# Tear staining, a Real solution



## porshiana

I have 6 toy poodles and a pekingese. After many attempt to remove the frustrating and irritating staining on two of my dogs, I ran across angel eyes. I read the main ingredient, tylosin, and did some research on it. What I found is listed below. But, first let me tell you my personal experience. 

First of all, tear staining IS a problem contrary to what the vets think. It causes hardening of the hair around the eyes which is very uncomfortable for the dogs, and cosmetically, the dogs just don't look good, which can change the way they are treated and or their sellability, and/or the amount of pride in the owner which I believe the dogs can sense. 

Second, I have purchased tylan 40 and used it on my problem dogs. After a few weeks, I cut the stains off and they stayed away! Their breathe smelled much better, and they looked much better. After 6-9 months, one dog started staining again, so I gave them both another dose, and have yet to have any more problem in about a year. 

The tylosin is bitter, and the dogs don't like it. In order to get it down them, I gave them some human food (I know, shame on me). I would scramble an egg, and since green beans and parsley are suggested natural remedies, I added them to the egg with the tylan 40. I used about half a teaspoon for my 6 pound toy poodles for 3-4 weeks. In my opinion it is an absolute miracle cure. 

Last, let me say this, Tylosin is often packaged as tylan 40, such as acetaminophen is packaged as tylenol. According to the angel eyes web site 

"Angels' Eyes is a product that cosmetically eliminates unsightly tear stains, beard stains and paw stains caused by excessive licking. which eliminates any Ptyrosporin (Red Yeast), a bacterial infection. 
Ingredients: 100% Pure Beef Liver and Tylosin as tartrate. 
For the first 3 months Angels’ Eyes MUST be given daily. Angels’ Eyes is very safe. There are no reports of toxicity with long term use and Angels’ Eyes is safe short term even if overdosed. Widely used within the showring circuit" 

Upon further research, I found that angel eyes has been around for years, and is used by numerous people on their dogs, as well as by breeders and the showring circuit. While they have a very low percent of complaints that it didn't work, they have never had any complaint filed against them for any side effects regarding a dogs health. While the FDA has not approved this drug for dogs, Their tests would not include nearly as many participants as have already used this product with no ill side effects. The absolute only bad side effect I have been able to find of this drug used on dogs is below 

Tylosin may cause falsely elevated values of AST and ALT when using colormetric assay. 
And here is a vet's explanation for that 
It just means that if you have blood work done on the dog the medication may make a couple of the findings show a false high reading making it appear the dog has a liver problem or an inflammation when it doesn't really have one. 
ALT is short for alanine aminotransferase (previously known as SGPT) and this is an enzyme found in liver cells. 
AST is short for aspartate aminotransferase, (previously known as SGOT) and it is a similar enzyme that is found in many cells, including liver, muscle, and heart and raised levels may indicate inflammation. 
So the med may make these show a false positive. 
The implication would be you might treat for a disease that wasn't there 

But, keep in mind, that angel eyes is tylosin AND beef liver. It would be my guess that the beef liver is causing these false readings. 

If you do decide to use any form of tylosin, be sure to inform your vet if they do blood work. 

Below is my findings on Tylosin, what it does, why it is safe, and why it is not precribed by vets. 

Dogs produce clear tears regularly. Sometimes, dogs can have problems with excessive tearing due to a blocked tear duct or ingrown eye lash, or hair getting into the eyes. Sometimes teething can cause excessive tearing too. If the fur around the eyes or mouth stay wet for a prolonged period of time, they become a breeding ground for yeast and bacteria. One of the most common yeast infections is Ptyrosporin or Red Yeast which causes a deep reddish-brown stain. Low grade bacterial infections in the tear ducts are also common and may cause excess tearing and staining. 

Once a ptyrosporin infection begins, it oftens gets into the eyes, and can eventually cause an oral infection. This can cause bad breath. The most common evidence of an oral yeast infection is red staining on areas that are not naturally wet, but are often licked, like the paws and sides of the mouth. 

As you can see, having tear staining is not natural or healthy, but caused by an infection. Without any infection, the tears would exist but there would be no colored stain. 

Unlike Tetracycline which is a broad-spectrum antibiotic Tylosin is a macrolide antibiotic similar to erythromycin and is considered as narrow-spectrum because it is active against only a few specific bacteria, therefore it will not develop imbalance or resistance in the animal’s immune system. Since Tylosin is narrow spectrum it does not correct any recognized health problems in dogs. Tear staining and red yeast infections are not considered health problems because they do not lead to any damage to the body that the vet will need to treat, so it is treated as a mere inconvenient cosmetic problem. 

The fact that Tylosin is not used for any ailment that dogs have is a good thing if you are worried about the dog becoming immune. If the dog gets ill, the vet will not prescribe Tylosin to him. Therefore, if he became immune to it, it would not be a health problem. The only problem would be that tylosin would no longer work on tear staining. 

I have spoken to 2 veteranarians that I know personally about this. They both said that any vet would be leary of recommending anything to a client if it is not approved by the fda, because if anything did happen it would fall back on them. If it was fda approved, they could use that as a legal arguement. Off the record, both of them think the FDA should approve it, and both of them do not think it would cause any harm. 

If you are interested, do some research yourself. I bought 8 oz of Tylan 40 powder from the internet, and I haven't used 1/4 of the jar yet. It is sold in several places on the net, and the 8oz jar costs about $15 USD.


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## Verhouze

porshiana said:


> Second, I have purchased tylan 40 and used it on my problem dogs. After a few weeks, I cut the stains off and they stayed away! Their breathe smelled much better, and they looked much better. After 6-9 months, one dog started staining again, so I gave them both another dose, and have yet to have any more problem in about a year.
> 
> If you are interested, do some research yourself. I bought 8 oz of Tylan 40 powder from the internet, and I haven't used 1/4 of the jar yet. It is sold in several places on the net, and the 8oz jar costs about $15 USD.


I can't tell you how much research I have been doing but I cannot find a dose for Tylosin. I have used Angel Eyes in the past and find Tylosin would be much for cost effective. 

I think to get it down a dog I would like to purchase empty capsules from a health food store and put some of the powder in it. I need to find out how much. Do you have a clue about this? The dog in question is 10 lbs.


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## flipgirl

I used Angel Eyes and it did nothing for my dog's tear stains. And I don't like the fact that it is an antibiotic because your dog will eventually become immune to it and also because antibiotics kill good bacteria too. 

I started homecooking my food and giving her filtered water. Her tear stains vanished. Now I can tell when the filter needs changing - when her stains start reappearing! 

Tear stains are not always caused by an infection. It could also be caused by the mineral level in your water or by an allergy to an ingredient in the food you are feeding. Sometimes beet pulp, found in some kibble as a filler, can cause the red stains. 

I'm just sharing my own experience with AE; I'm not saying it won't work for your dog. If it is an infection then it will probably work. I'm just suggesting that it could be something else other than an infection.


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## poodleholic

I have Poodles, and my male is a very light cream. When I got him, he had the red staining. Distilled water with unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar took care of it, by changing the ph. It's easy to avoid any hardening of the tearing matter by flushing the eyes with sterile saline solution, and wiping the area with a clean cloth. The saline solution keeps the skin/hair clean, keeping it from harboring bacteria. Daily hygiene will prevent built-up gunk, which gets hard.

Tearing is not always caused by infection, so using an antibiotic is not something I would use unless an infection was diagnosed. Allergies are often the culprit, but irritation of the eyes from hair can also create a problem.


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## porshiana

It is natural for dogs to produce clear tears. There are numerous reasons for them to produce excessive CLEAR tears. However, there is only one bacteria that causes red staining, ptyrosporin. Without having a Ptyrosporin infection, the tears would be completely clear. There are other infections that dogs can get in their eyes, but these produce yellow and green mucus, not red staining. Allergies minerals and such can cause her to tear a lot. They do not cause the fur to turn red, clear tears that are bacteria free do not turn the fur red. This is the waste product (feces if you will) of the ptyrosporin bacteria. If you have red staining, there is no other reason.

