TEAR STAINS -on- AMERICAN ESKIMO DOGS
What causes eskie tear stains?
Well, a lot of white-fur breeds and light-colored breeds are prone to tear-stains.
There are a number of theories about why this problem persists so much.
It's In The Genes - Most of us eskie-owners consider goo under the eyes to be a typical problem of the breed.
Red Yeast Infection aka Ptyrosporin - If the fur around the eyes or mouth stay wet for a prolonged period of time, they become a breeding ground for yeast and bacteria. Red Yeast Infection can cause a red-brown stain below the eyes. The most common evidence of an oral yeast infection is red staining on areas that are not naturally wet, but are often licked, like the paws and sides of the mouth. (Other bacterial infections in tear ducts can lead to tear stains too.)
Secondary Outlet of Drool - Some eskie owners notice that the new goo comes out of the eyes right after each meal. One theory is that the eskie produces drool in the mouth and related eye-drool out the eyes (drool-moisture in the sinus area that escapes via the eyes)..
Closed or Shallow Tear Ducts - A result of affected breeding lines.
Blocked Tear Ducts - The tear ducts might be clogged. A vet can irrigate them or open them.
Ear Infections - Keep the ears clean. Ear infections sometimes affect eyes.
Allergies or Irritation - Keep the environment free of debris, excessive dust, and cigarette smoke. Keep the dog's face clean too.
Water - Water with a high mineral content can stain fur.
Food - Dog food or treats containing beef pulp sometimes cause fur stains.
Fleas - Eek! If your dog has fleas, then that's a bigger problem. lol
Once you have checked all of the above possible causes and dealt with them as necessary, then on to getting those stains dealt with! Each method you try should be given TIME to see if it's effective. Be patient:
TOPICAL TREATMENTS
Saline - Some vets suggest gently cleaning the eye area with saline contact solution 1-3 times per day. Saline is simply a clean fluid that is chemically similar to human tears.
Eye Wipes - A low-key approach to keeping the area clear of new goo. (Wipes will not remove old staining.)
Xenodine Solution - Can address fungus infections such as yeast in the ears so sometimes reduces tear staining. Best to get your vet's input to use this. This is a topical antiseptic/disinfectant for bacterial or fungal infections; the active ingredient is iodine.
Otomax (info) aka Gentamicin sulfate (info) - Can reduce tear staining by curing yeast infections in the ears. Otomax active ingredients are gentamicin (an antibiotic), betamethasone valerate (a steroid) and clotrimazole (an antifungal).
DIETARY TREATMENTS
Drinking Bowls - Different types of bowls can hold on to bacteria. Steel or Ceramic can be kept clean. Plastic bowls are the worst because they're porous and will collect and keep junk over time.
Feeding Bowls - Use a newly-clean bowl each time you feed, to avoid introducing more bacteria or yeast into your dog's system. Some people hand-wash dog bowls but running them through the dishwasher with your own items will get them cleaner.
Avoiding Wheat - Some dogs are sensitive to wheat, so you could try switching to dog food and treats that don't contain wheat ingredients. Many owners recommend Blue Buffalo Wilderness Grain Free. I've tried this myself with good results (plus the fur coat gets softer and fluffier). Available in most petfood stores.
Distilled Water or Filtered Water - Tap water sometimes has high mineral content. Using distilled water or filtered water (buy a filtering pitcher) for the dog's waterbowl may help.
TUMS - This sometimes helps to change the pH of the tears. Fruit flavor is well-received. Give twice a day. 1/2 a tab for a standard eskie, 1/4 for a mini. If desired you can look at other brands of 500mg calcium carbonate. All 3 dogs at my house considered this to be a "treat" and it helped kick-start their clean-eye project, but I would be hesitant to make this a permanent part of a dog's diet.
Vinegar - Vinegar is like TUMS; it changes the pH balance. So in some cases it might help. Add one teaspoon of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar each time you refull your dog's water. For best results use distilled water instead of tap water. This is meant to reduce new tear-staining, but it won't fix current stains.
Missing Link Skin and Coat (info) - Powder to mix into wet dog food. (If you're feeding dry dog food you'll have to water the food to get this powdery mixed in.) Missing Link will especially help if your dog's problem is related to allergies (such as pine cone allergy). Contains flax seed, balancing yeasts, etc.
There are many eye-goo supplements for sale these days... be sure you check carefully what the active ingredient is when considering a new product.
ANTIBIOTICS
Do not give antibiotics nor steroids long-term except for serious medical conditions!
Low-dose Tetracycline (info), or Chlortetracycline (info) - Antibiotics. One ten-day course can clear out low-grade bacteria/infections from the area. Check the dose with a veterinarian; don't just go by what's on the bottle. Do not give Tetracycline with food: give on empty stomach. Do not give around the same time as giving an antacid. Never give this to puppies or young dogs. Do not use old/expired Tetracycline as it can destroy the kidneys.
Delta AlbaPlex - antibiotic with small amount of steroid. Info
Flagyl aka Metronidazole - Antibiotic. This can sometimes work to reduce tear staining. 2 week course; get veterinary prescription. "The usual dose of metronidazole in dogs is 3mg to 23mg per pound one to four times a day." Info
Lincocin (info) - Antibiotic. If tetracycline doesn't work you can try Lincocin. Usually given 2x a day.
