Saliva Staining

[krissy]

This isn't really a medical question but wasn't sure where else to put this other than maybe the food section.

 

Summit is white and he gets these really awful brown saliva stains at the corners of his mouth. They drive me nuts. I have tried simply washing/wiping with water every now and then and that does very little except get out the most superficial crusting on the fur but doesn't actually take out any of the stained colour that has already permeated the fur. I've also tried using a bit of peroxide to wipe it and that doesn't help much more either. I finally went out a bought these pads that are specifically for saliva/tear staining. The pads certainly go brown so they must be taking some of it out, but I still can't get him even close to white even with those.

 

So I guess the question is does anyone have experience with something that really does work to get most of the staining out? And how do I prevent it? Are certain foods more likely to cause it? It drives me nuts, I'd really like to find a way to control it. I feel like it reflects badly on me when people see him... like I don't keep him clean or something.

[Guest PiagetsMom]

I have this problem with Mirage, too. He's brindle, so it doesn't stand out as much as it would on a white face. I can say that I don't think it's caused by food because, thinking that it was, I've long been cleaning off his mouth after meals, and he still has this problem so I do think that it comes from saliva.

 

I'm pretty sure it's been discussed here before, but, thanks for asking again........maybe someone will post a good suggestion or remedy

[AEB]

All I can do is share our experience with Sadie. We had her for over 10 years before losing her in July. And a stained muzzle was sometimes a problem. She was a gorgeous white girl. She would sometimes develop staining above her lips. It was usually accompanied by some little, excuse the description, dingleberries. And her fur beneath would stain. I think her staining was a combination of several things. But I think primarily it was a result of whatever she was eating. I say this because I think what she ate affected her saliva and whether it stained. I also think it affected the health of her mouth. If her mouth was funky she had more staining. She even would leave some satining on her fluffy backside when licking. And primarily because she would literally get a food mustache of little sticky dingleberries. It was the worst when eating certain biscuits. When we stopped giving her those and started cooking her wet food and giving her premium kibble things improved significantly.

 

I would take a mild solution of her shampoo and warm water and another bowl with just warm water and two wash cloths. (She hated being bathed or being wet). I would moisten her muzzle with the soapy water and then go back to where I started and gently massage. Then I would rinse with clean cloth and water and pat with a towel to dry. Not her favorite procedure but I put her through more humiliating things (see stained bottom above). She essentially cleaned-up fairlly well. Not perfect but lots of improvement. She often had a tan transition to her lips that didn't look dirty, just liker her coloring. But it was the best we could achieve.

[Guest iconsmum]

I have 2 very pale dogs that are fed nothing but raw and no carbs to keep their gut in line. Neither one has any tear or saliva staining at all, and since I've had other dogs in the past that were dry fed and tear and saliva stained, I'm just guessing that the diet's connected but not sure.

[KF_in_Georgia]

I have two who get conventional kibble (with no food coloring in the recipe), Nutro Lamb Chop treats; for a long time, I even did filtered water for them. One dog gets stains (white and black girl), the other doesn't (white-faced, older fawn boy). Go figure.

 

There are additives you can put in their food (or water?) that allegedly prevent staining: http://www.angelseyesonline.com/ They're expensive even for small dogs (like Maltese); for greyhounds, it'll be worse. The product is specifically for eye stains, but saliva stains fall into the same category. The site says this:

 

Angels' Eyes® is the first product specifically developed for BOTH DOGS & CATS to help eliminate unsightly tear stains from the inside out! Angels' Eyes® also helps to eliminate staining around the mouth and coats due to licking.

[Guest bluefawn]

I am glad to see this question posted, as Penny has pretty bad staining around her mouth as well. I, too, have tried several things including washing with Johnson's Baby Shampoo and regular dog shampoo, using warm water with both. It is very hard to remove these stains. She has the "eye boogies" too (tear stains/debris at the corners of her eyes). I hope to see a solution that will take care of the mouth staining in particular.

[Guest greytsdad]

Wet areas on the face are a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. Bacterial infections commonly occur in the tear ducts. “Ptirsporum”, red yeast bacteria, is at the root of most yeast infections. Tear stains also often occur at the same time as a gum infection or ear infection. Staining can also occur on a dog's paws from licking and around his mouth from infected saliva. Apple cider vinegar (in its natural form from a health food store, not the pasteurized version from the Supermarket) is a natural antibiotic, antiseptic, and deodorant; It helps digestion and to remove tooth tartar; prevents tooth decay and hair loss (even mange), it also prevents and heals gum disease and skin problems; and will discourage fleas. Putting a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar per quart of water in your dog's water bowl or on food can clear up most active yeast infections and prevent future infections. Apple cider vinegar tablets can be used if your dog refuses to drink the treated water or eat the food.

[Guest HHHounds]

I use baby wipes on Candyman's mouth when the yucky stains bother me - not his favorite thing, but it makes momma happy! My other white faced hound has no issues whatsoever and they eat/drink the same exact diet!