Ptyrosporin is like mold. It is in the air. If you leave bread out, mold will grow on it. If your dogs fur around her eyes are constantly wet, ptyrosporin will grow in it.


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## hungover

Hi Porshiana

A well written article, much of which I agree with, but my understanding of the problem is slightly different-



Angels glow was on the market before angels eyes- folklore says that the makers of angels eyes used to work for angels glow and then fell out and set up AE. So the following statement on their site is false

"Angels' Eyes®. is the first product specifically developed for BOTH DOGS & CATS to eliminate unsightly tearstains from the inside out!"

If anything it is the second product. Perhaps that is why they are being sued by Angels Glow, AE in turn are suing the makers of Clear Tears.





"Angels Eyes...eliminates any Ptyrosporin (Red Yeast), a bacterial infection."

Partially true- The tylosin kills the bacteria that would otherwise bond with the oxidising metallic elements in the tears. The enzyme that is the building block of the red yeast is the result of this bonding. So to halt the yeast you need to either kill the bacteria or oxidise the metallic elements before they are secreted in the tears or saliva. Keeping the hair dry would also have the same effect.





"the FDA has not approved this drug for dogs"

No government in the world has approved any of these products because none of the aforementioned makers has ever applied for approval- the costs are too high and it seems likely that approval would not be granted. I think that one of the main concerns is that the tylosin is still present in the urine and feces, and may result in cross species resistance. 

Technically none of these products is legal. European authorities started to clamp down on the sales of these products early 2008 and the rumour mill says that the FDA might follow suit. To date they have turned a blind eye as there are bigger fish to deal with.

When researching tylosin I spoke to Elanco the inventors of tylan. To the best of their knowledge it is not legal anywhere in the world for use as a tear stain preventer. Further they are aware that most resellers hide the fact that it is an antibiotic- thereby breaking even more laws.





"Since Tylosin is narrow spectrum it does not correct any recognized health problems in dogs"

Tylosin has been used for other purposes, for example, to fight outbreaks of diarrhea in dogs.

Tylan was developed in the early 60's to treat respiratory problems in poultry. It was whilst testing on other animals that it was noted that it helped with tear stains.

It is still used to fight diseases in animals but is no longer legal for use as a growth promoter (other than in the USA and Canada).

*Please be aware that it is fatal to horses!!!*




"any vet would be leary of recommending anything to a client if it is not approved by the fda, because if anything did happen it would fall back on them."

I don't know about the USA but in the UK vets can technically prescribe tylosin to dogs under the "cascading rule"- if they have exhausted all approved methods first they are allowed to try alternatives. that said, it is true that many would fear prosecution too much to prescribe it for what they see as a cosmetic problem. Some do though.





"There are no reports of toxicity with long term use"

This is only because there is NO long term research. It is true though that dogs can tolerate very high doses in the short term.





"Once a ptyrosporin infection begins, it often gets into the eyes, and can eventually cause an oral infection. This can cause bad breath. The most common evidence of an oral yeast infection is red staining on areas that are not naturally wet, but are often licked, like the paws and sides of the mouth."

Again, I agree in part that both the eye stains and the other coat stains are the result of the yeast. Again this is the result of the bacteria in the tears and saliva bonding with the metallic elements. It is not necessarily the infection travelling down the face to the mouth and then to the licked areas.




I used to use Angels eyes but had to stop when it was declared illegal. I did feel a little guilty about using it in the long term. Of all the antibiotics this is the only one that I was willing to give to my boys.Fortunately my supplier Bichon Hotel- I now joke with them that they were my drug dealer or pushers- was actively trialling a new natural product at the time later to be called Angels Delight.

They explained that no legal product could kill the bacteria effectively so Angels delight works by oxidising the iron deposits inside the body and thus the bacteria has nothing to bond with (ie food) and so no enzyme and red yeast.

Other than sharing the word "Angels" the other similarity is that it wasn't developed to clear tear stains. It was designed to improve the health of dogs and cats and to help with a range of conditions such as: slipping patella, cataracts, bowl conditions etc.. Again, as with tylan it was noted that it got rid of the "dreaded red yeast tear stains".

So in conclusion the cheapest "guaranteed" cure is tylosin and the only one that is 100% legal and will also improve your dog's health is Angels Delight.


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## briteday

I've used all of the mentioned remedies and nothing stops the staining in my dogs. Our vet tells me that as the toy breeds are selectively bred to shorten the muzzle it is having an effect on the anatomy of the tear ducts. Our dogs do not have the red staining indicative of red yeast, just bown staining and constantly watery eyes. Upon close examination by the vet he noticed that their tear ducts are unusually small and therefore become easily clogged. He suggested cleaning their eye area with saline contact solution 1-3 times per day. Otherwise there is really nothing much else to be done. And, following his suggestion, the dogs still have a bit of mild brown staining (I can't catch all the tears from their eyes as they tear constantly 24/7) but the saline does help with keeping the area clean and free of debris.


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## hungover

flipgirl said:


> It could also be caused by the mineral level in your water or by an allergy to an ingredient in the food you are feeding.


The mineral levels fits in with my understanding of the problem and I can see the logic of using metallic bowls- this will help to change the composition of the metals in the water.

Unfortunately eliminating all minerals would be bad for the dog's health.

I am in no doubt that diet change is important. That said, it is difficult to identify the problem ingredients.



flipgirl said:


> Sometimes beet pulp, found in some kibble as a filler.


This may be an urban myth- beet pulp used in food is white in colour and not red like beetroot pulp



flipgirl said:


> antibiotics kill good bacteria too.


Too true. Yogurt is a good way of helping to restore the flora levels in the gut


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## myminpins

I clean my dogs' eyes constantly, especially Liz. Her eyes tear like mad. Seems like I'm always wiping her eyes. I can't stand it when it gets hard and gross. None of my dogs are white at the eyes, though, so it's not a huge problem for me


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## hungover

Hi Briteday

I am suprised that angels eyes didn't work for you. I can only asume that your dog needed a higher dose.

Glad to hear that the eye drops are helping to keep the red yeast levels low. The brown staining is the red yeast. Without your intervention it would be much worse- welldone

Are you sure that you tried Angels Delight. It hasn't been on the market that long and I don't think they actually sell it stores in the USA- I recommended to a friend in manhantan and they had to buy it from the UK.

Here is a link for you to have a look at it

http://www.bichonhotel.co.uk/angels_delight


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## hungover

Sorry about the bump but i found this...

http://vmdiva.com/2010/01/tear-stain-products-more-than-meets-the-eye/

Its a vet's (partial) response to this thread


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## luvntzus

My dogs always drink bottled water and adding apple cider vinegar did nothing. Eye Envy did nothing, because the eyes are constantly tearing, so it just gets the stains later. Although, Eye Envy didn't even work. The ONLY thing that worked is Angel's Eyes. And after giving it for a couple of weeks, the staining does stay gone for 6-12 months.

Briteday- I have never heard of a case where Angel's Eyes didn't work. Did you trim off the stained hair? The new hair grows in stain free because of what Angel's Eyes does in the dog's body. But, it that doesn't do anything for the stained hair that's already there- that would be impossible. Anyway, I just thought I'd mention it in case you didn't trim the hair.


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## hungover

My friend used to sell AE in the Uk before it was declared illegal. The vast majority of users that it didn't work for were simply using too little.

However, there were a handfull of customers that were using higher doses that still found that it didn't work. I have no idea why...

i have also heard that the failure rate for Angels Delight is similar, I think about less than 1%. Mind you the difference is that even if Angels Delight doesn't work you are still boosting your dog's health.

I have no idea what the failure rate for NaturVet is.

I have never understood why people use less than the recommended dosage, it is a waste of both money and time!


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## Kina_A

I've used Angle Eyes. 

I stopped using it approximately 3 weeks ago. Guess what? Tear stains again! And they're getting bad. 

I left for work one morng and came home in the afternoon, and I swear, they appeared out of nowhere!

