By Shawn Messonnier, DVM
Does your dog have tear stains? Ever seen one with them? The American Kennel Club offers insights on removing these from your dog.
Most conventional tear stain-removing agents can be effective, but usually they contain the antibiotics tylosin or tetracycline. These antibiotics have been shown at low dosages to decrease the pigment in the tears that causes staining, but regular use of antibiotics for what is usually a cosmetic problem is not always the healthiest approach for your pet.
There are some natural products (like NaturVet’s tearstain supplement tablets) on the market that do not contain antibiotics but can decrease tear staining just as well.
Finally, keep in mind that if excess tearing is occurring, it could be a result of blocked tear ducts. Your veterinarian or veterinary ophthalmologist can help fix this problem.
Originally published in AKC FAMILY DOG.
To read more from FAMILY DOG, click here.
Photo credit: Diane Lewis for AKC
