It's one of the most common questions we get at check-in, especially from owners of Poodles, Bichons, Shih Tzus, and doodle mixes: "Is there anything we can do about those rust-colored marks under her eyes?" The dog is happy and healthy, the coat looks great everywhere else, but there's that persistent reddish-brown staining running down from the inner corner of the eyes. It's one of the most common cosmetic concerns we see on lighter-coated dogs, and it's worth understanding what's actually causing it before trying to fix it.
What Tear Stains Actually Are
The reddish-brown color isn't dirt or mold — it comes from a compound called porphyrin, an iron-containing molecule that's released when the body breaks down red blood cells and gets excreted in tears, saliva, and urine, according to the American Kennel Club. When a dog produces more tears than normal, or those tears don't drain the way they're supposed to, porphyrin builds up in the fur around the eyes and oxidizes into that familiar rust color. It shows up most on white and light-colored coats simply because there's no other pigment to hide it — a dog with a dark face can have the exact same amount of tearing and you'd never see a stain.
Why Some Dogs Get Them and Others Don't
A few things tend to drive it, and it's rarely just one cause:
- Breed and face shape — flat-faced breeds and dogs with shallow eye sockets or facial skin folds are more prone to tearing and debris getting trapped near the eye.
- Blocked or narrow tear ducts — when tears can't drain normally through the nasolacrimal duct into the nose the way they're supposed to, they spill over onto the face instead, a condition vets call epiphora, per VCA Animal Hospitals.
- Hair or eyelashes irritating the eye — long facial hair or ingrown eyelashes brushing the surface of the eye trigger extra tearing as a natural response.
- Allergies — seasonal or food-related allergies can cause watery eyes the same way they cause the itchy skin we've written about in our Missouri summer allergies post.
Because there's more than one possible cause, two dogs with the same amount of staining can need very different solutions — which is exactly why we don't guess at it ourselves.
What We Check For at the Groom Table
When we're working around a dog's face, we're paying attention to a few specific things: whether facial hair is long enough to be poking into the eye itself, whether the staining looks consistent on both sides or is worse on just one, and whether the skin under the stained fur looks irritated, damp, or has any odor — a moist, stained area can turn into a spot for yeast to take hold if it isn't kept clean and dry. A short, well-maintained face trim that keeps hair away from the eye is one of the simplest things we do that actually helps, since it removes one of the mechanical causes of extra tearing in the first place.
What Actually Helps Between Grooms
At home, a quick daily wipe-down with a vet-safe eye wash or a designated tear-stain wipe — never a human eye product or anything with alcohol — keeps porphyrin from building up in the fur before it has a chance to set in and stain. Keeping the hair around the eyes trimmed short between full grooming appointments matters too, since a couple weeks of overgrowth is often enough to undo the progress from a face trim. We build a light face trim into most of our grooms for exactly this reason, and it's something we're happy to talk through at your next appointment if staining has been a recurring issue for your dog.
When It's More Than Cosmetic
Mild, chronic staining on a breed that's simply prone to it is usually just a cosmetic issue. What we watch for — and what should prompt a call to your vet rather than a grooming fix — is a sudden increase in tearing, staining that appears only on one side, redness or swelling around the eye, squinting, or thick or colored discharge. Those can point to a blocked tear duct, an eye infection, or something irritating the eye directly, and they need an actual diagnosis, not a wipe and a trim. We're not able to diagnose or treat that at the salon, but we will always flag it if we notice a change at your dog's appointment.
Neither of our own dogs deals with tear staining — Blue's a Dachshund and Belle's a Weimaraner, both dark-faced breeds where porphyrin staining just isn't visible the way it is on a white Bichon or cream Poodle mix — but it's one of the most frequent questions we field from clients with lighter-coated dogs, and it's usually a simple, manageable thing once you know what's actually behind it. If tear staining has been bothering you about your dog's look, we're at American Puppy in St. Charles and happy to build a regular face trim into their grooming schedule. Book an appointment here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes the reddish-brown color in tear stains?
It's from porphyrin, an iron-containing compound released when the body breaks down red blood cells and excreted in tears. It oxidizes and darkens over time, which is why the staining looks worse the longer it sits in the fur.
Can grooming get rid of tear stains completely?
Regular face trims and cleaning can prevent new staining from building up and keep existing stains from getting worse, but they won't erase staining that's already set deep into white fur overnight. Consistency matters more than any single treatment.
Are tear stains a sign my dog is sick?
Not usually — many dogs with light coats and certain face shapes are just naturally prone to it. But a sudden change, staining on only one eye, or redness and discharge are worth a vet visit to rule out something like a blocked tear duct or infection.
Is it safe to use human eye wipes or drops on my dog?
No — stick to products made for dogs. Human eye products can contain ingredients that irritate a dog's eyes, and a vet-safe canine eye wash or tear-stain wipe is the safer choice.
Which breeds get tear stains the most?
It's most visible on light or white-coated breeds like Poodles, Bichons, Maltese, and Shih Tzus, along with flat-faced breeds prone to shallow eye sockets. Dark-coated dogs can tear just as much, but the staining simply doesn't show.
How often should I trim the hair around my dog's eyes?
For breeds prone to staining, every couple of weeks between full grooming appointments keeps hair from growing back into the eye and irritating it. We're happy to show you a safe way to do quick touch-ups at home if you'd like.