I'm really not interested on having my dog on Antibiotics forever. There has to be something else that can be done!

I'm going to the vet next week anyways and I'll see what they say. And BTW, Kina was groomed last weekend, and her face has been cut extreemly short that there are not hairs that can get to her eyes. (her face looks like they gave her a poodle face, when the poodles are nicely groomed)


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## Ayanla

After trying every "folk" remedy I could find, from vinegar to antacid to distilled water, and having zero success, I used Angel Eyes and it completely did away with all staining. However, when I discontinued it, the stains came back within weeks. Angel Eyes also had the lovely side effect of giving Odo loose poop the entire time he was on it.

So I switched to Eye Envy, and at first it seemed to be helping, but it doesn't completely remove the stains. It keeps them lighter, but they're still there and still clearly visible. I've tried tons of other anti-staining products and none of them have helped even minimally. 

Odo has to go for his one year checkup/rabies booster visit here soon, so I'll talk to the vet regarding his excessive tearing and see what he thinks. I know it's a cosmetic issue, but it's a particularly annoying one.

I haven't tried Angel's Delight as it doesn't seem to be available in the US that I can find, and I'd hate to spend the money importing only to find it doesn't work any better than Eye Envy.


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## briteday

OK, daughter works for a vet now, asked about Tylosin. We also keep chickens and use it on rare occasions when one is terribly ill with a respiratory infection. 

The vet worked up a dose that was a bit larger than what I had been using. And to stay on tylosin for at least 4-6 weeks. 

Results...this time it worked for all of the dogs. And they have been off tylosin for over 6 months now and there is no new staining. Our vet said he would never suggest that anyone use tylosin or anything similar on a constant basis. But a burst of it every few years to reduce the staining from the bacterial by-products would probably be ok.


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## Anneka

porshiana said:


> It is natural for dogs to produce clear tears. There are numerous reasons for them to produce excessive CLEAR tears. However, there is only one bacteria that causes red staining, ptyrosporin. Without having a Ptyrosporin infection, the tears would be completely clear. There are other infections that dogs can get in their eyes, but these produce yellow and green mucus, not red staining. Allergies minerals and such can cause her to tear a lot. They do not cause the fur to turn red, clear tears that are bacteria free do not turn the fur red. This is the waste product (feces if you will) of the ptyrosporin bacteria. If you have red staining, there is no other reason.
> 
> Ptyrosporin is like mold. It is in the air. If you leave bread out, mold will grow on it. If your dogs fur around her eyes are constantly wet, ptyrosporin will grow in it.


Ptyrosporin is yeast, not bacteria  Quite a difference.


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## whizzervic

Hi ! I ' m a new member ! As you can see on my avatar , 8 months old Nelly was sparkling white . She ' s now 12 months old and has heavy eye red stains , around the mouth and some on her paws as well . I recently purchased Angels Glow , but she doesn ' t like it . According to this thread , here ' s 2 solutions ;

"so ignoring any of the pastes and wipes which seem to work for some and not others we are left with two options: kill the bacteria or oxidise the iron in the body- ie drugs or diet- both are safe and eventually one or the other will work."

I guess i ' ll get a refund on the Angels Glow and try tylosin (tylan 40)

Would tylosin kill the bacteria permantely or is it bound to come back to life ?

Thanks for you feedbacks , Claude


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## hungover

whizzervic said:


> Hi ! I ' m a new member ! As you can see on my avatar , 8 months old Nelly was sparkling white . She ' s now 12 months old and has heavy eye red stains , around the mouth and some on her paws as well . I recently purchased Angels Glow , but she doesn ' t like it . According to this thread , here ' s 2 solutions ;
> 
> "so ignoring any of the pastes and wipes which seem to work for some and not others we are left with two options: kill the bacteria or oxidise the iron in the body- ie drugs or diet- both are safe and eventually one or the other will work."
> 
> I guess i ' ll get a refund on the Angels Glow and try tylosin (tylan 40)
> 
> Would tylosin kill the bacteria permantely or is it bound to come back to life ?
> 
> Thanks for you feedbacks , Claude


Erm... with egg on my face I have now have to admit that there is a third option- ie "kill" and control the bacteria using plant extracts with antibacterial qualities.

I used to rave about Angels Delight but now I use the equally good and vastly cheaper NaturVet tear stain supplement.

With regard to your question about using plain old Tylan. Whether you will need to use it continually or not is hard to say. Few owners are lucky enough to use one of the tylosin based products once only

If your dog wont eat Angels Glow then you might have the same problems with the Tylan, it really is very bitter.

My advice, if you aren't in a terrible hurry would be to use the NaturVet stuff (perhaps continually) or the more expensive Angels Eyes Natural (same ingredients but way more expensive). Unlike Angels Glow tylan- both of NV and AE natural are perfectly legal and safe for prolonged use.


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## Abbylynn

Interesting thread here. But I do it all the hard way. A good diet. I keep the hair trimmed short around the eyes. I wash their eyes off every day. It is not perfect but it is better than it used to be. I know........chemicals and antibiotics are easier. But I would rather my dogs saved the antibiotics for something they really need it for. I worry about them becoming immune to them. 
Oh well.....been washing dogs eyes for over five years now.....what's another 5-10 more! Lol!


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## hungover

Abbylynn said:


> Interesting thread here. But I do it all the hard way. A good diet. I keep the hair trimmed short around the eyes. I wash their eyes off every day. It is not perfect but it is better than it used to be. I know........chemicals and antibiotics are easier. But I would rather my dogs saved the antibiotics for something they really need it for. I worry about them becoming immune to them.
> Oh well.....been washing dogs eyes for over five years now.....what's another 5-10 more! Lol!


Hi AbbyLynn

I agree 100% that diet change is the best long term option. Dogs are intolerant of so many of the bulking agents that go into processed foods.

By cutting out grains such as wheat and corn I saw a big difference. Unfortunately it wasn't 100% successful and hence the need to supplement the diet- originally with Angels Delight and now NaturVet- both of which are natural and antibiotic free.


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## whizzervic

hungover said:


> Hi AbbyLynn
> 
> I agree 100% that diet change is the best long term option. Dogs are intolerant of so many of the bulking agents that go into processed foods.
> 
> By cutting out grains such as wheat and corn I saw a big difference. Unfortunately it wasn't 100% successful and hence the need to supplement the diet- originally with Angels Delight and now NaturVet- both of which are natural and antibiotic free.


So , i guess , if you go without tylosin products like angel ' s glow , is it because it can be armfull for them , even when down to 1/2 tsp twice a week ?


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## Abbylynn

I found this interesting. Each to his own I always say. .................

www.petplace.com/drug-library/tylosin-tylan/page1.aspx


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## hungover

whizzervic said:


> So , i guess , if you go without tylosin products like angel ' s glow , is it because it can be armfull for them , even when down to 1/2 tsp twice a week ?


Sounds funny but half a teaspoon _might _be more harmful than one full teaspoon...

Antibiotics are potentially most dangerous with respect to bacterial resistance. This applies to virtually all lifeforms. The overuse of antibiotics has led to an increase in the rise of super bugs. Resistant bacteria that affect dogs and humans

Often overlooked is the problem of underdosing. Too little antibiotic can lead to bacterial resistance. Not enough was used to kill the bacteria and those that survive can mutate to become immune to that antibiotic (and possibly similar ones).

As more and more natural tear stain supplements prove their worth, it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify the use of antibiotics to help with tear staining.

The waters are muddied further by the fact that it is technically illegal to self prescribe antibiotics such as tylosin to dogs (unless you happen to be a Vet)- tylosin tartrate (Tylan) is not approved for dog use anywhere in the world. It is however available OTC for use in poultry,swine and cattle (and possibly honeybees) in the USA.

What you choose to use is a matter of conscience. Tylan based products are likely to work the fastest but run the risk of killing us all- JOKE- perhaps...


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## whizzervic

I , m to quick at jumping on the bandwagon ! Oh well ... the angels glow will go down the drain ! Hope some animal owners with the annowing tear stain problem will benefit from my short term experience . So , i ' ve done some more research .

