Cause of Tear and Beard Stains in Dogs

After going through this process with my Mommy, I have become such a smart doggy. I learned so many things that I want to share with you now:

• The cause of tear stains is usually excessive tear production.  While us doggies naturally tear to keep our eyes and their membranes lubricated, excessive tearing can cause reddish-brown streaks under our eyes. The condition is much more prevalent in certain breeds like the Maltese (that’s meeee), the Lhasa Apso, and the Shih Tzu, and is much more obvious in doggies with light-colored coats.
• Our tears contain a lot of iron, so when tears and saliva sit on light-colored fur for any period of time, staining will occur. Our tear stains are worse after we have been outside, as the iron-containing stains do indeed darken when exposed to sunlight. Many times, the dark tear stains are also accompanied by eye gunk, goobers, and a nasty smell. Ehhhhhk!
• While tear staining is generally considered a problem for doggies with white or light colored fur because it’s more noticeable, the discharge and staining can happen with any dog, nevertheless, it’s a fact that certain breeds are more prone to tear stains than others.