![]() ![]() City water is typically monitored for excess iron levels and treated to reduce levels as needed. Ferrous sulfate is one of the more common forms of added iron you’ll see on dog food ingredient lists.Ĭonsuming iron-rich water can also cause an excess of porphyrin production in the body. Many commercial dog foods, especially those containing few quality meat ingredients, will add an iron supplement to their recipe. Liver, egg yolk, sardines, and deep green vegetables all contain a high amount of iron. This excess iron intake can come from both your dog’s diet and from the water they drink. Other times, excess porphyrin is the effect of systemic bacterial and yeast imbalances rather than a concentrated infection.īecause porphyrin is created during the breakdown of iron within the body, excess intake of iron can directly increase the amount of porphyrin in your dog’s tears. Similarly, yeast infections in the folds of skin near the eye or inside the body can cause tear stains. Ulcers, conjunctivitis, untreated corneal abrasions and nasolacrimal obstructions are commonly associated with the sudden appearance of tear stains. Often, tear stains are a sign that your dog has an infection in their eye, tear ducts, mouth, or other nearby location. Just as a dog’s cells release this red pigment into their bodily fluids, so do the bacteria and yeast living inside them. That is because many bacteria and yeast produce porphyrin as part of their metabolic cycle. One of the most common causes of excess porphyrin in tears is excess bacteria or yeast in the body. If your dog has tear stains and is producing more tears due to an irritant, you should work to both eliminate the cause of the excess tears and the cause of the excess porphyrin. Just as with structural problems, these issues alone are unlikely to cause large, dark tear stains. Smoke, dust, allergens, corneal abrasions, and other eye irritants can all cause excess tear production. Much like a genetic predisposition and structural malformation, irritants can cause your dog to shed more tears than normal. In the case of structural issues, you can’t reduce the number of tears your dog sheds, but you can often treat the cause of the excess porphyrin in those tears to eliminate their tear stains. ![]() While most people will point out structural issues as a cause for tear stains, the truth is that a predisposition to excess tear shedding acts only as an advanced warning system. If your dog suffers from entropion, has bulging eyes or a shortened muzzle, or has a tear duct issue and suffers from tear stains, there is likely something else going on inside their body that needs to be addressed. But if the amount of porphyrin is even slightly elevated, those extra tears will cause stains to form quicker than they would in a dog that sheds fewer tears. Tears that contain a normal amount of porphyrin should not leave behind large, dark stains, even if there is an excess amount of tears. But this does not mean that every dog with a squished face is destined to live with tear stains. All of these causes are determined by your dog’s genetics. ![]() Tear duct malformation, bulging eyes, shortened muzzle, and eyelid malformation can all cause excessive tear production. Structural Problemsįor some dogs, the cause of their tear stains isn’t just about what is going on inside the body, but how their body, particularly their eyes, are structured. Some of the causes are relatively benign while others can be a sign of a serious problem. There are a number of health issues that can cause your dog to produce too much porphyrin. No matter what color the coat, visible tear stains are a sign that your dog has more porphyrin in their system than is normal. Dogs with light-colored fur are more likely to have visible tear stains from excess porphyrin than dogs with darker coats. This molecule is excreted through many different pathways, including the gut, saliva, urine, and–you guessed it–tears!Īll dogs produce some amount of porphyrin in their tears, but some produce more than others. Porphyrin is produced as the body breaks down iron. They are caused, in the most direct sense, by porphyrin–a reddish-brown pigment found in tears. Tear stains are the reddish stains that appear below some dogs’ eyes. By resolving the true cause of the issue and rebalancing your dog’s system, you can not only put an end to tear stains but help improve your dog’s overall health. In this article, we’ll look at the many causes of tear stains and how each can be addressed to tackle the root of the problem. If your dog suffers from constant or occasional tear stains, you’ll want to keep reading. Unfortunately, this issue isn’t just a cosmetic one.ĭog tear stains are often a symptom of a larger problem and a significant warning sign owners need to pay attention to. Tear stains are an unsightly problem that affects many dogs. By Carrie Hyde, The Spaw Pet Life Coach | January 12, 2022 ![]()
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