Bramble Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Hi All! Just wondering if I can pick the brains of the Omlet Oracle!!! Willow, my (nearly 11 year old) retired greyhound has a white muzzle and over the last few years she's slowly developed sort of brown staining around her mouth. The vet checks her teeth regularly so that is not the problem. Talking to other grey owners it just seems that some dogs with white muzzles get this problem and some don't and if there's no tooth problem making her lick her mouth more then I shouldn't worry about it. Obviously, if her muzzle was any other colour but white I wouldn't be able to see it anyway! I'm not bothered from a cosmetic point of view, I just worry it makes her look like I "don't bother" (I do try to clean around her mouth, but it doesn't make any difference). Does anyone have any suggestions as to what i might do (or shall I just stop worrying about it?) please? THanks everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Do you think it might be a similar thing to tear staining? In which case it's nothing to worry about - but I think some people find changing diets can improve the problem. Not really something I know a lot about though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loumabel Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 I am sure that any one will be able to tell that your dog is much loved and well cared for. My dog has a patch of hair missing from his back that won't grow back after it was shaved for an operation 6 months ago and I worry that it looks like he has some nasty lurgy that I am doing nothing about and then my vet pointed out that I am crazy and its obvious he is well looked after and loved. I am sure your doggie doesn't mind having a stained chin like my Ben doesnt care he has a bald bum so I wouldn't worry about it x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken deficient Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 My two have white beards. I think the brown is saliva staining, from 'licking their lips'. It seems to vary with mine - sometimes one has it, sometimes both, sometimes neither. I think their saliva composition seems to be affected by what they are eating / how much they are drinking etc. As long as you are happy your dog is well in herself, that her teeth are ok and she is in good health, I wouldn't worry! Have her drinking habits changed at all? Now I think about it, my dogs have both got white beards at the moment and it seems to have coincided with me getting the water filter going again and them having that to drink instead of normal tap water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted March 18, 2013 Author Share Posted March 18, 2013 Thanks everyone! Yes, I think it's a very similar problem/issue to tear staining. I've done quite a bit of research (probably a bit too much ) over the weekend and there seem to be 1001 different suggestions for a cause and possible fixes. You can buy stuff from America which claims to sort the problem, but on further investigation it is apparently a type of antibiotic, so I don't want to be using anything like that even in the short term - not to solve a problem like this, anyway! One or two people seem to have some success with giving their dogs live natural yoghurt/yakult type stuff on the basis that one theory is that the problem is caused by an overgrowth of yeast which the "friendly bacteria" help to get under control. So I've started Willow on a daily bowl of live yoghurt which she loves and I don't think it can possibly do any harm, if it helps the "moustache" problem, that's great, and if it doesn't there's nothing to lose? I will keep you posted! Thanks for all your help (and reassurance!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Just seen this thread, I think in the world of dog showing there is a product you can buy to wash their beards and eyes to keep them nice and white - seem to remember that a lady with a little white maltese terrier used it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I saw a few products at Crufts designed to get rid of tear and beard staining - I don't know if they're any good or whats in them though ... sorry, not very useful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Cookie is white but with a 'lovely' brown beard. Its definitely from saliva only (she can be quite dribbly), it is annoying but I haven't bought anything to get rid of it. I can remember my friend with a Bichon buying something online to get rid of tear stains but it was full of nasty stuff. Cookie also has a brown patch on her leg where she had warts that she kept licking. Eventually it will grow out on her and be trimmed out by the groomer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I think the product you mean Seagazer is Angel Eyes - a quick google search has mentioned the 'illegal' word a few times so can only assume this has the nasty stuff in. I would go down the route of tear-stain products to remove the brown stains. Tear-Um is meant to be a good one, and Diamond Eyes was used by my breeder when the pups had tear staining. Unfortunately they can lick their chops....so the product might not stay on long enough to be effective! Goldie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Yes you're right Goldie it was called Angel Eyes. My friend didn't use it for long thankfully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
