Eye Staining

Eye Stain can be caused by heredity, health or environment. While a small amount of stain due to the moisture from the eyes can be considered normal ,a Maltese should not have an orange face!

Teething: is the likeliest cause of heavy staining in puppies. If ALL of their permanent teeth are in and the baby teeth have been removed the tear staining should start to taper off now (approximate age 8 months). If you're still having a lot of staining, it's time to think of other things. Dirty or decaying teeth in older dogs can also be the source of stain be sure to have your dogs teeth cleaned at least once a year.

Hair: The most common but not often recognized culprit, is little wisps of hair in the eye. check daily to be sure there is no stray "fuzz", especially up under the eyelid. Redo the topknot morning or evening, and use gel to keep the stray hairs slicked down away from the eyes.

Eye Irritation: from pollution, dust, dirt, pollen, etc can irritate a Maltese's eyes. Some people use an antibiotic eye drop in the eyes at bedtime to kill bacteria and wash away irritants. Choryllium or Bausch & Laumb Eyewash is great for this, as it has Boric Acid in it that kills the bacteria that can promote staining. I put this is a small spray bottle and "mist" it in the eyes and on the hair under the eyes.

Clean the Eye Area: at least twice a day with an eyewash and pack with corn starch after cleaning to keep the area dry.

Clipping the Hair: around the eyes can exacerbate the problem because when the shaved hair grows back in, it grows in the direction of the eye and causes MORE tearing. If you have clipped hair around the eyes now let it grow out and retrain the hair to grow where it belongs using a styling gel to slick it down and keep it out of the eyes.

Food Dyes, Water Minerals, etc.: have all been blamed for increasing tear staining. You can eliminate these possibilities by using bottled water or filtered water. Use foods that have been proven not to contain dyes or contribute to staining.

Have Your Vet Check Tear Duct Function: it's a simple eye drop test: if the tear ducts are blocked, tears overflow all over the face and cause a lot of staining.

Bacteria: A low grade eye infection can cause tearing. Your Veterinarian can prescribe a oral antibiotic such as Lincocin, Tetracycline ( after teething) or Tylan. Eye Drops such as Gentocin or Neo Poly Dex can also be very helpful.

Ears: Ear Mites or an Ear Infection can also cause eye stain. Cleaning the ears after every bath with a ear cleaner/drying solution is very important. Any dark discoloration in the ears can be a sign of infection, yeast or mites. Please consult your Veterinarian.

Allergies: are the least likely cause of tear staining, especially in a very young puppy. You should always eliminate any health concern as the cause of tearing, such as teeth, bacterial infection, or food allergies, but food allergy is the least common cause of tear staining.

I do not recommend "bleaching" as it is very dangerous and can cause serious damage to the eyes!

One method that seems to help with staining is to boil fresh liver in water for about 20 mintues on low heat…feed this liquid to your maltese as well as the cooked liver…in about 1 month you should notice an improvement in the coat color around the eyes. Make sure you do not over do the feedings once to twice a week helps a great deal.

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