# Quick question' need help with brown stains on mouth and paws



## Oscar m (May 6, 2013)

Hi all needing ya help on elly's brown/redish staining on her mouth and front paws and is there any natural house hold products that can get rid of these when I first got her she was full of infection skin ears and so on so I thourght that it was the cause but she's all better now finished med's and no more red skin I have read that on here in places it can be caused by bacteria and a poor diet is this right when I got here I had her on the top small bread puppy food I could find because she was so thin and had to rehydrate it with warm water and she also got wet food and raw bone,s as well she's fine now heathy weight and I dont need to rehydrate her food any more because she is'nt trying to inhale it like is her last meal so she has normal dry food and a little wet food at night but whe she has it she rubs her face on her paws to clean her face could this be a cause and anny advice would be grate guys thanks


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## georgiapeach (Mar 17, 2012)

She may be itchy, due to an allergy; hence the rubbing of her face after eating. My westie mix has a lot of allergies and had rust stains around her mouth and on her feet, as well as black skin on her tummy when I adopted her about a year ago. She also itched a lot. I found out that this is an indication of yeast, which can be caused by allergy. I went through several foods, eliminating allergens along the way. I also soaked her feet in 1/2 water, 1/2 apple cider vinegar, and wiped it on her tummy as well, for the first few months I had her. Her rust stains are now gone, as is the black skin on her tummy. My vet said Maddie's black skin was due to age, and that staining was normal on white dogs - NOT! Vets are not very savy nutrition - wise, unfortunately. I have gotten Maddie better by lots of digging into dog forums and online canine nutrition sources to get help for her. 

What are you feeding your dog? I've found that a grain free, potato free kibble works best for my dog. I also feed Maddie in a ceramic bowl, rather than a metal or plastic bowl, which has helped. A few kibbles to consider: California Natural Salmon and Peas, Nutrisca ( 3 grain/potato free varieties, I think) and Back to Basics Grain Free Pork Formula. I've even read on some forums that giving the dog filtered water can help. I don't have to do that for Maddie, thank goodness. I guess it depends on the mineral content in your local water. 

The protein source must also be considered. Maddie can't even eat any grain eating protein source, much less grains themselves, due to the severity of her allergies (her allergies are pretty severe - hopefully your dog's aren't this bad) and can only eat a fish based kibble. Chicken, beef, bison, kangaroo, rabbit, and lamb really send her over the edge!


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## Oscar m (May 6, 2013)

Thanks for that info I will give it a go if she's got an allergy I don't think it's a bad one she has stopped scratching every where and there's no red skin like my other dog but will keep an eye out for sure she's on pro plan heart plus for her heart murmmer from the extremely bad fle infestation she had when I picked her up it's getting better but still there so was advised to put her on it by the vet


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Oscar m said:


> Thanks for that info I will give it a go if she's got an allergy I don't think it's a bad one she has stopped scratching every where and there's no red skin like my other dog but will keep an eye out for sure she's on pro plan heart plus for her heart murmmer from the extremely bad fle infestation she had when I picked her up it's getting better but still there so was advised to put her on it by the vet


If she is healthy, and her skin is good, the staining should go away as the coat sheds out or is clipped off. Nothing removes the staining but bleach (hair bleach) and that is not recommended. Give it a few months and see if you dont see improvement in the new growth.


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## Maryanna (Jun 14, 2013)

Dogs get these stains for various reasons ranging from medications, seasonal allergies, food allergies, allergies to cleaning products, new carpets, etc. First, notice when she has this problem: is it all the time or only during certain months. If it's all the time, check what's in her food; the common food allergy culprits are wheat, corn and soy, but dogs can also become allergic to foods they've eaten for a long time or ingredients, such as chicken, in those foods. Is she itching when she's on certain medications? They may be the culprit. The staining comes from their saliva; that's why you see it on her mouth and anywhere she licks constantly, such as her paws. Cutting the hair off will get rid of it, but it will come right back when she licks her paws again if the underlying reason isn't addressed. Never use any type of bleach, especially human hair bleach, on your dog; even peroxide shouldn't be used. The first thing I'd do is verify when she has the problem (all year or only sometimes), then if it's all year, look into the food and any meds she's on. If it's only sometimes, look into any new treats she may have gotten, any new cleaning products or furniture (rugs, etc) you may have gotten, etc. If it's seasonal allergies causing the problem, ask your vet what dose of Benadryl to give your dog; this will lessen the itching which will lessen the licking which will lessen the staining. Also, if she has tear stains, look into Tearlax; it helps with tear stains, and who knows, it may help with other staining.


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