# Lip Balm for Tear Stains??



## brendaman (Mar 7, 2006)

Rather than reply to some recent threads on tear stains, I thought I'd start one to get opinions and share knowledge. My beloved Shayna used to get terrible tear stains. I never tried Angel Eyes, but I tried other products and would use corn starch to try to lighten and dry the hair (I read they do this for show dogs). Then one day, I was watching some show about an inside look into dog shows from a "celebrity" groomer's perspective (I really don't remember his name). He advised using lip balm or chapstick on the tear stain areas. 

I searched the internet just to determine if Chapstick would be harmful, and there are dogs which actually injest them and are OK (albeit they're probably larger dogs). DH and I scrutinize the ingredients every time we bought a lip balm for Shayna (even though we're in other fields now, I have training as a biochemist and DH as a microbiologist).

The lip balm won't lighten hair already stained. You have to cut off the stained area first and put the lip balm on this area. I would put a light coat on Shayna around the areas where she gets tear stains. Shayna never got tear stains again. Sometimes, I would forget to put the lip balm on, and the tear stains still didn't return. So, I started using it sparingly maybe every other bath, sometimes less. When I think a tear stain was returning, I would put a bit of lip balm in that area. Shayna would lick the area I've just put the lip balm on, but I didn't need re-apply.


----------



## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

I've never heard of that but its certainly interesting. Did you use any specific brand?


----------



## brendaman (Mar 7, 2006)

I've used Chapstick and other generic lip balms. I tried one with Aloe once, and those worked really well as it was easier to apply a thin coat. Sometimes it's difficult to apply a thin coat, but you can just wipe/smudge off the excess. The waxy balm prevents moisture from adhering to their hair (fur if you have a Maltese mix), which causes the staining, so it's really a preventative.

I'm not sure if I would use lip balm on a puppy. You want them first to build up the immunities to things.


----------



## Malt Shoppe (Jul 20, 2011)

I never heard of using lip balm but wouldn't Vaseline work just as well, if not better? Vaseline is good for many things and might be safer.

Not sure I'd take a dog show person's word for it. A breeder at a show once told me she uses black Magic Marker to darken noses. I was horrified - I'd never use that on a dog's nose or feet pads, but apparantly, whatever gets the job done is ok with some breeder/showers.


----------



## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

brendaman said:


> I've used Chapstick and other generic lip balms. I *tried one with Aloe once, and those worked really well as it was easier to apply a thin coat.* Sometimes it's difficult to apply a thin coat, but you can just wipe/smudge off the excess. The waxy balm prevents moisture from adhering to their hair (fur if you have a Maltese mix), which causes the staining, so it's really a preventative.
> 
> I'm not sure if I would use lip balm on a puppy. You want them first to build up the immunities to things.


Just a Heads-Up folks---Aloe plant is poison to dogs if ingested! I am not sure how much a maltese playing w/another (biting face, etc) would consume or how much needed to be harmful, but I would stay away from it w/mine.


----------



## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

Malt Shoppe said:


> I never heard of using lip balm but wouldn't Vaseline work just as well, if not better? Vaseline is good for many things and might be safer.
> 
> Not sure I'd take a dog show person's word for it. A breeder at a show once told me she uses black Magic Marker to darken noses. I was horrified - I'd never use that on a dog's nose or feet pads, but apparantly, whatever gets the job done is ok with some breeder/showers.


Magic marker? That is terrible. It has such a strong odor, it must drive the poor dog crazy. And it is toxic. They make a special product for that, that is not toxic.

The thing is that chapstick contains camphor which is drying that may be part of why it works. I doubt that it is harmful, since it is for human lips.


----------



## brendaman (Mar 7, 2006)

Hmmm. Have to rethink this lip balm thing. 

Sandi - I'm horrified about using that lip balm with Aloe! 

Sylie - maybe Josy's puppies are tear-stain free??!


----------



## Malt Shoppe (Jul 20, 2011)

Sylie said:


> Magic marker? That is terrible. It has such a strong odor, it must drive the poor dog crazy. And it is toxic. They make a special product for that, that is not toxic.
> 
> The thing is that chapstick contains camphor which is drying that may be part of why it works. I doubt that it is harmful, since it is for human lips.


Oh, I definitely agree. I mentioned the odor and she said it disapates and that it wasn't toxic....not so sure about that.

