How to get rid of tear stain on Maltese?

White coated dogs like Maltese may develop very ugly, distracting, red-brownish tear stains. 

Many Maltese dog owners come with this concern that their Maltese dog has developed tear stain below their eyes, around muzzles, and in between their toes. 
These stains not only look bad but are also foul-smelling. 

Here in this article, we bring you all the possible ways to deal with these tear stains. Before going for the solution, there is a need to understand the cause of these stains. 

What are the causes of tear stain?

Several reasons can lead to a tearing stain. The irritation due to in-growth eyelashes, hair growth near eyes, and an inverted eyelid can cause excessive production of tears. 

Also, the blockage in the tear ducts of your dog may lead to excessive production of tears. Many other medical conditions, like glaucoma, chronic eye infection, and other inflammatory causes, also cause more production of tears. 

In case when your white Maltese is developing excessive staining due to tears, it is always advisable to consult with your veterinarian, ophthalmic veterinarian, if possible, to rule out the underlying health concern. 

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What are the reasons behind excessive tear staining?

If the staining turns out to be from excessive tear draining, the following are the possible reasons that can lead to this issue:

• Growth of hairs very close to eyes: Hair growth around eyes lead to excessive irritation and tear production. There are also chances that it blocks the puncta (drainage holes for tears).  
• Inverted eyelid: The inward turning of eyelid condition leads to irritation and, consequently, tears production.
• Infection: Infection and other inflammatory conditions like conjunctivitis and others can cause more production of tears. 
• Shallow eye sockets: Maltese dogs may have a problem with the shallow eye socket that can not contain the tears and spill the tears onto the fur around the eyes. 

In case when excessive draining of tears is not the cause, there are chances that your dog is suffering from food or environmental allergies. This leads your dog’s eyes to produce excessive water.

Pollen, dust, smoke, and gluten are common allergens that cause tear staining. 

Follow the below suggestions and tips to restore and maintain your beautiful furry friend:

Examine the quality of your dog food

There is a requirement for high-quality, balanced dog feed. The inferior quality dog feed used as fillers can cause allergies in a dog, leading to excessive tearing and other problems. 

Examine the water quality that you are using for your dog:

Sometimes, water with more mineral content causes allergies and more tear production. It is advised to use purified and distilled water for your dog. 

Proper eye and mouth hair hygiene

• You should flush your Maltese eyes with canine eyewash or other saline eyes wash. 
• It is also recommended to moisten a cotton ball with an eyewash solution and rub below and around the eyes. 
• Washing the muzzle hairs with dry or waterless shampoo is also advised. You can also use some wet cloth to clean that area.
• Keep the hairs surrounding eyes trimmed so that they cannot cause irritation in your pooch eyes.

How to get rid of tear stain on Maltese?

After confirming the reason for the tear stain, it is easy for you to prevent or lessen further staining. Here we bring you all the possible ways to clean those stains:

White Vinegar/ Apple Cider Vinegar:

It is a great natural way to remove the tear stain from your Maltese fur. All you need is to add one teaspoon of the white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to your dog’s water daily. 

This will decrease the pH of your dog’s body and help in preventing the growth of bacteria and other fungi infections from recurring.

Milk of Magnesia:

This solution will help you clean the tear stain from your Maltese fur. Mix equal part of milk of magnesia and hydrogen peroxide in a bowl and add a small amount of cornstarch to convert the solution into paste form. 

Now rub the prepared paste on the stained area and allow it to set for four to five hours. Now wash the dog thoroughly. You can use “Cone of shame” to prevent your dog from removing the paste with its paws. 

Hydrogen Peroxide:

Add one part of hydrogen peroxide to 9 parts of distilling water. Now soak a cotton ball in the prepared solution and apply it carefully on the patch area to clean it. 

You can also get some natural or herbal tear stain remover from your local pet supply. 

Recommendation on some Tear stain removers:

Beaphar Oftal tear stain Remover Pet eyecare:

This is the best tear stain remover and is compatible with all dog breeds. It will help you remove the unsightly stains surrounding eyes. The regular use of this remover will prevent discoloration in dogs. 

P E T V E D A Tear stain remover:

This tear stain remover from P E T V E D A is a hypo-allergic formula without bleach or any harsh chemical. It contains all naturally derived ingredients that will naturally remove the stains by tears and saliva. 

Angel’s Eyes Tear Stain Remover

This is a natural tear stain remover for pets that contains all-natural ingredients. It will help you in removing the tears stains from your pup’s body naturally.