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My dog's tear stains smell awful. What can I do about the odor?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Toy Poodle | Male | neutered | 2 years and 8 months old | 13 lbs

How to get rid of smelly tear stains. His diet is the same and he didn’t have a bad smelling tear stains before. Is there anything I can do about the smell? Thank you.

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on November 24th, 2019

Unfortunately you cannot get rid of them completely, but there are a few things you can try. You can use a metal water and food bowl instead of plastic. Some people think filtered water can help. I find that a tear stain wipe, such as the Angel Eyes brand, helps remove them. I'd also have Moki seen by a vet for the smell, that may mean an infection.

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