There are some practices at shows that would make most people on here shudder. One is the use of the foot stands used for grooming and keeping the dog in groomed condition. The feet are on little blocks of wood, the dog cannot move a hair. Last year I saw a Papillon left on one of these contraptions, no one around it, poor thing had to remain unmoving for I don't know how long; I took a picture of it. I mentioned it to the shower next to it, and he was also mortified. I love dog shows but stuff like this is very upsetting.


----------



## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

brendaman said:


> Hmmm. Have to rethink this lip balm thing.
> 
> Sandi - I'm horrified about using that lip balm with Aloe!
> 
> Sylie - maybe Josy's puppies are tear-stain free??!



Nope. MiMi doesn't have terrible tear stains, but she always has had some.


----------



## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

None of my 3 girls have tear stain. My Rose has never had it, and so far, neither has Eva.(she's 6 months) My Lily had mild tear staining as a puppy but it resolved by the time she was a year old. I have never heard of using lip balm.. The only thing I would be concerned about is that it might mat the hair or make it look greasy. All 3 of mine will tear if hair gets in their eyes. They also get little "gunkies" at the corners. I check eyes every day for hair, and remove with eyewash which I dropper in..I also wipe off the gunkies in the corner. I have found that sometimes staining problems can be genetic, and can also be due to some problem with the eye itself. I have had 4 Maltese in 15 years. In my experience, what has helped more than anything with tearing is keeping the eyes free of dirt, pollen, and especially hair, and keeping their faces clean and dry. I know this is easier said than done, sometimes.:HistericalSmiley:


----------



## Summergirl73 (Sep 18, 2011)

I may very well have to give lip balm a try. Bella will be a year old next month and her tear stains are still pretty bad. I'll let you know how it goes  .


----------



## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

that's interesting about the lip balm helping. Wouldn't the aloe in lip balm be so incredibly miniscule, that it would just as harmful if the dog ingested the actual lip balm? Even one without aloe? Anyway- it's a good thing to know.

Bisou would get tear staining from time to time, either because of stress (like when she was in quarantine for a month) or an infection (eye, tooth etc)- but for her, it's not been from food (or as much as from stress or an infection).

She had a bit of staining not too long ago (although it wasn't very noticeable, it was still there) before she had her tumor removed from her mouth...but since then all her tear stains have completely stopped. So it's really important (I think) to make sure the teeth are in good shape, etc- as it's hard to see them all and they're easily infected.

I was also cleaning underneath her eyes with some colloidal silver (before her surgery) so this may have helped. Now her eye area is completely dry...I'm almost a bit surprised by it because it's never been this dry and totally void of any staining.

to the OP- I'm so truly sorry to read about your little malt. I know that was heartbreaking. xxx


----------



## tobysmom (Jan 1, 2011)

This sounds like such a good idea. I wanted to coat the hair with something i bought some destin as recommended somewhere, but it's such a pita, a lipbalm stick would be so much easier! and wouldn't be as sticky and gross. Awesome. I have a stick of something, a nice natural one, i'll try that for a coupla weeks.


----------



## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

sounds like a great idea! i'm going to try it next time i get him groomed to get his dirty fur cleaned/removed, i cannot keep up with his tear stains... plus, i'm a chapstick addict


----------



## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Just a heads up to read both inactive & active ingredients---some things can irritate the eyes causing more tearing!!!!!!!


----------



## ckanen2n (Jan 2, 2012)

I would want to avoid the ones with menthol, but I may try this! If nothing else, it may help those little hairs that are hard to keep down.


----------



## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Also avoid Aloe Vera---poison to dogs.


----------



## allheart (Oct 3, 2008)

Brenda, Bless you, I am so sorry for the loss of your dear Shayna. Huge hugs.

This is just my thoughts on the tear staining issue. My Mia and Leo, yes did tear stain, while teething, and i would just wash their little faces. When they both got ear infections as pups, yes , they tear stained. But now that they are older no more tear stains.

Do not ask my why, I have nooooooooooooooooooo idea, but little Ana never tear stained, even during her teething stage. That blew my mind.

I guess I just want to share, and this is from the heart, before you try and cover up tear stains, expecilly if they are extensive, please take your baby to the vet, to rule out anything medically. Sometimes, it could just be as simple as the food they are eating that are causing the tear stains.

But honestly, just have everything ruled medically ruled out, in regards to tearstaining.

Hugs,


----------



## .13124 (Jun 1, 2012)

I'm here kind of late, but, is there a specific kind of brand of chapstick/flavor that is one of the safe ones? Besides not choosing one with menthol or aloe, there's a wide variety and I wouldn't want to choose one that irritates her.. Like are the flavored ones ok? (like vanilla and strawberry), or is it supposed to be without scent?


----------

