Cause for rusty red tear stains (and feet) on a white dog?

[CrowneDragon]

My neighbours have a very cute little white dust mop-type dog who has issues with reddish-brown tear stains, and I have noticed also has similar staining around his paws. Neither are terribly bad, but they asked me if I know of what causes that and I have no idea so I told them I would ask around. The dog eats some type of Nature’s Recipe dry food, and is indoor-outdoor (often on a line in their backyard during the day with a doghouse and big shade umbrella, where he seems very content).

Any suggestions for what causes this? I have read different things about allergies, food issues, etc and am not sure where they should start (aside from also talking to their vet). The dog doesn’t seem itchy or otherwise bothered, and seems to be healthy overall.

[shayaalliard]

The red is tears on the face and saliva from licking the feet. The red color can be produced by yeasts and bacteria that live in the damp fur. It is food related a lot of the time. Switch to high quality grain free is my first preference-especially for a dog who is licking feet, he is probably itchy.

Step two after a 2-3 month feed trial is to try a commercial feed through product like angel eyes. They work fairly well, but they are often low dose antibiotics, not my preference for long term.

It is also worth having a vet check the eyes- eyelids or lashes that roll inward are not too uncommon, and they irritate the eye. Irritated eyes tear more, and that sets up tear stains.

My white mini poodle was tear stained when he got here. After about 3-4 months on good , grain free, food they went away.

[FalseImpression]

I have been looking after my friend`s Westie for the last month and I did wonder about his reddish paws… and he does lick them… hum, I will mention this to her when she gets back next week… His eyes are fine, no tears…

[Chall]

Red “tear stains” are a food allergy. I recall, in cats, it was a virus? I need to google.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=shayaalliard;7846894]
The red is tears on the face and saliva from licking the feet. The red color can be produced by yeasts and bacteria that live in the damp fur. It is food related a lot of the time. Switch to high quality grain free is my first preference-especially for a dog who is licking feet, he is probably itchy.

Step two after a 2-3 month feed trial is to try a commercial feed through product like angel eyes. They work fairly well, but they are often low dose antibiotics, not my preference for long term.

It is also worth having a vet check the eyes- eyelids or lashes that roll inward are not too uncommon, and they irritate the eye. Irritated eyes tear more, and that sets up tear stains.

My white mini poodle was tear stained when he got here. After about 3-4 months on good , grain free, food they went away.[/QUOTE]

That is what we were told also.
Best I remember, decades ago, an English Spaniel breeder ran some studies on the kind of organism in those stains and came with several.

At that time, Iams was a new food and used red coloring and that also was contributing to that.

There are several possible causes and some staining may happen anyway in a well managed dog, but most clear once you find what is doing it in the specific dog.

I think one protocol I heard was to put the dog on a course of a specific antibiotic and if it worked, then it probably was some organism that was causing/contributing to the tearing and coloring.

Ask the dog’s vet about this.

[Nezzy]

usually white dogs get this.

[Chall]

Nezzy, it may be that people only notice it in white dogs. Ive seen it on other colored dogs, but you have to look a little bit harder.

Herpes Viral Conjunctivitis, I think that was the condition I associated it with.
I just remember thinking it was more serious than just red tears and I had been dismissing it.

[hoopoe]

the red stain (rust) is from porpherine, part of the iron broken down in normal red blood cell recycling.

it is shed in teas saliva and urine.

it is present on other dogs ( and cats and rodents) but not readily seen in non white animals. dark fur, particularly on cats cn start to get a rusty, yellowish cast.

excess tearing can be structural issues, like so often seen in dogs with extreme face shapes ( bulldogs, tiny tea-cup anything)

excess saliva from dental issues, anatomy

paw licking from contact irritation issues, arthritis tingling

brown staining can be from Pityrosporum / mallasezia yeast which can plague ear paw and skin fold dermatitis. If a dog has podo-dermatitis the excess licking of the paws can resultin both type staining

[CrowneDragon]

Thanks for all of the responses. They didn’t mention him licking at his feet, but perhaps he does. I can talk to them about upgrading his food and trying something grain free, but I know he gets a lot of biscuits and people food, which may make that futile. I looked at the Angel Eyes and the Tylosin in it does bother me. I think if they are going to have to go the antibiotic route it should be under the direction of their vet.

Thanks, everyone.

[Bluey]

A vet’s advice is best.

Our toy poodle had that problem a few times, maybe every couple or three years and, best I remember, our vet would put her on lincomycin and it would clear right up.
Whatever the cause was for her, that treatment worked.

The long ago study in English Springer Spaniels gave the names of different organisms that had been known to be involved, but can’t find it right now.
I am sure they know much more now.

[Nezzy]

[QUOTE=Chall;7847050]
Nezzy, it may be that people only notice it in white dogs. Ive seen it on other colored dogs, but you have to look a little bit harder.

Herpes Viral Conjunctivitis, I think that was the condition I associated it with.
I just remember thinking it was more serious than just red tears and I had been dismissing it.[/QUOTE]

yes and it is not only a stain, but it gets hard and crusty, too. the groomer i worked with for a while used a flea comb to comb it off. it is really nasty stuff.

[Jhein12]

I would switch to a grain free, potato free food like Natures Variety Instinct and try this supplement, it worked wonders with my toy poodle who had this issue… after I shaved off the current stains and started him on it they never returned until I ran out of the powder!

http://www.chewy.com/dog/naturvet-aller-911-skin-coat-plus/dp/45280?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=NaturVet&utm_term=&gclid=CNqXypDc7sECFaPm7AodnnUA8A

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=Nezzy;7847445]
yes and it is not only a stain, but it gets hard and crusty, too. the groomer i worked with for a while used a flea comb to comb it off. it is really nasty stuff.[/QUOTE]

Conjunctivitis generally shows up with the skin around the eye a bit swollen, not just runny eyes.

[Nezzy]

[QUOTE=Bluey;7849072]
Conjunctivitis generally shows up with the skin around the eye a bit swollen, not just runny eyes.[/QUOTE]

i never said anything about conjunctivitis. Was talking about the red gunk that runs down the sides of the snout.

[Bicoastal]

Same here

[QUOTE=Nezzy;7847445]
yes and it is not only a stain, but it gets hard and crusty, too. the groomer i worked with for a while used a flea comb to comb it off. it is really nasty stuff.[/QUOTE]

This is chronic in my Papillon. You can see it here.

He is fed grain-free. I’ve tried ACV, buttermilk powder, filtered water, topicals,…everything by antibiotic. His breeder and vets are not concerned so I’m unwilling to use Tylosin.

I have to dab his tears multiple times a day and pick off the crusties daily or they build, harden to cement, bleed, and scab.

We learned that the hard way when I was traveling and someone else cared for him. Now, if I have to leave town and send him to a friend’s, I specify dry his tears and provide a flea comb to manage the crust.

I hear groomers talk about soaking chunks of eye crust to loosen and soften it before attempting to remove it. I am dumbfounded that the owners let the condition build for weeks and weeks.

[Belmont]

There is a product out there called “Tear Stain” that you give to your dog like a treat. It has helped our chronic patients, greatly! We can’t keep it on the shelves.

[Bicoastal]

[QUOTE=Belmont;7851469]
There is a product out there called “Tear Stain” that you give to your dog like a treat. It has helped our chronic patients, greatly! We can’t keep it on the shelves.[/QUOTE]

Belmont, can you provide a link? I got too many hits when I googled “tear stain.” Is it Tear Stain Plus Lutein Soft Chew Cup?