Maltese tear stains are characterized by discoloration around your dog’s eyes. Therefore, as an owner, you may be looking for the best dog food for Maltese tear stains.
As the name implies, it happens to Maltese dogs, a toy dog breed with fluffy coat or fur.
There are many kinds of discoloration that tear stains display, such as brown, pink, or yellow. This depends upon the specific breeding of your dog but it is usually around the ears as well. Although it could be less of a threat to some owners, it can still be a bit of an eyesore to look at.
Tear stains from your Maltese could come from foods that are filled with too many preservatives, grains, and the like.
Therefore, it can be important to choose the right dog food for them so that they don’t get the risk of having a lot of these stains.
After all, quality food for your dog can help with their coat health as well.
Top 5 Dog Food for Maltese Tear Stains
Here are our top picks for the best dog food for Maltese tear stains:
Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Diet
This dog food for Maltese is made with deboned turkey, which can be a pretty neat source of dog food protein.
It even has omega 3 and 6 to help your dog’s coat to be shinier and healthier – perfect for dogs that are suffering from Maltese tear stains.
Since it has no by-product meals and no grains, it can be gentle on your dog’s digestive system.
It even has easily-digestible carbohydrates that can also act as vegetables for your dog’s meal, such as peas and potatoes.
They are incorporated with the deboned turkey that’s included in the limited ingredient diet from this recipe.
It has a source of omega 6 fatty acids (canola oil) while fish oil gives off omega 3 fatty acids.
Things We Liked
- Rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids
- No grains
- This dog food for Maltese has no animal by-products
- Easy-digest carbohydrates
- Deboned turkey is the first ingredient
Things We Didn’t Like
- The smell may not be that appealing for some dogs
Weruva Grain-Free Natural Dry Dog Food for All Life Stages
Ideal for dogs of all life stages (puppies, adults, and seniors alike), this one is made with a mix of chicken and turkey, as well as salmon, so it is filled with a lot of nutrients and protein in one go.
It even has taurine so it can be healthy for your dog’s heart health.
Linoleic acid and salmon oil are included to help keep your dog’s coat shiny and away from Maltese tear stains.
Since it is low in carbs, it can be okay for little dogs or small breeds such as the Maltese.
It is free from wheat, corn, soy, and other grains and fillers for your dog’s convenient health.
Since it is made for all breed sizes, you can even feed it to your other dogs.
Things We Liked
- All dog life stages
- Chicken, turkey, and salmon as protein sources
- Low in carbs
- Grain-free
- Made for all breed sizes
Things We Didn’t Like
- This dog food for Maltese could be a bit pricier for some dog owners
Vet Recommended Yak Chew for Large and Small Dogs
If your dog loves chews then this one can be for them. It has no unpleasant odor so it can be okay for dogs that can be picky with nasty smells.
Made with cheese yak, it has no preservatives as a milk bone that can be given as a treat for your dog.
It is also gluten-free, grain-free, and chemical-free so it won’t really stain your dog’s coat.
Small dogs can benefit well from this Himalayan yak milk chew, which can also keep their teeth strong, healthy, and tartar-free.
They are easily microwavable for 45 seconds and can be enjoyed by your dog.
Things We Liked
- Gluten-free recipe
- No unpleasant odor
- Ideal for small dogs
- This dog food for Maltese has no added preservatives
- Can be easy to prepare
Things We Didn’t Like
- The size isn’t that consistent in a single batch
Basics Flavors Food Topper & Gravy for Dogs
If you want a food topper for your dog, this one can be a choice. It is made with chicken and chicken bone broth so it can be a topper for picky eaters that want more flavors to their regular meal.
You can partner it with your casual dog food, whether homemade or store-bought.
Your dog even has a lot of choices for the flavors, such as chicken, peanut butter, white cheddar, and red meat.
Each container has 3.1 ounces or you can choose a bigger one at 6 ounces.
It is free from artificial and synthetic preservatives, colors, and flavors so it will be easy on your dog’s coat health.
Things We Liked
- Flavorful topper for any existing dog food
- Different flavors available
- No artificial or synthetic preservatives
- Grain-free
- Amino acids and collagen
Things We Didn’t Like
- The bottle of this dog food for Maltese may be a bit too small for some owners
Taste of the Wild High Protein Real Meat Recipe
This high-protein recipe can be ideal for Maltese that is often working dogs or on the go.
It is made with ancient or whole grains such as chia seeds and quinoa, which can be okay for your dog’s digestion and are also high in protein.
Combined with roasted lamb, which is the first ingredient, this one doesn’t have filler grains such as corn or wheat.
It even has probiotics for your dog to easily digest the nutrients.
The dog food is also free from preservatives, artificial flavors, colors, and the like, to ensure your dog’s coat health.
You can choose sizes from 5, 14, to 28 lbs. of the dog food bag.