1st ; There ' s this product , prostora , by Proctor & Gamble , that comes in the form of a tasty chewy treat , instead of a powder . I can get it from my vet . $40.00 for 15 treats is quite expensive . On amazon.com , i found this ; 

http://www.amazon.com/IVF-PROSTORA-...E4YM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320323626&sr=8-1

There was 8 in stock and there ' s 3 left . I tried and purshase it , but they don ' t ship to my adress . I contacted the supplier , Cattyvet Pet Supply and they told me there was a mistake on the listing . I have the feeling they have to sell it as advertised . So , go for it if you ' re in USA !

2nd ; I got on a review ranking a product called TEARLAX #1 , 100% natural ingredients . There ' s a deal , buy 2 , get one free , that would cost me $99.00 + $17.99 shipping , for 6 months supply .

http://pet-health-centers.com/tear-stain-products/index.php

3rd ; As for Naturevet eye stain remover , it ' s not getting to good of a review on amazon.com ;

http://www.amazon.com/NaturVet-Tear...L3EI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320293583&sr=8-1

but it comes in TABLETS ! YES !!! It ' d cost me $55.00 , shipping included for 60 tablets .

http://www.petco.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=1365355

Even better , $30.00 , shipping included , 0n ebay ; 

110647106741

I contacted the seller and dosage is one a day . So , 60 days for $30.00 , it ' s worth a try !


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## I<3Kobi

I just joined this forum today... lol.. & the only reason I did it is to thank you 'Hungover' for all the information provided. I just bought a puppy last week, but I've been doing some research about Angel Eyes for a few months and I didn't learn half the things I learned in this forum tonight... 

I won't be buying anything for my pup that is not natural, I will probably buy the NaturVet, since is cheaper then the Angels Delight... I'll do my research on which one is easier to find... do you recommend AE Natural? I am not sure about that product, obviously that company doesn't care much for the dogs health, why would I invest my money on them, even if they have a Natural product... hmmm... 

It is amazing the great reviews AE get everywhere... I am sure more than half of the people don't know or didn't investigate much about the product... I am glad I found this forum, and this thread... 

Kobi & I appreciate it!


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## Roland

Hi everyone... new to the forum.. my name is Roland and my wife and I had a little poodle mix named Mandy that we unfortunately lost to old age when she was going on 18 years of age... It hurt soooo bad I swore I wouldn't get another dog for at least a year or two... well 2 months later my wife found a puppy at a local shelter ( I'm a dad again ! )... his name is Joey and he is a malti-poo.... He is the most precious little thing and absolutely a gorgeous little puppy... but one problem. He has one eye that has red stains under it.. we use a warm wet wash cloth daily to clean his eyes but the stain remain... In doing research I've read alot about angel eyes.. and I'm confused.. some dont want to use it because of the tysolin in it, but others say it's the tysolin that helps get rid of the staining problem. What's the truth here and is it safe for dogs.... I"ve been considering a product called Tearlax.... has anyone got any info on this product... Thanks for your help with this.

Joey and I look forward to your replys..


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## I<3Kobi

Roland said:


> Hi everyone... new to the forum.. my name is Roland and my wife and I had a little poodle mix named Mandy that we unfortunately lost to old age when she was going on 18 years of age... It hurt soooo bad I swore I wouldn't get another dog for at least a year or two... well 2 months later my wife found a puppy at a local shelter ( I'm a dad again ! )... his name is Joey and he is a malti-poo.... He is the most precious little thing and absolutely a gorgeous little puppy... but one problem. He has one eye that has red stains under it.. we use a warm wet wash cloth daily to clean his eyes but the stain remain... In doing research I've read alot about angel eyes.. and I'm confused.. some dont want to use it because of the tysolin in it, but others say it's the tysolin that helps get rid of the staining problem. What's the truth here and is it safe for dogs.... I"ve been considering a product called Tearlax.... has anyone got any info on this product... Thanks for your help with this.
> 
> Joey and I look forward to your replys..


Hi Roland... I am a first time dog owner, I have a Coton de Tulear, and he's got the same problem. I've been doing a lot of research as well, and I've learned Angel Eyes might be one of the products that work the fastest and that actually fixes the problem [until you stop using it that is] but it has tysolin in it, which is an antibiotic; some people (and even show breeders) are okay with giving it to their dogs on a daily basis and others aren't. I guess you are the one who have to decide whether you feel comfortable with it or not. But... If you read all the previous posts in this forum, you will educate about it and I guess make a decision.

I decided to go the natural way, I just don't feel comfortable with giving my pup antibiotics daily, even if it is a small amount of it... and the main reason is because I do not want him to be immune to antibiotics in the future, what if he gets sick and when he really needs the antibiotics they don't take effect?

I just purchased this product called 'Tear Stain Supplement': http://www.amazon.com/Tear-Stain-Su...MS4O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326979946&sr=8-2
which is natural, he started taking it two days ago, and he has no problems eating his food at all, he likes it. This takes longer than Angel Eyes to work, but it is natural and it's also healthy for your doggie. Hopefully it works.. I still have to wait and see....

I also bought 'Eye Envy': http://www.amazon.com/Eye-Envy-Stai...HNBW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326980045&sr=8-1
I started yesterday, I have to apply it once a day.. and it helps to remove the stains... 

It also helps if you give your pup bottled water, purified or distilled water, instead of tap water.. because tap water could have high doses of minerals in it and can be one of the causes causing staining... also if you put a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar on the water it helps to prevent eye watering and it has a lot of nutrients, I found this article to be interesting: http://bragg.com/products/vinegarPets.html

I also ordered a water bottle for my pup, because he's getting stains around he's mouth from drinking from a bowl, even though it's a stain steel bowl, and that will keep his face dry as well... 

So I hope by doing all this, his stains are gone for good.. I think it's better than giving him any product that has tysolin in it... even if it takes a longer time to show results.

I also read somewhere, that *sometimes* tear staining disappears when your pup is around 1 year old, sometimes teething is one of the causes... so many things to keep on mind!

Good luck with your new puppy 
-Patty


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## lisaj1354

I've tried every damn thing (Tums, bottled water, distilled water, changing food, you name it) and the only thing that works (it takes daily applications) is this:

http://www.jbpet.com/earthbath-eye-wipes,9737.html










I refuse to have my dog live on an antibiotic that has unknown long term effects.


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## KelseyRose

I used a whole bottle of Angle Eyes on my Lhasa, and it did NOTHING for me. One eye is surrounded in brown fur, so I don't have a problem with that one, but her other eye is white, so obviously that is my problem. And yes, I had the fur trimmed. She is groomed on a very precise schedule, so me not trimming her hair can not be used against me. I gave her the amount I was supposed to, but it didn't even help a little bit. I have tried the cloths on her, but those didn't do anything either. I haven't had her tear ducts looked at though, that never occurred to me as a possible problem. This thread helped a lot! I'll have to try some of these!


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## Roland

So has anyone here tried "tearlax"? No tysolin, supposed to be all natural. Would love to find out if works or not before I shell out 50 bucks for a bottle of this stuff...thanks.


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## lucidity

My dog had tear stains as a pup (while she was still living with her breeder), but as soon as I got her... I made sure to clean her eyes with tissue or cotton a couple of times a day and that worked. She doesnt have tear stains anymore. When I have the time, I clean her eyes even more often than that, though.. Especially if I can see that the fur around her eyes is wet.

How often do you guys clean your dogs' eyes?

ETA: I would NEVER give my dogs angel eyes. It's an antibiotic that isn't regulated and really... Do you want to feed your dogs antibiotics for a non-health related problem? It's amazing that some people feed their dogs Angel Eyes for years at a time because they dont know any better. Ugh.


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## KaywinnitLee

I have mostly reduced my dog's tear stains to nothing with this "routine"...

