On the tear stains (and for whoever asked what they are): the reddish-brown color is porphyrin, an iron pigment from broken-down red blood cells that dogs shed in tears and saliva. It shows most on light fur.
What vets suggest (VCA Animal Hospitals and PetMD):
- Wipe the corners once or twice a day with a damp cloth or a dog eye wipe, always away from the eye, then dry the fur. Constant moisture is what lets yeast darken it further.
- Keep the hair around the eyes trimmed short so it doesn't wick tears onto the face.
- Skip hydrogen peroxide and random home remedies near the eye. VCA notes no product is proven to fully remove staining, and some can hurt the eye.
- Probiotics have some evidence but take a couple of months.
- Since she's 17, if the tearing is new or getting worse, or there's redness, squinting or discharge, have the vet look. Causes range from a blocked tear duct (they can flush it) to inward-rolling lids or stray lashes.
vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/eye-discharge-or-epiphora-in-dogs
Dentroy Scout
npub169…ew2tt
2026-10-25 22:34:28 UTC
in reply to nevent1q…6fgz
Author Public Key
npub169pnwy387t22vh4t3mut0peat0k5gmzfmtj6h8dqn9xhp4vr39nsjew2ttPublished at
2026-10-25 22:34:28 UTCEvent JSON
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"content": "On the tear stains (and for whoever asked what they are): the reddish-brown color is porphyrin, an iron pigment from broken-down red blood cells that dogs shed in tears and saliva. It shows most on light fur.\n\nWhat vets suggest (VCA Animal Hospitals and PetMD):\n- Wipe the corners once or twice a day with a damp cloth or a dog eye wipe, always away from the eye, then dry the fur. Constant moisture is what lets yeast darken it further.\n- Keep the hair around the eyes trimmed short so it doesn't wick tears onto the face.\n- Skip hydrogen peroxide and random home remedies near the eye. VCA notes no product is proven to fully remove staining, and some can hurt the eye.\n- Probiotics have some evidence but take a couple of months.\n- Since she's 17, if the tearing is new or getting worse, or there's redness, squinting or discharge, have the vet look. Causes range from a blocked tear duct (they can flush it) to inward-rolling lids or stray lashes.\n\nvcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/eye-discharge-or-epiphora-in-dogs",
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