Tear Stains and terrible breath!

[pitsnok]

So Harlow has pretty bad tear stains, and has for the past few months. The vet didn't seem concerned about them, and I kind of just assumed that was the way things go with a white dog... But since joining this forum I have noticed no one else's white dogs are tear stained... which raised concern for me.

First, do you guys think there is anything to worry about?

Since the vet wasn't concerned about them, I'm not too worried about it being a health problem, but she looks sickly, and (I am totally personifying my dog here)-- they make her look really sad!

Second, do you guys have any idea what causes them? Harlow does have allergies and is pretty prone to ear infections so I assume it has to have something to do with that, but we keep her ears pretty clean, and she takes benadryl if her skin is looking too inflamed, or if she is itchy.

Lastly, are there any suggestions about how to clean and prevent tear stains?
We have tried diluted hydrogen peroxide, regular dog shampoo, and baby wipes with no luck in removing them.

Now onto the breath issue...
For some reason in the past week or two BOTH of our dogs breath has gotten really bad...and I'm talking dead animal bad. Degan has never really had bad breath, and Harlow's has always been stinky, but tolerable. We haven't changed their food, or treats, and I am 90% sure they haven't gotten into anything they shouldn't have. They are only one, and one and a half so I doubt there could be any dental disease...and the vet says their teeth look great, so I am kind of stumped.

I tried some of the Paul Mitchel pet dental wipes last week on Harlow and they did no good. (My stepmom is a hair stylist so all of her pet products are Paul Mitchell)...and I'm wondering also, if there is any tooth-brushing product, or method you all prefer.

I have seen around here, and some other websites that giving your dog plain yogurt can help with stomach, allergy, and breath problems, and I was curious to hear of some positive or negative results anyone has had with this method because we were going to try using it on both dogs.

Thanks for the help!


*edit* I just realized I should have posted in the health and nutrition section, Sorry! *edit*

[mnp13]

Changing his diet made a HUGE change in Riggs' tear stains. They completely went away when I got him on to good food. We've been a little lax about the supplements lately and they are back again.

Tear stains are not "just part of having a white dog"

[LMM]

Also, isn't there something called Angel Eyes that is supposed to work really well on tear stains?

[HappyChick]

My cocker spaniel, Tedi, had double eyelashes and bad tear stains. I used something I think called Diamond Eye to clean hers'. It worked well. I'm not a vet or doctor, but I think it sounds like the eye thing is allergy related. I have allergies and whenever mine are bad, my eyes itch and get gunky.

[TheRedQueen]

Ripley gets runny eyes when he's got allergy problems...his come and go, they're seasonal...and that's the first sign I see.

I had a dog that got yogurt or probiotics every day, because his breath was nasty, sewage-like...just plain foul. I gave him a dollop of yogurt, and it was fine.

I give raw meaty bones for teeth cleaning...about once a month or so, they get a big beef knuckle bone or marrow bone...and they spend a week or so chewing them down. Clean shiny teeth...the vets are always amazed.

[Xarpolis]

Well, this isn't tear stain or a bad breath question, but I was wondering about the dogs overall smell.

We have to give Baku a bath pretty much EVERY 2 weeks due to smell. He seems to get really oily in just a matter of days and then the smell comes shortly there after.

I personally don't notice it, but some people that I work with (my dad included) has said that he smells.

I'm not really sure what to do about this. I brush him almost every day and he gets a bath every two weeks. He eats quality food and just seems to smell regardless.

Any suggestions?


EDIT: Ok, this is the food that he eats. I couldn't think of the name so I did a google search for it.
http://www.naturesrecipe.com/

He eats large breed puppy, which is a chicken & rice base.

He used to eat the standard puppy which was lamb & rice.

[StalkerBlueDog]

The blue shelties sometimes get tear stains. A trick of the trade I got from the sheltie people is to give a fruit flavored tums once a day. It changes the PH of the tears which is one thing that can cause the staining. Worked for Dawn when she was a puppy and had tear staining.