~Only giving distilled water, and cleaning the water dish regularly
~Cleaning food dish before and after every feeding
~Giving a limited ingredient food that is fish and potato based
~Giving very limited treats
~Wiping excess tears several times per day

So far, it has worked pretty well. My dog never had "bad" tear stains like some dogs, but they were still apparent and annoying. Now they are pretty minimal  I would never give Tylosin to my dog on a long-term basis. It is a quick fix with unknown long term side effects.


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## StellaLucyDesi

What tends to work for my dogs that get tear/mouth stains is this:
- filtered water (though I don't always do this)
- clean dishes that are food grade ceramic or stainless steel
- wiping eyes with an eye wash once or twice a week
- high quality food with no corn, wheat, soy or other glutens
- using treats that are of the same high quality as the food
- adding pre/probiotic/enzyme supplements to their food


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## Roland

Can't remember where I read it, but recently I came upon a web site where some of the people there claimed they were having good success controlling tear stains by using "powdered buttermilk & yogurt". So guess what I bought at the store tonight? Even if it dosn't work, I know it can't hurt my puppy like angel eyes potentially could because of the ingredient tysolin.... still thinking about ordering tearlax. They claim to be all natural. check em out at tearlax.com and let me know what you think.


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## StellaLucyDesi

@Roland, if I'm not mistaken "yogurt, and maybe buttermilk contains enzymes and probiotics". I just choose to add them in a supplement form. It has worked for my 4. Good luck with it and let us know how it works.


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## Abbylynn

StellaLucyDesi said:


> @Roland, if I'm not mistaken "yogurt, and maybe buttermilk contains enzymes and probiotics". I just choose to add them in a supplement form. It has worked for my 4. Good luck with it and let us know how it works.


What is the name of the supplements you use ... just curious for my little ones also ? .................

Diet along with grooming has helped my two at least 80% ..... looking for the other 20% ..


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## StellaLucyDesi

@Abbylynn, Hi! I've used various brand of pre/probiotics/enzymes over the years. Currently, I'm using Vetri Mega Probiotics which also contains a prebiotic. I'm also using The Honest Kitchen's Perfect Form herbal supplement. The herbs contain prebiotics and enzymes. There are other brands I've used and liked:

Ark Naturals Gentle Digest (prebiotic and probiotic)
Wholistic Plus Digest All Plus (enzymes and probiotics)
Natur Vet enzymes and probiotics (also has a prebiotic)
Total Biotics and Total Zymes (separate supplements)
Prozyme (enzymes only)
Solid Gold Seameal (kelp, and prozyme)
Animal Essentials enzymes and probiotics

I've also read that the herb Goldenseal helps with tear stains, but I've never used it. Azmira has a supplement containing Goldenseal. Makes sense because Goldenseal can be used as an antibiotic.


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## Abbylynn

StellaLucyDesi said:


> @Abbylynn, Hi! I've used various brand of pre/probiotics/enzymes over the years. Currently, I'm using Vetri Mega Probiotics which also contains a prebiotic. I'm also using The Honest Kitchen's Perfect Form herbal supplement. The herbs contain prebiotics and enzymes. There are other brands I've used and liked:
> 
> Ark Naturals Gentle Digest (prebiotic and probiotic)
> Wholistic Plus Digest All Plus (enzymes and probiotics)
> Natur Vet enzymes and probiotics (also has a prebiotic)
> Total Biotics and Total Zymes (separate supplements)
> Prozyme (enzymes only)
> Solid Gold Seameal (kelp, and prozyme)
> Animal Essentials enzymes and probiotics
> 
> I've also read that the herb Goldenseal helps with tear stains, but I've never used it. Azmira has a supplement containing Goldenseal. Makes sense because Goldenseal can be used as an antibiotic.


Thank you for taking the time to list these.  I was also looking for the digestive system as one of my small dogs has always had issues from time to time as well as a lifetime anal gland issue. I think I am going to try the Ark Naturals Gentle digest "BREATH-LESS" ... first since it has pre and probiotics in it. It is also chewable.

I like the Healthy Pet web site also. Also trying one thing at a time is best as to not flood the dog with different things in case of allergy issues. 

Thanks again!


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## Roland

OK, This tear staining crap is about to run me ragged. I talked to our vet and asked about angel eyes... she was not thrilled about it because of the Tysolin.. we wash joeys face twice a day, he gets nothing but bottled water and we recently started him on a mixture of 1/4 tsp of powdered buttermilk mixed with a tbsp of yogurt twice a day... but it's too soon to see if this will help.. what I want to know is has anyone tried the product "TEARLAX". No tylosin, all natural.... you can compare it to other "eye staining" products at *http://pet-health-centers.com/tear-stain-products/?s_kwcid=TC|23581|tear%20stains||S|e|9533816221* You can just copy and paste the address into your browser. Even if you haven't used Tearlax, please post what your initial reaction to the product is after reading the info at that web site. Thanks.


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## Abbylynn

Even though the research I did was for humans this is what I found .........

I did some homework on " Tearlax" ... it contains according to the label, " Eyebright " which is Euphrasia Officinalis ( Leaf ) which is an herb, and can be used as a tea. It also has " Taurine " which has many medicinal uses in humans ... www.webMd ...... It contains chamomile which is a flowering plant in the daisy family. It can also be used as a tea ... About.com. (alternative medicine ) ... it too has many uses in humans. We all know just about everything has side effects. The chamomile can cause an allergic reaction in humans because it is from the family of ragweed and chrysanthemum. If you do not have these allergies there is no other side effects listed. Below are some of the uses of chamomile in humans,........ 

Indigestion
Anxiety
Insomnia
Canker sores
Colic
Conjunctivitis, eye irritations
Crohn's disease
Diarrhea
Eczema
Gingivitis
Hemorrhoids
Menstrual disorders
Migraine
Irritable bowel syndrome
Peptic ulcer
Skin irritations
Ulcerative colitis
Minor wounds 


These are some of the treatments using Taurine in humans............ Taurine is an amino acid found in the brain, heart, and blood cells. The best food sources are meat and fish.

Mental performance Treatments
CHF Treatments
Congestive heart failure (CHF) Treatments
Cystic fibrosis Treatments
HAV Treatments
HBV Treatments
HCV Treatments
Heart failure Treatments
Hepatitis Treatments
Hepatitis A Treatments
Hepatitis B Treatments
Hepatitis C Treatments
Hepatitis-related fatigue Treatments
Viral hepatitis Treatments


Provided the information I collected so far ... it seems like a reasonable all natural product ... but I am a skeptic ( sometimes to a fault :/ ) so I personally would like to see the actual ingredient labeling on the actual bottle. 

EDIT: I almost forgot ... If my one dog did not have an unknown allergy issue I would not be fearful of trying this product. The other dog just may benefit from it.  It is just my personal decision and opinion from what I have been investigating on this product.


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## StellaLucyDesi

Hi Abbylynn, just wanted to let you know that the Ark Naturals "Breath Less" chews don't have the pre/probiotics in them. They are for dental use. Only Ark Naturals Gental Digest, which comes in powder form and now new chews, has pre/probiotics. Just fyi......good products all, imo.


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## Abbylynn

StellaLucyDesi said:


> Hi Abbylynn, just wanted to let you know that the Ark Naturals "Breath Less" chews don't have the pre/probiotics in them. They are for dental use. Only Ark Naturals Gental Digest, which comes in powder form and now new chews, has pre/probiotics. Just fyi......good products all, imo.


Thanks!


----------



## hungover

StellaLucyDesi said:


> @Roland, if I'm not mistaken "yogurt, and maybe buttermilk contains enzymes and probiotics". I just choose to add them in a supplement form. It has worked for my 4. Good luck with it and let us know how it works.