Things We Liked
- Made with whole grains (no fillers)
- No preservatives
- No artificial colors or flavors in this dog food for Maltese
- Roasted lamb is the first ingredient
- Different food bag sizes are available
Things We Didn’t Like
- Some batches may have torn bags
Things to Consider Before You Buy
Get to know the following facts before you buy the best dog food for Maltese tear stains:
Why should I buy the best dog food for Maltese tear stains?
There are many reasons why your dog should eat foods that can help reduce the likelihood of tear stains:
Tear stains can be prevented.
The dog food for Maltese tear stains is meant to at least ease or lessen the likelihood of your dog getting more tear stains.
It works by means of their omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, which help restore the coat health of your dog.
Your dog gets quality protein content.
Protein is a necessary nutrient for your dog and can be obtained from various meat products, such as chicken, lamb, turkey, venison, bison, and beef.
Protein can help your dog’s muscles to become stronger so that they can play around better and live longer.
Not all dog food has a lot of protein, and you should also watch the protein content so that it is just right for your little toy dog.
Consider dog foods that are made with one or two primary meat sources and not by-products with unknown origins.
Less likelihood of other allergies.
Dogs who take foods that are not made with any preservatives, grains, and fillers, can less likely become prone to allergies.
If they are not going to have allergies as much as other dogs then they will also less likely have Maltese tear stains.
This is because tear stains are commonly caused by allergies and allergic reactions, usually to food and diet changes.
Better immune system.
Dogs have an immune system that can be threatened if they aren’t taking enough omega fatty acids and other nutrients.
Most of these dog food that is meant for Maltese tear stains are rich in such nutrients, which can help your dog to likely resist most diseases and illnesses throughout their life.
A healthier dog overall.
When you do feed your dog with quality food, they can easily resist any sickness that goes against their overall health.
Protein can keep their muscles strong, omega fatty acids can keep their coat shiny and healthy, and the lack of preservatives and fillers can help them less likely to develop allergies.
How do I feed dog food for Maltese tear stains?
These dog foods can be fed according to the type of dog food that it is.
For dry food or kibble, they can be fed depending on your dog’s regular schedule, and the same goes for wet, canned food. Just follow the user’s instructions on feeding.
Some dog foods, such as toppers, can be added to your dog’s regular meal to enhance the flavor, but make sure that the topper is made with quality ingredients.
How do I choose the best dog food for Maltese tear stains?
To choose the best dog food for Maltese tear stains, you should consider the following:
Rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
Dogs will eat anything, but to prevent coat problems, they will need omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
These kinds of amino acids can help improve your dog’s coat quality so they will less likely have tear stains.
Foods or food ingredients that are rich in these amino acids include:
- fish (mackerel, salmon, anchovies, sardines)
- eggs
- chicken
- flaxseed
- chia seeds
No preservatives.
Most of the time, tear stains are caused by allergic reactions to food.
To prevent this, you should consider a dog food that has no preservatives or artificial flavors and colors included. This is especially for dogs that have a finicky stomach.
When you are reading the label of dog food, look for one that has no preservatives, no artificial colors, and no flavors that aren’t from natural meat.
It helps to read reviews and ask your vet or your friends as to which dog food has no preservatives.
Grain-free.
Fillers can sometimes disrupt the digestive system of your dog, causing them to get allergic reactions and thereby triggering the Maltese tear stains. To help reduce this phenomenon, consider grain-free food.
Not only does grain-free food help your dog get rid of these tear stains but it also helps them to digest any food better, since their stomachs are not exactly made for grains, unlike humans.
Whole meat.
There are many reasons why you should feed your dog real meat or whole meat.
One of them is that your dog gets a high level of protein and nutrition, which is needed for their growth and physical activities.
Also, the whole meat is much better than meat by-products, with unknown sources.
Examples of real meat that you can feed to your dog include:
- chicken
- beef
- bison
- venison
- lamb
- salmon
- other fish
- turkey
You can have these meat sources as a solo meal or with one another (for example, chicken and turkey).
Also, you can also put them together with potatoes, peas, and the like. These can help maintain a balanced diet for your dog.
Just right for small, toy breeds.
A toy breed’s diet is a little bit different from a medium-sized dog’s.
They will require fewer fats and carbohydrates because if they have too much, they can be at risk for obesity and other health problems.
Make sure that the dog food that you do buy is just right for small breeds such as your Maltese.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, our top pick for the best dog food for Maltese tear stains is the Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Diet because it is rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids
It contains no grains at all and no animal by-products, so your Maltese only gets quality meat products and ingredients that won’t cause the tear stains.
The easy-digest carbohydrates can also be ideal for dogs that have frequent digestive upsets. Because of deboned turkey as the first ingredient, it is made from a quality meat source.
While the smell may not be that appealing for some dogs, this is only a minor con as the taste seems okay for most of them and it is even packed with a lot of nutrients, anyway.