How to Remove Rust Stains From Maltese Dogs
Maltese dogs frequently develop reddish-brown stains on the skin and hair below the inside corners of their eyes. These are referred to as "rust stains" and are caused by the reaction of a dog's tears with bacteria on a dog's hair and skin. Other breeds have this problem too, but they are especially obvious on the white Maltese dogs. Remove rust stains and use preventative care at home to keep your dog's eyes looking clean and irritation free.
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Things You'll Need
- Cotton balls
- Scissors
- Jar with lid
- Stirrer
- Boric acid powder
- Baby powder
- Milk of magnesia
- Soft toothbrush
Instructions
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Wipe under the dog's eyes with a cotton ball moistened with warm water. Remove any deposits that have built-up.
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Check for any long hairs near the eyes. Trim these very carefully to prevent them from irritating the eyes, which leads to watery eyes and more rust stains.
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Measure equal parts of boric acid powder and baby powder into a jar and stir in milk of magnesia until it makes a smooth paste. Rub this gently onto the rust stains, beginning near the corner of the eye and working outwards and downwards.
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Allow the paste to dry. Leave it on for 15 minutes or longer for best results. Brush the paste off with a soft toothbrush.
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Repeat the process daily until the rust stains are gone.
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Tips & Warnings
Check with your vet to make sure the dog does not have blocked tear ducts or other health problems if the rust stains appear to be excessive.
You will find people who recommend using hydrogen peroxide or bleach for removing rust stains. These products can potentially blind your dog. They may also damage the hair and weaken it, which can lead to skin problems.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Ryan McVay/Lifesize/Getty Images
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Comments
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I have 2 bichon frise's and another mixed white dog, for a long time I washes their eyes every day and even asked my Vet about this problem with my puppies until I found out about "Angel eyes". This is a powder that you put in their food everyday, it comes in flavors but my dogs love chicken flavor the best. I took this product to my Vet to make sure is ok with her since my dogs suffer from crystal in the bladder which is very common in pure breed Bichons and she gave me the ok. Within a couple of months and little by little with hair cuts it will be gone unfortunately this is not a cure, it is like any medication, if you stop within few weeks will come back. Please still clean the dog eyes every day.