Bichon Hotel sell the probiotics and tear stain supplements as a package.

http://bichonhotel.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=90&products_id=230


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## hungover

I<3Kobi said:


> I just joined this forum today... lol.. & the only reason I did it is to thank you 'Hungover' for all the information provided. I just bought a puppy last week, but I've been doing some research about Angel Eyes for a few months and I didn't learn half the things I learned in this forum tonight...
> 
> I won't be buying anything for my pup that is not natural, I will probably buy the NaturVet, since is cheaper then the Angels Delight... I'll do my research on which one is easier to find... do you recommend AE Natural? I am not sure about that product, obviously that company doesn't care much for the dogs health, why would I invest my money on them, even if they have a Natural product... hmmm...
> 
> It is amazing the great reviews AE get everywhere... I am sure more than half of the people don't know or didn't investigate much about the product... I am glad I found this forum, and this thread...
> 
> Kobi & I appreciate it!


Thanks for the thanks 

I haven't used the Angels Eyes Natural but see no reason why it wouldn't work.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Angels-Eyes-Natural-Eliminator-Remover/dp/B003Y5J8VA

BUT compare the ingredients of Angels Eyes Natural and NaturVet Tear Stain Supplement first- one is a lot more expensive than the other!!!!

http://www.naturaldogs.co.uk/store/natural-tear-stain-remover-food-supplement.html

If your puppy is teething then the success of any supplement might be comprimised due to the excessive tearing. Then again without any supplements the staining might be much worse.


----------



## mundee

Roland said:


> OK, This tear staining crap is about to run me ragged. I talked to our vet and asked about angel eyes... she was not thrilled about it because of the Tysolin.. we wash joeys face twice a day, he gets nothing but bottled water and we recently started him on a mixture of 1/4 tsp of powdered buttermilk mixed with a tbsp of yogurt twice a day... but it's too soon to see if this will help.. what I want to know is has anyone tried the product "TEARLAX". No tylosin, all natural.... you can compare it to other "eye staining" products at *http://pet-health-centers.com/tear-stain-products/?s_kwcid=TC|23581|tear%20stains||S|e|9533816221* You can just copy and paste the address into your browser. Even if you haven't used Tearlax, please post what your initial reaction to the product is after reading the info at that web site. Thanks.


Hello Roland,

I am wondering the same thing about Tearlax. It looks like the ingredients are OK, but since there is not really a guarantee, I want to hear more testimonials or reviews from people that have actually used it. I don't want to spend the $100 and get stuck with something that doesn't work. I know they say different results for different dogs, but with over 1500 votes for the product on their website, you would think they would post more than two testimonials. Anyway, just wondering if you heard anything else about the product or if you decided to buy it, or something else? Thanks!


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## Gizzie

Abbylynn said:


> Interesting thread here. But I do it all the hard way. A good diet. I keep the hair trimmed short around the eyes. I wash their eyes off every day. It is not perfect but it is better than it used to be. I know........chemicals and antibiotics are easier. But I would rather my dogs saved the antibiotics for something they really need it for. I worry about them becoming immune to them.
> Oh well.....been washing dogs eyes for over five years now.....what's another 5-10 more! Lol!


I admire your patience


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## Abbylynn

Gizzie said:


> I admire your patience


Thank you!


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## Roland

mundee said:


> Hello Roland,
> 
> I am wondering the same thing about Tearlax. It looks like the ingredients are OK, but since there is not really a guarantee, I want to hear more testimonials or reviews from people that have actually used it. I don't want to spend the $100 and get stuck with something that doesn't work. I know they say different results for different dogs, but with over 1500 votes for the product on their website, you would think they would post more than two testimonials. Anyway, just wondering if you heard anything else about the product or if you decided to buy it, or something else? Thanks!


Hi Mundee.... well this tear staining problem with our little Joey is not getting much better... about a month or so ago we started giving him powdered buttermilk mixed in with plain yogurt twice a day... havent seen much if any improvement, but then again it has only been about a month or so... we've tried various cleaning pads, none of which seem to do much.. even got a sample bottle of tear stain cleanser from our vet.. again, no appreciable difference... So yesterday I bit the bullet, spent the $100 for the tear stain product Tearlax. It's been shipped but not here yet... even when it gets here I imagine it will be at least 6 weeks before we can expect to see any difference.... I'll let you all know if it works. Sure hope so, cause our little Joey, a malti-poo is just tooo damn pretty to have those ugly stains.... I know, I know, I talk about him like he's a kid... but last year we lost our little Mandy after almost 17 1/2 years.... I'm a big ol boy but I cried like a baby for days.... still cry if I look her pic too long... didn't want another dog, wasn't getting another dog.... 2 months later my wife makes me go to a local pet shelter to see 3 month old Joey... Love at first sight.... He's a puppy, and a huge pain in the, well, you know... but he makes me laugh every day... still miss my mandy but Joey is helping me get thru it... even if the tearlax dosn't work... think I'll keep him.  And I'll kee you all posted on the outcome of tearlax.

Roland


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## LilasMom

Just remember it won't do anything to tear stains that already exist. You have to trim the stained hair and hopefully it starts to grow back with no stains.


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## mundee

Roland said:


> Hi Mundee.... well this tear staining problem with our little Joey is not getting much better... about a month or so ago we started giving him powdered buttermilk mixed in with plain yogurt twice a day... havent seen much if any improvement, but then again it has only been about a month or so... we've tried various cleaning pads, none of which seem to do much.. even got a sample bottle of tear stain cleanser from our vet.. again, no appreciable difference... So yesterday I bit the bullet, spent the $100 for the tear stain product Tearlax. It's been shipped but not here yet... even when it gets here I imagine it will be at least 6 weeks before we can expect to see any difference.... I'll let you all know if it works. Sure hope so, cause our little Joey, a malti-poo is just tooo damn pretty to have those ugly stains.... I know, I know, I talk about him like he's a kid... but last year we lost our little Mandy after almost 17 1/2 years.... I'm a big ol boy but I cried like a baby for days.... still cry if I look her pic too long... didn't want another dog, wasn't getting another dog.... 2 months later my wife makes me go to a local pet shelter to see 3 month old Joey... Love at first sight.... He's a puppy, and a huge pain in the, well, you know... but he makes me laugh every day... still miss my mandy but Joey is helping me get thru it... even if the tearlax dosn't work... think I'll keep him.  And I'll kee you all posted on the outcome of tearlax.
> 
> Roland


Thanks Roland! I, like you, bit the bullet and I should be receiving the Tearlax tomorrow. I will keep you posted as well. We have a very similar situation as well. I just lost my 15 1/2 year old. They are like our kids. We adopted a schnauzer from the pet shelter for my husband's Mom a little over a year ago, but she couldn't keep her. I fought my husband like crazy when he said we needed to bring her home, but I finally gave in. It was the best thing I've ever done! It actually perked up my older dog these last few months, and she has helped me through the loss as well. She was grieving also. She is so smart! It broke my heart to see her so sad though. She didn't want to play or anything for about a week. So last weekend we went to the shelter and have adopted another puppy, so she will have someone to play with. We go pick her up this weekend and can't wait! Anyway, thanks again for your post, and I will keep you updated on Molly's progress with the Tearlax.


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## Roland

mundee said:


> Thanks Roland! I, like you, bit the bullet and I should be receiving the Tearlax tomorrow. I will keep you posted as well. We have a very similar situation as well. I just lost my 15 1/2 year old. They are like our kids. We adopted a schnauzer from the pet shelter for my husband's Mom a little over a year ago, but she couldn't keep her. I fought my husband like crazy when he said we needed to bring her home, but I finally gave in. It was the best thing I've ever done! It actually perked up my older dog these last few months, and she has helped me through the loss as well. She was grieving also. She is so smart! It broke my heart to see her so sad though. She didn't want to play or anything for about a week. So last weekend we went to the shelter and have adopted another puppy, so she will have someone to play with. We go pick her up this weekend and can't wait! Anyway, thanks again for your post, and I will keep you updated on Molly's progress with the Tearlax.


