Maltese Tear Stain Smell?

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Archived Message

Tear Stain Smell?
by Ann
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
Tear Stain Smell? Our Maltese puppy, Lucky, (13 weeks) has tear stains the looks of which aren't that bad; however the smell is! Its a very "vinegar-y" smell. When I bathe Lucky I wash him with a "purple" dog shampoo and water, and carefully wash his face, and he's fine. Has anyone else notices this vinegar smell -- is this usual, and if not what causes it? thanks.

DISCUSSION:

I can't recall a vinegary smell from tearstains, but then again we didn't have all that much staining with Puff so I really wouldn't know. Check the ears though, an ear infection can cause a rather pungent odor and sometimes stains are related to ear problems (look for redness, any sort of oozing or pus, or black waxy substances that could be from mites). If no other cause is found, maybe try a different shampoo?
Aimee

Ann: So here I am crawling around on the floor smelling their faces. If they could see me now? Anyway, there is a smell but I always thought it was just a doggie smell. Both their ears are fine, we just went through that scene in November. I use baby wipes on their faces everyday to combat the smell.
Shelley

Ann, Baxter doesn't get a vinegar smell, but there is an odor when he getting close to bathtime. I wash his eyes daily with collyrium, but it seems the "doggy" smell he gets when it's time for a bath seems to come from his eyes. No ear mites or other ear problems either. I was hoping someone had some input on this, I'd been thinking of posting it when I saw yours.
Marie

Max, is eight months old. I recently started noticing the odor produced by his tears. I have heard that there are eye drops to control the odor. I have not been able to find the drops here in Greece. I clean his eyes everyday with Clear Eyes and baby wipes. Both these seem to help the staining and the odor.
norma

I know this smell. I don't know about vinegar but it does smell a bit sour. I smell it only when I clean him with peroxide/water solution. So maybe the tears combined with the solution creates that smell. The smell doesn't last very long so I continue to use it daily.
Charlynn

Amy, age 6 did not have this odor when I got her at age 4 but I am growing her coat for show and not trimming the har around her eyes as much. She tears so much more and is for the first time getting an odor and some slight staining. I wonder if it is worth it sometimes. Do they really take off a lot of points for cutting eye hair??
Pat S