Dog Grooming by LowchensAustralia.com

Tear Stain Causes

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 odour. 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 care 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.


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.

Eye Care Tips for Tear Staining

• 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.
  
  

• 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.
  
  

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

• Mix equal amounts of Cornstarch and Boracic Acid Powder and pat gently onto the hair being extremely careful not to get any into the eyes or the mouth. The powder mixture will bleach the white whilst absorbing the stains.
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• Use equal amounts of Cornstarch and Boracic Acid, mix well, then add sufficient water to make a paste. Carefully apply the paste to the stained areas, then allow to dry. Once dry, brush off and wipe the face with a clean cloth.

Whiter Than White

There are two different ways that we heard over the years to make the white parts of a dog's coat extra white and nice.
We heard that some owners, handlers and groomers actually used bluing on the white coats. Bluing is what we normally think of for laundry - you know, add a little blue to dingy whites to make them whiter.
The trick that we saw in action was to use cornstarch. The cornstarch was rubbed into the white coat and spread all around with the hands. Then you'd brush the powder through the coat and rub and rub with your hands until any loose powder came off. This really whitens up a white coat. If this method were to be used for the show ring and any white powder got onto the judge's hands or clothing, who knows what could happen. Would your dog be disqualified? Would your dog lose points? But, it is surely great for just showing your dog off or for portraits.


From Lace to Leather
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CAUTION: When using ANY bleaching agents or Boracic Acid,
take extreme care NOT to get any in the eyes at all!

MORE HERE ON TEAR STAINS & REMOVAL

½ cup Vinegar to a quart of water sprayed onto the coat of a dog works like a vinegar hair rinse. Their coats gleam! An extremely economical alternative to expensive show shine products.

For "snow nose", "winter nose" or lightening of pigment, give the following once daily:

• 1 x 500g PABA - (para-aminobenzoic acid)

• 1 x 250g Vitamin C (Calcium Ascorbate powder)

• 1 Fefol tablet (iron & folic acid)

Click HERE to learn more about "snow nose", PABA and other suggestions
and HERE to learn more about "Collie Nose"

The DermaPet MalAcetic Wet Wipes (containing 2% acetic and 2% boric acids) have emerged as a rapidly growing product. TEAR STAINS, post surgical wound cleansing, Dermatophilus and spots on horses (grease heel) are new indications. Every pet-owner should have a container on hand for a needy moment.
For Tear Stains, we recommend clipping the hair with a #40 blade and cleaning with the MalAcetic Wet Wipes 1 - 2 x daily. (Editor's note: We have been getting some anecdotal reports about the benefit of using the MalAcetic Wipes on tear stains around the eyes.)

Canadian Eye and Wound Powder - this has been highly recommended as being an excellent tear stain remover. You can find it here (add US$10 for the first powder and US$5 for each additional powder up to a maximum of $30 for shipping to Australia)

• 1/2 cup boiling water (I prefer distilled or filtered water)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (I prefer sea salt - not iodised)

Boil water and remove from heat. Stir in salt until dissolved. Cool and place in a squeeze bottle. Refrigerate.
Make a new batch every week.

Crystal Pond Persians
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I get so many requests on what I use to prevent eye staining.
First of all, daily cleaning of the face prevents staining. Nothing works better than daily hygiene. Persians, especially the extreme faced, have compromised tear ducts. Their tears will flow out and once the air hits it - it turns to a hard, crusty, brown matter. It is a breeding place for bacteria ( leading to eye conditions ) so keep the face clean!! Clean the nostrils too or your kitty won't be able to breath. I find my Red male pushes his face right into his food and his nose gets plugged up if he doesn't clean his face ( which he barely does - too much effort for him - boys).

Great recipe for cleaning the eyes :

• 1 tablespoon Boric Acid

• 1 cup 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.
I use this every day, squirting on a paper towel to clean the eyes. I keep folding the towel and rewetting with the solution and cleaning until there is no discolouring from the eyes on the towel any longer. I then dry with another paper towel and discard. I 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 cats eyes every day ( takes a few minutes) you will both be happy and your kitty 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.

Crystal Pond Persians
Web Site

• 5 parts corn starch
• 1 part Boric Acid

Mix very well to evenly distribute the boric acid into the corn starch. You should use a flour sifter to perfectly blend and sift together. Pour into a puffer bottle and after washing and drying the eyes, hold them shut and apply a very small amount around the eye and rub it in so no loose powder falls into the eye. Be very careful - I suggest you just use cornstarch for a while to absorb tears until you get good at this just to be on the safe side. You really don't need to add the boric acid powder if you use it diluted in water as the eyewash recipe above. That will suffice for bacterial control - it just helps a bit more in powder with cornstarch on a white faced kitty. Cornstarch will usually suffice by itself.

Crystal Pond Persians
Web Site