Saliva staining develops when an area of fur is constantly licked, chewed or nibbled, causing it to turn red, pink, brown or orange. It usually indicates an underlying problem such as: Allergic skin disease/skin allergies (very common) Parasites.
Is porphyrin staining serious in dogs? Fortunately, porphyrin staining is in itself a cosmetic problem and causes the dog no harm. However, the underlying or causative problem can be significant. Eyelid abnormalities may cause significant discomfort.
Saliva and tears contain substances called porphyrins, which stain light fur pink, red or brown. Porphyrins are organic, aromatic compounds that make up many important structures in the body.
The staining you are referring to is most likely caused by a substance called Porphyrin. Porphyrin is a naturally occurring substance in the tears and saliva and tends to show up as a pink/brown colour where your pet has licked, dribbled or produced lots of tears.
Contact lens solution can be used to clean around the eyes—not in the eyes! The boric acid in the contact lens solution oxidizes the iron in the porphyrins and may lighten the staining. After washing the face, always dry the area with a clean towel to prevent ulcerative dermatitis secondary to wet skin.
If you're allergic to the proteins in a dog's saliva and the dog licks you, your immune system will activate and attack the proteins in the saliva just as if they were a virus or bacteria on the skin. This can result in a rash or hives, and your skin can become itchy, red, and/or swollen.
Make a paste of baking soda and water, and brush it into the stain. Let dry and then wipe off with a damp cloth. If any stain still remains, repeat.
Often, tear stains are a sign that your dog has an infection in their eye, tear ducts, mouth, or other nearby location. Ulcers, conjunctivitis, untreated corneal abrasions and nasolacrimal obstructions are commonly associated with the sudden appearance of tear stains.
Stain removal is another chapter to itself. A little mild hydrogen peroxide dried into the muzzle (be sure to avoid the eyes) or Visine (applied to the fur, not the eyes) can lighten the color enough to live with it until it grows out.
This is because chicken meat contains a pigment called porphyrin, which can build up in the dog's tears and cause staining. Other foods that contain porphyrin include liver, beef, and pork. If your dog is prone to tear stains, you may want to avoid feeding them, or reduce the amount you feed them these foods.
When dogs lick their paws excessively, a build-up of porphyrins from the saliva turns the fur around the area pink or rusty red. Over time, the stains can turn a darker brown.
It also includes reducing the amount of porphyrins in the body to help relieve symptoms. Reducing porphyrins may include: Regularly scheduled blood draws to reduce the iron in your body, which decreases porphyrins. This process is called phlebotomy.
All dogs produce porphyrin, but porphyrin staining is most noticeable in light-colored dogs. If you have ever noticed a white dog licking or chewing on their leg, the hair in that area will also turn iron-brown in color.
Use whitening shampoo on your dog and apply it on the area around the mouth. Rinse well. Prepare a solution using equal amounts of boric acid powder, baby powder and milk of magnesia to remove stains. Mix well and apply to the area around the mouth.
It's a natural reaction but overtime the continued release of the Porphyrins in tears and saliva stain the fur, if the eye and mouth area on your dog aren't kept or wiped clean. One of the easiest ways to prevent this happening or continuing to get worse, is to begin regularly cleaning your dog's face.
High mineral content in your dog's drinking water can also contribute to tear stains—staining around the mouth can tip you off. If that's the case, give your pup fresh, filtered water instead of tap. Low-quality ingredients in your dog's food like fillers can cause allergic reactions that result in excess tearing, too.
Believe it or not, your dog's diet can be a big factor in whether they develop tear stains or not. Apple cider vinegar has many uses with humans and pets. As a food additive (about 1 teaspoon in food), apple cider vinegar can be a good way to clear up those pesky tear stains.
Believe it or not, certain materials contained in water and food bowls may cause irritation to your dog's eyes. Stick to stainless steel when possible, and be sure to clean them regularly. Similarly, corn- and wheat-based foods may be inciting an allergic reaction that leads to epiphora and staining.
Commercial Cleaning Products
Tropiclean face shampoo (the blueberry kind) is soap free and many groomers use it to help rid of tear stains. If used often enough some of my clients have reported a lesser tear staining.
Iron takes two different forms in water: soluble ferrous iron and insoluble ferric iron. Both types cause red water stains, but it's important to identify which type you have because each requires a different solution. Soluble ferrous iron in water is invisible to the naked eye when fresh out of the tap.
STEP 1: Cover the red stain with a handful of table salt, which will absorb the red liquid. You know it's working when the white salt begins to turn pink. STEP 2: Soak the red stained garment in cold water with an enzyme detergent and let it soak overnight.
People who are allergic to dogs may experience a rash, hives, or watery eyes when exposed to dog saliva or dog dander. In many cases, symptoms of a dog allergy are mild, and a person may still be able to live with a dog if they can manage their symptoms.
Symptoms of Saliva Allergies in Dogs
It can either be an allergy to the saliva itself, such as with flea saliva, or it can be something within the saliva your pet is allergic to.
“When dog saliva touches intact human skin, especially in a healthy person, it is extremely unlikely to cause any problems, as there will be very little absorption through the skin,” Dr. Kaplan wrote in an email.