# Methods for Staining



## AbsolutelyShihtzu (Apr 26, 2008)

Ok, so I'm feeling discouraged with face staining, every time I mention it to anyone they say oh my dog doesn't have face staining because I do this and this. But It is all things I have done yet she's still stained here are some methods that appear more drastic have any of you tried them or other methods. I will not bleach my dogs face however but Im more then open to other methods 


These are from http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/index2.htm 

•	YELLOW (URINE) STAINS OR OTHER STAINS ON FEET - mix 50% liquid Woolite and 50% human hair peroxide (20 volume), then dilute this mixture with 50% water. Add a small amount of a conditioning type shampoo. Shampoo this mixture into the stained areas of the coat and feet. Allow it to remain on for 5 minutes. Rinse it out and shampoo & condition as normal.
•	BORIC ACID POWDER - rub it into the staining with fingers and leave it there. Do NOT brush it out, it is left in the coat. Do this every day, also use a very fine comb to comb out any debris in the corners of the eye. Also, if there are any hairs in the very corners of the eyes, carefully remove these.
•	BORIC ACID SOLUTION #1 - make a paste of the boric acid powder & green lemon juice. Using a toothbrush, brush the paste on the stains and leave overnight. The next day, comb out and no more stains. For really bad stains, repeat again.
•	BORIC ACID SOLUTION #2 - use 1 teaspoon of boric acid to 1 cup of boiling water, let cool, use 1-2X a day, make a fresh solution every 3rd day, moisten cotton ball and wipe the eye and tear stain area
•	VETROPOLYCIN Sterile Ophthalmic Ointment - ¼ inch strip in both eyes once a day and wash area with warm water twice daily - for 10 days
•	CROWN ROYALE MAGIC TOUCH & PEROXIDE
Mix Magic Touch grooming spray concentrate 1 part to 1 part water. Now mix this with 2% hydrogen peroxide - NOT the kind you use on your hair. You can mix up enough for a whole week and store it in a closed bottle. Apply with a cotton to clean the eyes.
•	CROWN ROYALE "WHITENER" - mix with human hair peroxide (20 volume to 40 volume) into a paste and leave it on overnight. You must condition very well. DO NOT get any mixture into the eyes. Crown Royale Ph: 1-800-992-5400.
•	MILK OF MAGNESIA, CORN STARCH AND PEROXIDE - use equal volume of MOM (plain white) and peroxide (20 volume to 40 volume), 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. Apply a thin coat of Destin 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 FLOUR, WATER AND A DROP OF BLEACH - 2 teaspoons of corn flour, add a few drops of boiling hot water and mix to a paste. Add 1 single drop of plain bleach, mix again. Allow the mixture to cool down and apply to the tear stain area. Allow to dry (10 minutes), wait 1 hour and remove with warm water and clean cloth. Then wipe on a thin layer or peroxide and allow to air dry and leave alone. Repeat every other day for 2 weeks. DO NOT get any in the dogs eye.
•	BAKING SODA - a mixture of ½ lemon juice and ½ baking soda works wonders when it comes to whitening coats. Make a paste and work into hair. Let the paste set for 5-10 minutes and wash and rinse thoroughly. Lemon juice can irritate your animal's skin, so be sure to rinse well. Condition well!.
•	PEROXIDE, MILK OF MAGNESIA & CORNFLOUR
1 x bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide 40%
1 x bottle of Milk of Magnesia 
Mix together into a paste with corn flour.
Paint on and let dry and then either brush or wash out when its been on for a few hours


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

I haven't tried them all, but pretty close. Bleaching isn't the answer. Gotta find the root of the problem. There isn't a good answer to tear staining. I have a puppy almost born with it. Cutest little guy too. I didn't have this kind of staining a few years back, now it seems like some have it really bad and some don't have it at all. Other dog breeds have it too, it's just not as noticable in a non white dog. 
I've got my dogs in show coat on antibiotics to keep the staining at bay. Really, I have tried almost everything that has been on the market. Washing the face and eyes everyday and putting boric acid mixed with some corn start onto the beard does help. 
A woman who was with Troy who breeds Shih-Tzu told me about this product. http://www.pandecats.com/products_services.htm#1 She swears by it. She also has persian cats that are white. Haven't tried it yet. 
Here is more information on it. http://www.pandecats.com/x/packing_the_eye.shtml
Tina


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Once you are past teething, if your dog has excessive tearing, then I would suggest you see a veterinary ophthalmologist to rule out a problem. No point in band-aiding staining if you can fix an underlying cause. 

