Getting rid of tear-stains in white dogs?

[daryl]

Angels eyes should work for most dogs- perhaps you could try using more.

TBH I am now very Anti Angels Eyes- so much so that I think using it is dangerous- not necessarily to your dog in the immediate term but to all of us. Cross resistance in bacteria is on the rise because of inappropriate antibiotic use.

If you are unhappy with your angels eyes then demand a refund- not sure about the USA but here in the Uk credit card companies have liability- you have purchased a product that is illegal (in the USA) so they might be liable to refund you as a credit card company.

I recommended a product that worked for me, ie Angels delight but there are other safe and natural products such as the NaturVet tear stain supplement

http://www.naturaldogs.co.uk/store/n...n-remover.html

Good luck

[Freedom]

Mejane, what type of dog do you have?

With bichons, we work to identify the source of the staining, and deal with it that way. Most of us avoid Angel Eyes precisely because it includes an antibiotic.

Some of the common causes of eye stains:
- water. Use filtered water (I use a Brita pitcher) or distilled water
- protein. A commercial food too high in protein can result in stains. Bichons do well on a food of 25% or lower in protein.
- grains. Most grains are not digestible by dogs: corn, wheat. Use a grain free food. In some dogs, you can supplement with oats or rye, but many dogs can't even tolerate these 2 grains.
- food coloring. And while additives are the common one, bichons generally need to stay away from brown rice - a natural coloring, but it comes through
- for particularly tough stains, which you can't figure out, if they are red it is a yeast infection; a vet visit can get the antibiotics needed to clear it up.

More and more bichon owners are finding we just have to fed a raw diet to cope with the stains, and skin allergies. While I am not feeding raw (yet) I do cook most of what my dogs eat. No stains, itchies gone, no more nibbling feet.

Good luck!

[daryl]

I second what freedom says.

However I do not understand why protein or brown rice have an effect but I have heard others make similar comments.

Avoiding grains may also reduce tooth decay- dog's do not have the necessary enzymes in their saliva to break down the carbohydrates from wheat and corn.