Angel Eyes for Tear Stains...Good Idea?

[shihtzulover]

Hi Everyone,

My shih tzu suffers from bad tear staining, and I'm not sure what to do.

Just washing really well doesn't seem to help the problem, and my vet suggested trying a natural 'Tear Stain' formula that their office sells, but it's not working as much I as I would like. While it does eliminate the foul odor that often accompanies this problem, the stains are still there, and they don't wash away.

I've heard about Angel Eyes, but I'm not sure whether or not this is a good product to use, because from what I understand, it can be controversial. While I would really like to clear the tear stains up, I definitely wouldn't want to use Angel Eyes if it were going to harm him in any way.

So, what do you guys think? Do any of you use or have any experience with Angel Eyes?

 

[soocool]

Did your vet say why your dog has excessive tearing that is probably causing the stains? Are his tear ducts blocked or possibly does he have a yeast infection (red stains around the eyes) that is causing the stain and the bad smell? Does he have allergies that may be causing the stains? I think you need to eliminate the cause of the staining instead of just trying to clean the eyes.

I believe Angel Eyes is an antibiotic eye ointment (I may be wrong) and I would not use it unless a vet prescribes it) Sometimes a change in food and using filtered water may help eliminate the problem, but I think you need to find the cause first and then a solution to the cause. Don't believe your vet that it is a genetic predisposition.

 

[shihtzulover]

It was awhile back when this was brought up at my vet's office during my dog's routine yearly exam and shots, but I believe that she said something about folds of skin possibly blocking the ducts, making it difficult for them drain properly - so instead of the tears going back in, they're coming out.

The stains are not really red, but they're more of a brown color to me. I'm not convinced that it's not a yeast infection, but I'm not sure that it is, either.

As far as the Angel Eyes goes - she basically said that it is something that I could try, but that she wasn't so sure about how she felt about it, and that she prefers a more natural approach. She did mention that many of her clients swear by it, though.

I tried the more natural approach like she suggested, but like I said, it's not really fixing the problem, but it has made the foul odor disappear.

Oh, and I have tried different types of water, but didn't notice any difference. He is on a special food for dogs with sensitive stomachs, so I'm not sure about trying something else, because this really seems to work well for him.

 

[audball]

I have used Angel Eyes on a schnauzer as it was recommended to combat the 'red beard' stains that schnauzers get when the ph in their saliva is off. The staining on schnauzers just happens to some of them and there is no underlying medical condition. It worked extremely well. It is not an ointment and it's not Rx. You can order it online and it's just a powder that you add to their food. It's based on their weight but my schnauzer (12 ish lbs) got about a 1/2 teaspoon per meal (fed twice a day). It took a few weeks but it stripped the stains from her beard and left it snowy white as it should be. I also used brightening shampoo on her and cleaned and brushed her beard after meals to keep food particles out of it. But the Angel Eyes supplement really did help.

In terms of actually used it for the eyes, that would be my only concern is whether or not there is a reason his eyes are draining and not just the unsightly stains/smell. As long as there is no medical problem the doctor found that needs/can be corrected, I would give it a shot. My understanding too is that part of the way it works is by coating the hair folicles to repell future stains. It should be noted that this treatment is not something that they should be on long term or daily. I think I gave Molly 2-3 treatments per year and between them did my best to clean her beard after all meals or treats and bathe her beard (if not her whole self) at least once per week to keep the smelly beard at bay.

Good luck! I hope you find a good solution for you and your furbaby.

ETA: My schnauzer's staining was differnt than tear stains but food and water does make a difference too. Molly only got filtered water and her food was only poultry (not beef) and anything staining (like beets, cranberries, blueberries, etc in the ingredients were a definite no). But like I said, her staining was merely cosmetic and not medical.

 

[ChicRaccoon]

I personally didn't like the idea of using Angel Eyes, so before I got my white Lagotto Romagnolo puppy I looked for some other more natural solutions. What I found was that cultured powdered buttermilk and unfiltered apple cider vinegar were recommended. When I got my puppy last March she had some tear staining going on. I instantly began adding a teeny-tiny amount of apple cider vinegar (we use Trader Joe's brand) to her water every morning. Similarly, I heard that the buttermilk powder can be added to food. The red tear stains instantly began to grow out. We still use it, and we haven't had any red staining issues since. My husband and I are a big fan of the ACV, and we recommend it to everyone with a white dog.

If your dog doesn't like the taste, you can use even less and build up to more if necessary. It truly doesn't take much. We just use the smallest drop we can pour straight from the bottle.