powders on the rug or plug ins, yes I am feeding her what the breeder did (none of her own dogs have stains), no I only live about 10 minutes away from her, no I do not have house plants (I kill them), and yes it does get easier with time. Hang in there. My husband chewed gum for years to help him. I quit when I got pregnant and never touched them again. It took a long time not to crave one after dinner. But when that goes away, you feel and smell so much better. Now I can't even stand to be in the same room with cigarette smoke. I had to quit bingo.









I hope eveyone understands my goofy replies.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

> _Originally posted by sheila2182+Apr 12 2005, 10:31 PM-->
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Jackie,what does plants in the house have to do with it??I understand about the others,but I have alot of plants in the house.
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It is a possible allergen. 

I can't have flowering plants in my house as they bother my allergies.


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## sheila2182 (Nov 28, 2004)

> _Originally posted by JMM+Apr 13 2005, 02:27 PM-->
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It is a possible allergen. 

I can't have flowering plants in my house as they bother my allergies.
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Thank You,I dont have any that flower.


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## paris'mom (Jul 14, 2004)

> _Originally posted by dhodina_@Apr 12 2005, 12:34 PM
> *By distilled water do you mean store bought bottled water or tap water run thru a filter?  I found with Tunder who had bad stains from the well water that just our filter thing wasn't enough.  I called the culligan man and have water delivered for him to drink I think I may heat it for bathing as well.  It has been a week and I am seeing a huge improvement.
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=51855*


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I get water from Culligan delivered too... do you get the distilled or the spring type?


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## dhodina (Apr 1, 2005)

I get the distilled. I wanted the least amount of "stuff" in it.


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## Ant Nay (Mar 21, 2005)

I am going to try to not sound very uninformed, but I need to ask. We just got our little guy home a week ago and he has tear stains his hair around his eyes are brown. I tried to break it up last night while he was sleeping but it is still there. We use stainless Steel bowls. We are feeding him puppy food also, but he had these stains from day one. Are you guys saying to use Distilled Water like you would add to an Iron that you buy by the gallon in the store and have him drink it to lessen the stains? 
We were going to ask the vet on Friday (his first visit as our little guy) i was also thinking about cutting those hairs that are brown, it seem to be in his eyes also. Any other suggestions to get rid of the brown marks?

Thanks


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## Chelsey (Dec 17, 2004)

sorry , have not read all of this thread. Has anyone mentioned food.
Chelsey never had tear stains when i got her at 10 weeks .. when she started teething she started having it.. but mildly... i could just wipe it off or use A#1 system gel .
I resently changed her food from purina as it had a lot of corn and she was having issues pooping in her crate. Well that helped. Then she got spayed and her tear ducts flushed after that her tear stains have been really bad. I just checked the ingredeance and it has beats pulp Royal Cain. So now I know it the food, she is using royal cain and it is really good she love it and it has lots of healthy stuff for the coat but her eyes do not look good cause of the beats.







well I have to change her food again. As you can tell by the picture if her below she had a very clean face. now it is read everyday as beats stain ( makes sence to me)

And one have any info on good food my chelsey


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## LexiAndNikkisMom (Apr 13, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Ant Nay_@May 17 2005, 01:08 PM
> *I am going to try to not sound very uninformed, but I need to ask. We just got our little guy home a week ago and he has tear stains his hair around his eyes are brown. I tried to break it up last night while he was sleeping but it is still there. We use stainless Steel bowls. We are feeding him puppy food also, but he had these stains from day one. Are you guys saying to use Distilled Water like you would add to an Iron that you buy by the gallon in the store and have him drink it to lessen the stains?
> We were going to ask the vet on Friday (his first visit as our little guy) i was also thinking about cutting those hairs that are brown, it seem to be in his eyes also. Any other suggestions to get rid of the brown marks?
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Yes we are talking about buying gallons of water. I don't use distilled water (some people do). I buy water that is made for babies. I try to get the kind that has fluriode added to it. Lexi has been drinking this water for over a year now (started when she was 11 weeks old). She has no tear stains now. She did stain when she was teething, though.

Right now (while your furbaby is teething) there isn't much you much you can do to get rid of the brown spots. All you can do is keep the face as clean and dry as you can. You can get a small comb and comb out the goobers. You can use a small rounded tip scissors to cut the stained hair (be careful though).


