Tear Stains

Is tear staining common with the Maltese breed?
It is a common issue.

Could the water my Maltese drinks have anything to do with staining?
Yes. High mineral content in your water could cause almost the entire face to stain. One suggestion would be to train your Maltese to drink from a water bottle which will help keep the face dry. Another solution would be to purchase purified bottled water.

What would cause a deep reddish-brown stain below my Maltese eyes?
A yeast infection could. One of the most common being Red Yeast or Ptyrosporin. You may want to get an opinion from a veterinarian as to whether your Maltese might have clogged tear ducts. There are methods to irrigate them.

When my puppy starts to cut its adult teeth, will this cause his face to stain?
Some people that had no prior problem with tearstain until the puppy was about 5 months of age. This is usually when a Maltese will start to cut their adult teeth. There really isn't much you can do other than to keep the facial hair of your Maltese as dry as possible during this time. After the teeth are in, the problem should subside.

Could the food I'm feeding my Maltese have anything to do with her tear staining?
Don't ever feed any food that has color added as this will cause the area around the mouth to stain. Better quality foods such as Iams, Eukanuba, Innova and Sensible Choice, just to name a few, usually don't have color added. Also, be sure to check your treats (biscuits & cookies) have no added color. Find ones that are white or pale colored. Biscuits made by Iams would be one good choice.

I heard that Tetracycline works wonders for eye stain problems. True?
Tetracycline can cause seriously upset stomachs and has to be eliminated through the kidneys. Tetracycline will also cause the teeth to stain. You should never use this without first consulting with your veterinarian. Are the side effects really worth it?

I don't want to have my Maltese drink from a water bottle. Could certain bowls cause staining?
Yes, some plastic bowls will cause discoloring of the face. A stainless steel bowl is best. Stainless steel is bacteriostatic, it doesn't chip or crack and is easy to keep clean. HOWEVER, Do NOT use metal in weather where the pan could freeze. Your dog's tongue can and will get stuck to the frozen metal.

I was told that giving my Maltese a half-a-Tum a day will help in controlling tearstain. Does it really work?
The main ingredient in a Tum is calcium. An argument that Tums could help is that it will change the pH of the tears. There is no proof to support this theory. You could try it but don't expect a miracle. We recommend asking your vet first.

The stain around my Maltese eyes started looking real bad so I just cut off the redish-brown ones and he looks great now.
That great look is only very temporary. In a day or two, those short hairs will begin to stain and you will be back to square one, except nothing to trim this time. Cutting off the discolored hair is not a good solution. I would recommend keeping the long hair out of the eyes by proper grooming and a topknot. This will help as the long hairs will have less chance of irritating the eyes and causing them to tear.

I use Collyrium in my eyes as I wear contacts and I find it soothing. Could this help my Maltese with her eye stain?
We have heard that some people have had some excellent results with it in controlling eye stain. Collyrium is a very mild, soothing eye wash that has some boric acid and buffers in it. It is available through most drug stores and doesn't require a prescription.

Do products such as "Diamond Eye" or "Pretty Eyes" work well for eliminating eye stain?
I have not heard real good reports on either of these two products or several others like them. They are inexpensive enough though to give them a try. They can't work if you don't try them. Once again, don't expect any miracles for a crispy clean white face if your problem is any more than minimal.

Would you recommend any type of bleaching to remove face and tear stains?
No, not for most people. If your mind is made up and bleaching is what you want to do, first talk to someone you can trust and is experienced with all aspects, preparation and risks prior to attempting it yourself. Again CHECK WITH YOUR VET before doing this!!!