Boric acid is my favorite. I flush the eyes and wipe the face down with Collyrium which is an eye flush with boric acid. I think its very good for every-day maintenance.


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## rmwms (Aug 6, 2007)

> Once you are past teething, if your dog has excessive tearing, then I would suggest you see a veterinary ophthalmologist to rule out a problem. No point in band-aiding staining if you can fix an underlying cause.
> 
> Boric acid is my favorite. I flush the eyes and wipe the face down with Collyrium which is an eye flush with boric acid. I think its very good for every-day maintenance.[/B]


Where do you purchase Collyruim?


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

At the drug store. You may have to shop around...


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## Gigis_Mom (Mar 14, 2008)

I started using Angel Eyes in Gigi's food when she was 14 weeks. Her stains were gone within a month. I use it once a week now. No stains anywhere. I love it!!!


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## jen_hedz (Mar 5, 2008)

I was reading through some of the old threads here on removing tearstaining and I saw that some people had used polident denture cleaner. Is that safe to use on a dog?


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## AbsolutelyShihtzu (Apr 26, 2008)

I talked to my vet and he said it was a "Breed Thing" which is silly but I think I better get a second opinion. 

Thanks guys, I think that I shouldn't worry about a little bit of staining though considering it doesn't show in her pics ( I was trying to get pics to show you guys ) and if a judge is not going to put her up because she has slight staining Id rather not win under him anyway


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## AbsolutelyShihtzu (Apr 26, 2008)

opps i meant to add - 
if I just keep going about my day and not worrying about staining whats a good product to help cover stains for the show ring ?? Probably just corn starch but any other ideas ??


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

If she's a shih tzu, she ought to have an acvo screening regardless. I'd definitely pursue it.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

> Once you are past teething, if your dog has excessive tearing, then I would suggest you see a veterinary ophthalmologist to rule out a problem. No point in band-aiding staining if you can fix an underlying cause.
> 
> Boric acid is my favorite. I flush the eyes and wipe the face down with Collyrium which is an eye flush with boric acid. I think its very good for every-day maintenance.[/B]




That's what my vet told me to do. She told me to take Nikki to an eye doc at around 9-10 months of age to see if her tear ducts are okay.


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## AbsolutelyShihtzu (Apr 26, 2008)

Well we think we figured it out ! 

Most shih tzus have an eye quick ( a piece of hair from the inside corner of the eye that the tears go down ) and we had been tying it back with the face fall so all the tears and such would run into the face fall ... which would explain why we have no eye stains only tear stains  

Well at least we know what to do now !

also I will look into an ophthalmologist for breezee as well


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

> I talked to my vet and he said it was a "Breed Thing" which is silly but I think I better get a second opinion.
> 
> Thanks guys, I think that I shouldn't worry about a little bit of staining though considering it doesn't show in her pics ( I was trying to get pics to show you guys ) and if a judge is not going to put her up because she has slight staining Id rather not win under him anyway [/B]


Tear staining is not a big issue in Shih-Tzu for showing them. It isn't blazingly noticable like the Maltese. So, show away.
I had Isaac's eyes looked at and flushed by an opthomogist in Kansas City. He still has staining. She said on the inner cathus of the eye he has a pocket that holds the tears there. She said surgery would fix it. I said I don't think so. Like most vets she said it comes with the breed. Not much you can do about it. In other words she isn't about to do more research on the issue. It's a mute point with them.
Tina


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Perhaps if more breeders looked at why their dogs were staining and did eye exams they could work towards avoiding some of the issues...


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## MissMelanie (Feb 13, 2006)

> Perhaps if more breeders looked at why their dogs were staining and did eye exams they could work towards avoiding some of the issues...[/B]


 :aktion033: :smilie_daumenpos: Or they could speak with Chrisman and find out how they can claim they bred out tear staining.  

This all has been interesting reading, thank you all.

enJOY!
Melanie


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

> Perhaps if more breeders looked at why their dogs were staining and did eye exams they could work towards avoiding some of the issues...[/B]


I have been looking for solutions as to why my dogs are staining. Every puppy who was staining at the time I have their canines pulled have had their eyes flushed and looked at. They still stain. Those who swear that they have no tear staining haven't shared their secret. 
An Opthomologist who actually uses the neatest eye machines, similar to human's stated to me that they don't know why the staining occurs and that it is a cosmetic problem. If the vets do not think that an issue with a certain condition is important, they don't look for solutions.