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

I can't imagine what water would have to do with it. Maybe if you had water that had a lot of minerals or contamination....I will post again what I did a while ago......I hope some of you aren't tired of hearing my theory. I was told by an old now retired vet 13 years ago when Frosty was a baby, that except for the teething connection, (which is a type of inflamation) red tearstaining (and saliva staining, too) happens when there is an inflamation or infection of some sort. Could be from allergy, eye or tear-ducts, from hair in eyes or eyelid or other infection, could be ears, tonsils, teeth...., etc. Frosty has had it 3 times in 13 years. First when teething, second when he had tonsilitis, and the last time after a teeth cleaning that stirred up bactiria (we now give him profilactic antibiotics before cleaning--he has a heart murmur so needs them for that also). Each time he's had staining a week of Amoxicillin got rid of it. I'm not saying give antibiotics all the time to prevent it! But once it is cleared up, then if it returns--there is an infection of some sort. Find the cause , and treat it or trying to keep the hair white is impossible. You are working at the result of the problem, not the cause.

Anyone who has tried to "lighten" or bleach red staining knows it is almost impossible. Once the hair is "dyed" it has to either grow out or be cut off. Every time I've gone through this I could within days after starting the Amoxicillin see where the white hair was starting to grow out. That doesn't mean the already stained hair disappears! Some products work to some degree to help lighten the red, as you've been discussing, so I won't go into that. If you want a fast disappearance of the red, there will be some cutting.

I do believe that keeping the face clean from eye discharge, normal in a breed with eyes shaped like our babies, is extremely important. A daily task. What I use that has worked the best and easiest for me comes in a little jar. It is small moist pads for cleaning around the eyes and mouth. I get mine from the web catalog at Doctors Foster & Smith. It is called SHOWeyes Pads. It claims to "remove staining", but I don't believe that. Lighten over a period of time of use, maybe, but it is a good mild cleaner and hasn't been an irritate, and is real handy to use. I've purchased the same thing at Petco with their brand name on it. I haven't tried Eye Envy because I haven't needed it. The food connection?? I can't see that has made any difference for Frosty. He's had about a dozen different premium foods, canned and dry. I give him Missing Link which is mostly Omega 3 & 6, some think that helps, but I couldn't say that it is what is preventing him having red stains.

The basic thing I'm saying is....If your baby has red staining, and isn't teething, have your vet look for an infection. It will probably be so mild the exact cause may not be determined, but if he will try a week to 10 days of Amoxicillin, I bet you see the hair start to grow out white. Our lovely white babies should look their best! There is nothing more gorgeous than a clean white sweet Maltese face!


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## bellamika (May 3, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Harleysmom_@Apr 12 2005, 01:42 PM
> *I agree. We have the filtered water at the sink (Osmosis) or something like that and our dog had the staining so I bought distilled from the grocery store & it is pretty much gone now.
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=51863*


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How l after starting with the distilled h2o di you begin to notice a change?


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## clharter (May 14, 2005)

I was a a Pet expo in Calif. last month and discovered the best product for tear staining. It doesn't bleach the hair but instead kills the yeast that causes the red discoloration. My boy had very little staining but it was completly gone in a few hours. now when i notice any dicoloration I just apply this and it vanishes. Just so you know I am in no way affiliaed with the product, I'm just so impressed with how well and easily it works. It is called "EYE ENVY" there is a web site you can oredr from. Hope it works as well for you.
Carol


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## Brittany Lot (Jun 24, 2004)

I asked my vet about staining the other day. She basically said that tear staining is not something you can get rid of --it's something that they'll always have. I don't know, I'm sure there are a million little connections (food, water, bowls, allergies, pollens in the air, etc etc) and I try to keep track of all of them but sometimes it is impossible. Zoe is eating Eukanuba small bites and she seems to like eating it (and many other food she won't touch). She has very mild tear staining but I find that they one thing that works the best is just washing her face. I use Johnson's baby shampoo but I find that since it is a human PH it is very drying. I am currently looking for a different shampoo.....


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## _Ty (Mar 25, 2005)

I'm having a problem with Ty tear staining and his has an odor. What's that all about? What can I get to get rid of the tear staining and the smell?


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