Mundee... so sorry to hear about your loss.. and you are right, they are almost like our kids... but congratulations on getting the new puppy... I love my little Joey a malti-poo, but he has really tested my patience tonight. I just got a brand new pair of dress shoes today ( right at 200 bucks ) and I left them sitting on the floor in the bedroom.. my wife woke up to find little Joey had brought one of the shoes up into the bed and had pretty much destroyed it... my fault.. he is just a puppy ( only 6 months old now ) and we know he likes to chew on shoes.... but this was the most expensive " damage " he's done... anyway, back to the tearlax... got our order in the mail a couple of days ago... sprinkled some on his food and he turned his nose up at it. Wouldn't have anything to do with it..... so we outsmarted him..... now we just sprinkle it in a tablespoon of yogurt ( part of his daily breakfast ) and he laps it up.. hope this stuff works... because so far, nothing else has... good luck it working on your puppys. I'll keep you posted on our end... have a great weekend and enjoy that new puppy...

Roland


----------



## CoreyB

Roland said:


> Mundee... so sorry to hear about your loss.. and you are right, they are almost like our kids... but congratulations on getting the new puppy... I love my little Joey a malti-poo, but he has really tested my patience tonight. I just got a brand new pair of dress shoes today ( right at 200 bucks ) and I left them sitting on the floor in the bedroom.. my wife woke up to find little Joey had brought one of the shoes up into the bed and had pretty much destroyed it... my fault.. he is just a puppy ( only 6 months old now ) and we know he likes to chew on shoes.... but this was the most expensive " damage " he's done... anyway, back to the tearlax... got our order in the mail a couple of days ago... sprinkled some on his food and he turned his nose up at it. Wouldn't have anything to do with it..... so we outsmarted him..... now we just sprinkle it in a tablespoon of yogurt ( part of his daily breakfast ) and he laps it up.. hope this stuff works... because so far, nothing else has... good luck it working on your puppys. I'll keep you posted on our end... have a great weekend and enjoy that new puppy...
> 
> Roland


Hi Roland, I have been trying to find reviews on Tearlax, much like you had done... can you let me know whether this product worked for you? I have a maltese/Shih Tsu puppy and hoping to find a product that will help with his tear stains.
Thanks,
Corey


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## Roland

Hi Corey.... I wish I could say "tearlax" was the answer, but at this point I can't say that. I can tell you that " it appears " that our Joey's tear stains are a little bit better, but none the less it's still there... We are still giving it to him every day but we found out on the very first day, our Joey did not care for the taste. We sprinkled it over his food and he turned up his nose at it.. however we mixed it in with his daily serving of yogurt and he ate it right up. Like I said, we "think" his tear stains look a little better and so we are continuing with the tear lax.... but I have a gut feeling this isn't going to be the answer either. Let me know if it works for your pup... have a great weekend

Roland


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## CoreyB

Thanks Roland - I guess I will continue researching, Louis is also a picky eater, so Tearlax doesn't sound like an option... Cheers, Corey


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## maggieodae

Abbylynn said:


> Interesting thread here. But I do it all the hard way. A good diet. I keep the hair trimmed short around the eyes. I wash their eyes off every day. It is not perfect but it is better than it used to be. I know........chemicals and antibiotics are easier. But I would rather my dogs saved the antibiotics for something they really need it for. I worry about them becoming immune to them.
> Oh well.....been washing dogs eyes for over five years now.....what's another 5-10 more! Lol!


My dog got tear stains after 3 years. HUM! I started using Angel Eyes with fair results..not great. Then it dawned on me to put her back on Science Diet z/d for allergys that she had been on until I got another dog when she was 3 and decided it was too expensive for 2 dogs. Wala! tear stains completely gone. Turns out my being cheap cost me more than if I kept her on the Science Diet. LOL! I highly recommend putting them on Science Diet z/d for allergies. Worth every penny!!!


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## janen

My Maltese had terrible tear stains. I bought angel eyes and could not get him to eat it so I gave up. I finally decided to try only giving him filtered water.

I bought a Pur water filter for my kitchen faucet and that did the trick his tear stains are completely gone!!! Now I only give him filtered water or bottled water. His food and treats remained the same, the only difference was the filtered water. It took a few months to be apparent because the old stains had to grow out but now his beautiful little face is completely white.

Hope this helps


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## Roland

Well after several months of trying but with no success we are giving up on the product tearlax... it just didn't do any good for our little Joey.... we already are and have been giving him just bottled water, plus we give him a daily dose of powdered buttermilk mixed in with his breakfast yogurt.... yeah, I said yogurt... read somewhere that both yogurt and powdered buttermilk and some pro-biotic tendencies that may help tear stains.... while we are giving up on tear lax, after talking to our vet, we are going to try angel eyes... the vet said the tylosin was low dose and wouldn't hurt a thing, especially since you don't keep your dog on angel eyes year round.... ordered a big bottle yesterday.. thier web site says expect 3 to 5 weeks before seeing any results.... I'll let you all know if it works on joey or not... speaking of... aint he cute... This pic was taken last week right after I brought him home from the groomer... funny thing about grooming... Joey and I both had haircuts on the same day, mine was $20 bucks, his was $56 There's something wrong with that 



Uploaded with ImageShack.us


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## Roland

well I have an update... after switching from tearlax ( which we saw no appreciable difference ) to Angel Eyes...we are seeing a big difference in Joey's tear stains... :clap2: Joey has been on angel eyes for 3 to 4 weeks and the tear stains appear to be close to 90% better. Like alot of you, I was concerened about giving him angel eyes because of the tylosin but I consulted our vet who said it was low dose, plus you kind of curtail the amount you give your dog after awhile... so the gist is: it is making a huge improvement on our joey's tear stains.... so glad because he's such a pretty little thing... I'll keep you posted if there's any change...

Roland


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## Wicket

My pup has a problem with tear staining, and I've been trying to combat it every since she got her full set of adult teeth (wanted to make sure it wasn't a result of teething). I really hate how some vets pass off tear staining as normal, my vet did, and I was pretty pissed he didn't even bother checking her eyes all that well. I didn't trust his judgment so I examined my pup's eyes myself. Turns out she has trichiasis and hairs have been growing from the squishy corner of her eye into the direction of her eyeballs. The constant irritation for those hairs rubbing on her eyes had been causing her to produce more tears and caused the staining. We don't have the money to fix it, so I've been carefully plucking the hairs out (surprising she lets me do this). And it seems to help reduce the amount of tears and tear staining, but not altogether. I'm sure I cannot see and pluck all the hairs out, but I think the trichiasis is just one of the factors to her tear staining. She gets filter water and Acana kibble (I want to switch her to homemade or even raw when I can afford it), and I clean her face constantly. I try to keep the fur short around her eyes, and cut off any stained areas. So far the staining has lightening and the new fur isn't so stained, but since I start washing her face with a little bit of her shampoo the fur around her eyes has really lightened up. She has a short face so when she sniffs around her face gets so muddy and gross. The water wasn't getting the crude out so I started to use a tiny bit of shampoo, I was surprised that it helped with the staining. I'm sure the battle is not over with the horrid stain, but things are looking a little bit better. I'm going to switch her metal bowls to ceramic soon, and debating changing the pH of her water. I don't really feel comfortable messing with the pH of her water she didn't like the apple cider vinegar, but I haven't tried tums yet. I am definitely not going to try to add Angels Eyes or any sort of additive like that. If she's not sick, I do not believe she needs to have a constant stream of antibiotics coursing through her body. It didn't work for our livestock, definitely not working for us, so it probably won't work out well for our dogs. Constant use and over use of antibiotics promotes the growth of resistant super bugs and it can kill good bacteria.


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## Bailey Star

Wicket said:


> I've been carefully plucking the hairs out (surprising she lets me do this). And it seems to help reduce the amount of tears and tear staining, but not altogether.


Unfortunately, plucking the hairs is the worst action you can take in an effort to help your dog. I know because I just took my dog to a veterinary opthamologist. 

Plucked hairs will grow back thicker and coarser and will your dog's irritate eyes more creating worse tears and staining. 

I apologize for being the bearer of this bad news. And, believe me I know your concern and your heartfelt attempt to relieve your pet from discomfort.

You mentioned limited finances restricting the health care you can provide your pet. I understand these concerns. 