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## Moxie'smom (Dec 16, 2007)

> Once you are past teething, if your dog has excessive tearing, then I would suggest you see a veterinary ophthalmologist to rule out a problem. No point in band-aiding staining if you can fix an underlying cause.
> 
> Boric acid is my favorite. I flush the eyes and wipe the face down with Collyrium which is an eye flush with boric acid. I think its very good for every-day maintenance.[/B]



Jackie, you're talking about a product by Bausch & Lomb called "Fresh Eyes" correct? 
[attachment=36905:fresh_eyes_lg.jpg]



You can usually find this product at many chain drug stores or at least on the web. I did hear from a friend of mine that it was hard to find in LA for some reason. 

. Moxie doesn't has tear stains, but he does get dirty under his eyes just from our clean NYC. I also use Spa Lavish Facial on a cotton ball. I think that in combination with fresh eyes every day works well. And using a flea comb to get the eye boogers out.


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

I just always held a firm belief it's genetic, period. I think all these so called solutions don't work. 
I think after 2 yrs old if the stains haven't went away they wont go away, I think some methods may work for awhile but not permanently. Nemo doesn't stain so I am not directly dealing with it, but I just feel all these methods give out some hope but just don't work for long.
I would to go to the Vet just to make sure it's not a medical problem..
JMO :biggrin:


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

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Tina,

Maltese as a breed have some hereditary eye issues that can cause excessive tearing. Ectopic cilia is probably the most common. If they have lashes that are truly bothersome, removing them can vastly improve the problem. I've done this with one of my dogs. The dog never had staining after surgery. 

Another issue can be a small amount of tissue covering the opening to the lower tear ducts. If caught at a young age, it can be removed and the problem should improve. 

Maltese can also have entropion. 

The problem is excessive tearing. The result of that is the staining. There can be physical causes such as those I mentioned which can be diagnosed and many times improved upon with the care of a veterinary ophthalmologist. 

My ophtho examines the dog as the first step. She doesn't brush anything off as cosmetic. If we find something to fix, great. If not, she does a 2 week course of antibiotics. 

She does occasionally see dogs who benefit from routine tear duct flushing. She says this seems to be associated with allergies. She does my dogs without anesthesia. 

If you don't look for things, how do you know if they are there or not? Don't breed blind if you don't have to.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

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Jackie,
At what age do you suggest a visit to the ophthalmologist if there is excessive tearing/staining? Nikki's vet recommended 9 months. I've heard it is expensive? I am willing to do this to ensure that Nikki doesn't have tear duct problems before I try to treat the symptoms.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Once they're done with teething, if its excessive, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a consult. For my kids, the molars are usually in around 9-10 months. You can just look at their teeth (while you're brushing them 3 times a week hint hint hint LOL). 

I think a consult in Northern VA is around $100. If you have a vet school nearby, they are typically cheaper than private practice. I did find I was quoted much cheaper for distichiasis surgery at the ophtho than a regular vet's office. I assume because they do it all of the time. 

There are health clinics held at dog shows all of the time, including eye clinics. If you're involved with your local club, ask around. 

Just to be clear, I'm not saying every dog with tear stains has an eye problem. BUT, if they do, I think it is better to know about it and treat if possible than fight a battle you won't win. 

Something not talked about much is allergies contributing. Dogs can have watering eyes from inhalant allergies. Addressing the allergy issues can help reduce it. I know my Soda gets a little stain when the pollen starts coming out.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

> Once they're done with teething, if its excessive, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a consult. For my kids, the molars are usually in around 9-10 months. You can just look at their teeth (while you're brushing them 3 times a week hint hint hint LOL).
> 
> I think a consult in Northern VA is around $100. If you have a vet school nearby, they are typically cheaper than private practice. I did find I was quoted much cheaper for distichiasis surgery at the ophtho than a regular vet's office. I assume because they do it all of the time.
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Thanks very much for the info. Because I'm chemically sensitive we have huge air cleaners in our apartment and I can only use unscented, non-synthetic cleaning/personal care products, organic food and filtered water. But still, you never know what type of allergies can crop up in people or dogs no matter how careful you are. I brush Nikki's teeth every day when I do her daily brushing. Of course she hates it, but she is a very tolerant little girl. 

I'm trying to take a "wait and see" attitude about the tear stains and follow your advice, and Nikki's vet's advice. I decided not to use apple cider vinegar in her water because I don't want to mess with her body PH too much and ACV can do that. I have a suspicion that her tear ducts are causing the problem. Someone said to massage very gently on either side below her eyes, so I'm doing that. She loves it, so even if it doesn't help... :biggrin:


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