# Sheltie with tear stains



## toblerone (Nov 24, 2009)

Hi, I adopted a sheltie about a month ago, and we think he's about 7 or 8 months old. He's a real cutie, a little small for a sheltie, but he's not done growing yet.

Anyway, when we first adopted him both of his eyes were clear with only a small amount of discharge that was like normal eye discharge that a human would have in the morning and was easy to remove. Lately this has changed and from one eye he has what seems to be excessive discharge that builds up to a glob of brown-ish goo three or four times a day. Its strange because its only one eye while the other is still clear like before.

I was wondering if anyone could help determine what is causing this excessive tearing and what I could try to help limit it. I'd like to try some home remedies first, but if I have to go to the vet with him I will when I get the chance. The whole thing is just cosmetic, he doesn't seem bothered by it at all.

*In case anyone wants to know he's eating kirkland brand puppy food, gets fish oil supplements everyday and occasionally raw bones to chew on


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## hungover (Jul 9, 2008)

In the main the food looks like one of the better ones



Ingredients:
Chicken,chicken meal,whole grain brown rice, cracked pearled barley, egg product, beet pulp, chicken fat(preserved with mixed tocopherols and Vitamin E), potatoes,fish meal, flaxseed,natural flavors, brewers dried yeast, millet, potassium chloride, salt, choline, carrots, peas, kelp, apples, dried skim milk, cranberry powder,
salmon oil (a source of DHA), rosemary extract, parsley flake, dried chicory root, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

The beet pulp does worry me a tad- I don't want to malign them but after the chicken you have cheap bulking agents, followed, eventually, by great ingredients.

Before trying any of the hit'n'miss home brews I would suggest diet change for a month or so to see if that helps.

taste of the wild or orijen might help- or home cooked.

Then look at home brews such as cider vinegar or some of the dedicated tear stain supplements- most of which do actually work.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

If he is still teething, that can cause excessive tear staining in one or both eyes as well. As long as the discharge is not green/infection, I would not worry too much. Let him mature up, and if it continues, then start figuring something out.


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## toblerone (Nov 24, 2009)

Thanks for the replies, I'll consider the food switch, so far he's had a rotation of wellness and kirkland, well not so much a rotation in bulk, more like every other day its wellness. He's going to stay with my parents for a while and they have three dogs who feed kirkland, so he'll get that until I get back and can monitor him myself.

In regards to the teething aspect, that's really interesting. How does teething affect their tear ducts? It seems so strange to me and I'd love to know more. He is still teething at the moment. He has two large canines growing in on the same side as the tear staining. The discharge isn't any weird color, just the normal rusty brown color you see in a lot of dogs (my parents have bichons and its the same color as their tear stains)

Thanks again for the info, and if anyone can link me to sites explaining the teething-eye connection that would be great.


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## hungover (Jul 9, 2008)

When the dog is teething the gums are inflamed- this can put pressure on the tear ducts and make them less effective.

Graco is right that it might be a temporary thing. Once the inflammation dies down the ducts might start working properly and the problem might go away. The stains will need to grow out in time.

I should have mentioned it but i'd assumed that your dog had already gone thru the process.

It is also worthwhile looking in your dogs ears (and smelling them) to see if there are any signs of infection. This too can result in staining.

As a short term work around a little Vaseline on the fur will help to prevent the staining from getting worse.


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