Winning the War Against Tear Staining

“FDA Warns Makers Of Tear Stain Removers To Pull Products From The Market” Veterinary News. | “FDA Gets Tough On Tear Stain Removers” Seattle Times | FDA “Stop Marketing Unapproved Tear Stain Remover For Dogs And Cats” Dr Marty Becker “America’s Veterinarian”Pet owners were recently shocked, to find that Angel Eyes, a product many had been using for years to remove tear stains in their dogs, had received a stern warning from the FDA and is subsequently being removed from pet store shelves and online sources like Amazon.The controversy started over a year ago with this announcement from the FDA: ( Taken from the US Food and Drug Administration website)FDA Issues Warning Letters for Unapproved Tear Stain Removers Used in Dogs and CatsAugust 14 2014The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is issuing warning letters today to companies manufacturing unapproved animal drugs to remove tear stains in dogs and cats. These products, including Angels’ Eyes, Angels’ Glow, Pets’ Spark, and exported products Glow Groom and Health Glow, have not been reviewed by FDA for safety and effectiveness. These tear stain removers also contain the medically important antibiotic tylosin tartrate, which is not approved for use in dogs or cats, nor for the treatment of conditions associated with tear stains. Tear stain remover products are used to treat tear staining conditions around the eyes of animals, which, in particular, is associated with a condition called epiphora, mostly in cats and dogs.FDA has serious concerns about unapproved animal drugs. Unapproved animal drugs are not reviewed by FDA and may not meet FDA’s strict standards for safety and effectiveness.These tear stain drug products may be subject to additional enforcement action should the products continue to be marketed, such as seizure of violative products and/or injunction against the manufacturers and distributors of the violative products.”Here’s the letter sent to the firm which manufacturers Angel Eyes. The bad news? That not only have pet owners been unwittingly using a potentially harmful product, but that dogs and cats may have sustained long-term ill effects from indiscriminate antibiotic use, and now those pets owners are left without answers on how to safely treat the often disfiguring tear stains to which so many breeds are prone.Here’s a video on YouTube reviewing Dog Tear Stain Removers that is typical of the struggle of many dog and cat owners.Of course we love our pets regardless of their appearance, but let’s be honest, tear stains are not only unsightly, but they also make our pets look unkempt and unhealthy. If there’s a way to safely reduce or eliminate them, a vast number of pet owners would want to know.I’ve found that no single product is effective in 100% of cases, tear staining is a stubborn problem and will require treating your pet from the inside as well as outside. It’s not an issue that can be completely eliminated overnight, but if you are patient and implement a few critical steps to your pet’s routine, you’ll be rewarded with a dog whose face is clean and fresh as a puppy’s!

The first step I tell our clients to take is to add a high potency probiotic to your pet’s diet.

This single step can be amazingly effective, as a dog groomer and veterinary technician, I’ve seen many pet's tear stains disappear completely, simply with the addition of a quality probiotic.Probiotics can benefit your dog in profound ways, not only to aid in removing stains, but allergies to food & environment, chronic ear infections and yeast problems. Skin and coat ailments that have required oral medications and cortisone injections, irritable bowel and digestive upsets all can be improved by adding a high potency probiotic to your dog’s daily diet.“Probiotics, a microorganism introduced into the body for its beneficial qualities.” Webster’s Dictionary5 Tips To Keep In Mind:

1. Stained fur must be trimmed away; probiotics can’t remove the stains that are already absorbed into the hair shaft. They work internally to eliminate the cause naturally.
2. Probiotic therapy is not an overnight cure, expect to see results after the first 60 days. Giving your pet a quality probiotic will help support her entire system, including help reduce and often stop tear stains from forming.
3. Many pets have tear stains as a result of ear infections or allergies. High potency probiotics can help reduce these problems as well, which in turn aids in resolving what caused the tear stains in the first place.
4. Start slow, while probiotics are considered safe and beneficial, any change to your pet’s diet should occur gradually, for a dog under 50 pounds, start with a half capsule sprinkled once daily over your dog’s kibble. Increase to one capsule daily after the first week.
5. Some owners are reporting that putting ½ a capsule of probiotics in about a tablespoon of tepid water and applying it with a cotton ball can help treat the stains on the skin’s surface and can speed the stain removal process.

I’ve used probiotics with great success for almost a decade now. I even built this small company, Agatha’s Apothecary to offer quality products and supplements to support our dog’s healthy lives. My experience with dogs spans 30 years, including many years working as a veterinary technician, assisting in surgery and watching our clients struggle with a multitude of health problems. I even owned a popular boarding/grooming kennel for almost 20 years which added vastly to my pool of doggie experience.My journey with my own dogs, but especially my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel “Agatha”, led me on a search for the very best and most effective products, that really made a difference in the health of my dogs and those of my clients.Here’s what I believe is the best probiotic available on the market today for dogs. It’s called Agatha’s Apothecary Advanced Probiotic. It’s a great product, and one of the most effective that I could find. Agatha's Advanced Probiotic contains 10 different probiotic strains, ( a much wider spectrum than that of most products that are available for dogs ).It’s also a super high potency at 10 Billion CFU’s (colony forming units) per capsule which is what I’ve found are necessary to bring therapeutic results for issues like tear staining.Easy to use, simply open the capsule and sprinkle over kibble, my dogs love the taste.My next article will address the best options to add to your arsenal of weapons to return your pet to his beautiful best. My hope is that your dog will benefit and be helped by the recommendations in this series on helping your dog live a better life naturally!Pet Safety First: Always check with your veterinarian before making changes in your dog’s routine or diet. These suggestions are not intended to replace routine veterinary care for your pets.