My personal experience is the expenses I forgo now to take care of my pet, amount to greater sums later, and eventual heartache. I have a feeling that your pet is a companion animal; this is even more a reason to find the means to help your dog.

I lived in the tiniest of places and often went without to provide healthcare for my previous dog. Yet, the returns I received from my own sacrifice, greatly eclipsed anything I gave up. Far too often I am quick to think what items are essential, when upon reflection it is my dog - along with family and friends that I need most. Once gone these spirits never return.


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## Wicket

Bailey Star said:


> Unfortunately, plucking the hairs is the worst action you can take in an effort to help your dog. I know because I just took my dog to a veterinary opthamologist.
> 
> Plucked hairs will grow back thicker and coarser and will your dog's irritate eyes more creating worse tears and staining.
> 
> I apologize for being the bearer of this bad news. And, believe me I know your concern and your heartfelt attempt to relieve your pet from discomfort.
> 
> You mentioned limited finances restricting the health care you can provide your pet. I understand these concerns.
> 
> My personal experience is the expenses I forgo now to take care of my pet, amount to greater sums later, and eventual heartache. I have a feeling that your pet is a companion animal; this is even more a reason to find the means to help your dog.
> 
> I lived in the tiniest of places and often went without to provide healthcare for my previous dog. Yet, the returns I received from my own sacrifice, greatly eclipsed anything I gave up. Far too often I am quick to think what items are essential, when upon reflection it is my dog - along with family and friends that I need most. Once gone these spirits never return.


Hey there, thanks for your concern. I only pluck the already really thick coarse hairs, and and leave the fine ones alone. The little ones don't bother her that much, but it's those already full blown eyelash thick hairs that really poke her in the eyes. So far, everything has been good, I haven't had to pluck the corners of the eyes very often. I check them regularly and clean her eyes out from debris. I found that the eyelashes that were on the rim of her lid are now starting to grow away from her eye and curl outward instead of more inward into her eye. She still has tear staining, but it has actually died down a little bit the last month. I'm not quite sure what it could be. I have been keeping her in because of the suffocating heat we're experiencing right now, so perhaps she's not getting the regular debris in her eyes. Lately I've been so busy that I haven't been keeping up with cleaning her metal bowls and instead just replacing it with one of our smaller corelle bowls every day, so it could be the switch from metal to non-metal. It could be that she's fully adjusted to the Acana Pacifica I switched her over to in the last month. I have no clue, but I hope this keeps up and the tear staining goes away altogether eventually on its own :x She might not need to get those extra eyelashes laser off, but we'll see. I'll be graduating in about a year, and hopefully I get hired away so I can start saving for my pup to see a specialist. She's a healthy, happy, pup overall and I don't think she will mind waiting a year with a wee bit of eye irritation.


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## Doul

If there is really facing a tear staining problem you need to provide vaccine that is necessary for it, Cause it might caught some infection out there. If still can't avoid it you need to get it to the doctor and have a medical checkup, after that you can get a better advise on it.


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## whizzervic

Doul said:


> If there is really facing a tear staining problem you need to provide vaccine that is necessary for it, Cause it might caught some infection out there. If still can't avoid it you need to get it to the doctor and have a medical checkup, after that you can get a better advise on it.


Nelly has bwwn followed be the best vet ever and she never came up with a vaccin solution. Everybody comes up with multiple solutions. It is well known that the rusty color stains are caused by an intestine bacteria that reacts with the iron in body fluid. 

So, it causes stains around the mouth and, if your dog shews his paw once in a while, it' ll get a bit of stain as well. The eyes are always the most vulnerable spot since tears is a normal process on dogs to get rid of dust. 

Now, if your dog is getting abnormal heavy tear stains, yes, consult your vet. As for the NatureVet Tears Stain Supplement Tablets, even my vet asked me my secret to keep her eye stains out. 

So far, after trying other suggested solutions, like powder products containing tylan (Nelly won' t go for any powder products anyway), it' s the best solution i came by and is a natural product, not containing tylan, tht' s a product used for cows, not for dogs! 

You have to use it as a permanent use, a tablet a day, but Nelly likes it so much that i consider it as a treat. It actually turns out to be cheaper than most pet shops treats.


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## chellebanelle

Abbylynn said:


> Interesting thread here. But I do it all the hard way. A good diet. I keep the hair trimmed short around the eyes. I wash their eyes off every day. It is not perfect but it is better than it used to be. I know........chemicals and antibiotics are easier. But I would rather my dogs saved the antibiotics for something they really need it for. I worry about them becoming immune to them.
> Oh well.....been washing dogs eyes for over five years now.....what's another 5-10 more! Lol!




I am about to pick up an 11 week old Westie. I have been educating myself about may aspects of this breed and this is a curiosity "hmm, what do I need to do" type thing. I have done a lot of research and I personally prefer natural remedies. I've read Angel Eyes is tough on the liver and in some situations doesn't work at all. I've also read a diet change works well. The puppy, unfortunately, is from a petstore since I couldn't find a Westie in my area and I just hate the idea of dogs in pet stores. GRR. Anyhow, she has staining now, isn't on anything and is eating the petstore formulated food. At what point should I consider an alternative for her eyes if at all?


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## whizzervic

Hi chellebanelle! I copied and pasted my previous reply, so you won' t have to scroll up the thread and i' m gonna add the best product i found, available on the net for at least half the price of pet stores !!! 

Nelly has been followed be the best vet ever and she never came up with a vaccin solution. Everybody comes up with multiple solutions. It is well known that the rusty color stains are caused by an intestine bacteria that reacts with the iron in body fluid.

So, it causes stains around the mouth and, if your dog shews his paw once in a while, it' ll get a bit of stain as well. The eyes are always the most vulnerable spot since tears is a normal process on dogs to get rid of dust.

Now, if your dog is getting abnormal heavy tear stains, yes, consult your vet. As for the NatureVet Tears Stain Supplement Tablets, even my vet asked me my secret to keep her eye stains out.

So far, after trying other suggested solutions, like powder products containing tylan, for instance, Angel Glow or what ever the name is. Tylan gives it a bitter taste and most dogs don' t like it (Nelly won' t go for any powder products anyway), it' s the best solution i came by and is a natural product, not containing tylan, that' s a antibiotic made for cows, not for dogs!

You have to use it as a permanent use, a tablet a day, but Nelly likes it so much that i consider it as a treat. It actually turns out to be cheaper than most pet shops treats. 

So, NaturVet' s Tear Stain supplement tablets, a tablet a day, has natural beef flavour(your dog will love it!) and Four Paws Crystal Eye as a cleaning solution, to be use daily as well. I use a tooth brush to take the dirt out of her nose fur. BTW, the dirt' s got a grayish colour instead of a rusty red colour. I have to add. Yes , nutrition is the best way to get rid of tear stain. I know someone who does it, by cooking a healty recipe and freezing it in nuggets. WOW!!! To much trouble for me. As for eye cleaning, if i skip a day, it' s not tear stain the problem, it' s the eye goo that dries in her fur.

So, here you go;

NaturVet tear stain remover, on sale right now, $8.16 for 60 tablets, at luckyvitamin.com and Four Paws Crystal Eye, at petco.com, also on sale for $6.17 an 8oz bottle. It' s $9.99 a 4oz bottle at my pet store.

Start using ASAP, so you won' t get an undercoat stain on your poppy' s nose

Enjoy your puppy!!!

PS. A westie, good choice...

Here you go


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## ProudPoodleOwner

I need some assistance guys. My Poodle's fur has almost turned pink because of very bad Tear Staining. I am not sure what else to do. I have been told me that Tylosin Powder works pretty well. Has anyone here used Tylosin powder for Tear Stains. If so, how safe and effective is it? Also has anyone bought it from this site Tylosin Powder? Is it safe to buy from?


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## LeoRose

If I remember correctly, Tylosin is an antibiotic?

Are you a member of Poodle Forum? It's another forum owned by the same company as this one, devoted to all things Poodle. Since it's a common problem, they will have lots of info there.


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