[ArtGypsy]

The blue shelties sometimes get tear stains. A trick of the trade I got from the sheltie people is to give a fruit flavored tums once a day. It changes the PH of the tears which is one thing that can cause the staining. Worked for Dawn when she was a puppy and had tear staining.

wow...great info........

[pitsnok]

Changing his diet made a HUGE change in Riggs' tear stains. They completely went away when I got him on to good food. We've been a little lax about the supplements lately and they are back again.

Michelle: We feed Wellness Core, so (hopefully) it isn't a food quality issue. We started feeding Wellness because of Harlow's grain allergies and it really helped with her stomach problems... and I think it even helped with some of her skin rashes too, (that could easily have been a placebo effect on me), so changing her food would really be a last-resort thing.

We are going to try the Tums, and I definitely want to start giving both dogs yogurt, just to keep everything normal.

http://pitbulltalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2028&hilit=fritos
I came across this thread today and realized Harlow definitely had a frito odor about her, so we are going to try the peroxide/vinegar concoction on her feet, and also around her eyes. Hopefully that will help get rid of them.

I have only been on this board for a week or so and I have already learned SO much, so thanks for the input!

[TinaMartin]

Even with high quality foods there may be something in the food that just doesnt agree with the dogs system. You may want to do some research and look for a food that you are comfortable switching them too just to see if that is part of the problem.

[TheRedQueen]

Even with high quality foods there may be something in the food that just doesnt agree with the dogs system. You may want to do some research and look for a food that you are comfortable switching them too just to see if that is part of the problem.

Exactly...not all dogs do well on all foods...even high quality foods can have an ingredient that just doesn't work for that dog.

[Marinepits]

http://pitbulltalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2028&hilit=fritos
I came across this thread today and realized Harlow definitely had a frito odor about her, so we are going to try the peroxide/vinegar concoction on her feet, and also around her eyes. Hopefully that will help get rid of them.

Glad you found that -- I was going to point you to it!

[TheRedQueen]

Forgot to add earlier: has she visited the vet with these symptoms? Since there are so many things going on with her, I'd have a vet check her out before adding new things into her life (supplements, new foods, etc). One symptom is one thing, but to have multiple things going on...I'd have her seen by a vet. I'm guessing there is an underlying allergy/cause that we're all just guessing at. Since she does have skin allergies, as you mentioned...

I also would recommend a second opinion...is there another vet in the practice that you can see?

[Marinepits]

Forgot to add earlier: has she visited the vet with these symptoms? Since there are so many things going on with her, I'd have a vet check her out before adding new things into her life (supplements, new foods, etc). One symptom is one thing, but to have multiple things going on...I'd have her seen by a vet. I'm guessing there is an underlying allergy/cause that we're all just guessing at. Since she does have skin allergies, as you mentioned...

I also would recommend a second opinion...is there another vet in the practice that you can see?

DITTO.

[pitsnok]

I'm typing this on my phone so bear with me guys!


We actually alternate between two vets at the same practice...whichever is available. Only thing is they are husband and wife so that may defeat the purpose! We haven't mentioned the stinky breath, but we were in for a histiocytoma about a month ago and I asked about the tear stains. He said it was probably allergy related. I noticed last night that she was being extremely playful compared to the past week, and her eyes (although still stained) were less runny. I have been cleaning her ears almost everyday for ...oh, probably a week, so im starting to think they are the problem. I may call the vet just to see what they think. We still have drops left over from an ear infection so hopefully I can give her that.

Also, now that I've discovered the frito smell I realized it might not actually be her breath, but just HER that is stinky... I'm going to stew over it and try to come up with some plan of action... I think we will try giving her to yogurt and clean her up real well and see if she continues to act better.

[pitsnok]

I just remembered... we talked with our vet about her eating poop, and about the tear stains in relation to her food, and the he told us not to change her food because everything else, (weight gain, bowel issues, gas, allergies) has done so well since we switched to the Wellness...
I am pretty sure she is improving already, so I will go ahead and try to use the peroxide/vinegar to clean her up, and give her tums &/or yogurt to see if that prevents it from coming back. If not then we will for sure be seeing the vet to see what is up. (I feel like we live at the vet. At least they love us... I just wish we got a more-often-than-usual-customer discount! )