AK-Trol - Antibiotic + steroid mix. Originally developed for people. Eyedrops or ointment. Via prescription. Do not buy from the online russian websites (the sites that have a domain ending in .ru)
Tylan (info) aka Tylosin (info) such as Angels' Eyes (see next) - Antibiotic approved for birds and pigs, but can sometimes work for dogs. One owner suggests putting it into yogurt to make it more palatable; another suggests putting it into scrambled eggs (without salt of course).* Tylosin may cause falsely elevated values of AST and ALT. It means that if you have bloodwork done on the dog, the medication may make a couple of the findings show a false high reading making it appear the dog has a liver problem or an inflammation when it doesn't really have one. ALT is short for alanine aminotransferase (previously known as SGPT) and this is an enzyme found in liver cells. AST is short for aspartate aminotransferase, (previously known as SGOT) and it is a similar enzyme that is found in many cells, including liver, muscle, and heart and raised levels may indicate inflammation. So the med may make these show a false positive. If you use any form of tylosin, be sure to inform your vet if they do blood work. Read this page about Tylosin controversy.
*Angels' Eyes powder (add to food) - Doesn't work for everyone, but some owners report results. Active ingredient: antiobiotic Tylosin in Tartrate form. (Apparently they don't want you to notice that, because on the "Product Details" webpage where they ought to list ingredients, they just go on and on about the beef and chicken they put in this product... and they bury the active ingredient description elsewhere on the site.) Do NOT use long-term... even though the source site suggests it! I guess they just want to make money. Never use antibiotics long-term! Some owners complain that the moment they stop using the product, the problem returns, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work... it probably means that their dog's eye problem is not related to red yeast. Some owners report side-effect of loose stool. (This product is not legal in the UK.)
Eye Envy - I checked their website, and this company carefully avoids telling you specifically what the active ingredients are. If they won't tell you exactly what's in the product, then I don't think you should use it. They do mention that one step includes an astringent but they don't say what chemical, and they imply that the product has no antibiotics, but if you read their text closely they mention only one category of antibiotics that they don't use, so it may be that they're including something else but don't want you to notice.
Okay, so now you've found something that is reducing the occurence of fresh tear stains. How to get rid of the residual older staining? Well, most products that claim to help will not help, or will only help a little. Also, if you start rubbing under their eyes with stuff, you're likely to stimulate a natural new output of goo. And most ways of removing stains have to do with using bleach or peroxide, which are harsh chemicals that can damage fur or injure skin/eyes. So just be patient and wait for the older stains to go away on their own.
But if you're desperate:
Corn Starch Paste - Ingredients: Milk of Magnesia, corn starch and peroxide (20 volume to 40 volume). Use equal volume of MOM and peroxide, and then use the corn starch to make a good paste of this; put on and work carefully into the stained area and let dry overnight. Wash out, then condition a lot. Wait a couple of days, then if needed do a second round. If able, use a few drops of Nexus KerapHix in this mixture to help with conditioning.
Crown Royale Whitener Grooming Powder - Can work fast, but it's harsh.
#1 All Systems Super Whitening Gel - Do several applications to get results. This can also slightly lift color off fur. This can be harsh for some dogs so proceed carefully.
Trimming - If there's plenty of fur to spare, you can carefully trim off the top layer of fur that's stained. However, don't do this if there isn't enough fur there in the first place.
If you put anything on facial fur, always follow up with JOICO Phine conditioner (for human hair), not only does it condition but it will clear away the remnants of whatever chemical you used.
Remember that bleach and peroxide can damage fur, skin and/or eyes. Don't do any of this cleaning stuff unless you are desperate (about to introduce your dog to the Queen of England or something).
ESKIE FUR AND SKIN
As you know, eskie skin produces special oils that help keep the fur clean because dirt sloughs off over the oil. My eskie once found a way to burrow under the house and she emerged covered with dirt and greasy grimy I-don't-know-what. I thought I was going to have to bathe her, but I brushed her out first, and all that junk slid right off. So eskies should not be bathed very often because each bath strips away a lot of that natural oil.
However in some cases an eskie someone loses their oil and we need to replace that moisture somehow, or their fur and skin are going to be too dry for a while. Also, older eskies can suffer from dry skin and that causes hot spots and discomfort. So here are ways to keep the fur and skin healthily moist:
Recommendations from various eskie owners:
RAW food diet (info) - A lot of people report that this keeps fur wonderfully soft, and prevents dry skin problems.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Grain Free dog food avoids wheat, which some dogs are sensitive to. Its ingredients tend to result in a super-soft, longer, thicker, fluffy fur coat on your eskie, and can help solve dry skin. Available in most petfood stores.
Skin and Coat Vitamins and Supplements - You can get suggestions at the pet store.
Salmon Oil or Flaxseed Oil (info) or Fish Oil Omega 3/Omega 4 - I've heard several veterinarians mention these oils. Depending on the product you can get capsules, or just oil to drizzle on food. One owner also suggests looking for dog treats that have fish oils included in the ingredients. Your local pet store will have a selection. Another owner suggested that you can buy tuna in oil and distribute it in your doggie's meals over time.
Panagenics Shampoo, Conditioner and Hydrating Spray (series info) - This is said to be an expensive set, but it's worth it if for some sad reason you do have to overbathe your eskie (such as on a show tour). If you don't have to overbathe your eskie, you can just get the hydrating spray, which mists onto the coat and then you brush. It doesn't have to be part of a bath.
