Q. My 12-year-old dog, Emmy, has been pure white her entire life — until the last 7 months. As you can see from the photo, she now has a rust-colored face and paws. Three different veterinarians have given me three different theories for why this has happened, ranging from old age to allergies. At this point she has been on four allergy medications, including steroids, but none of them has helped. I should note that she has also had pus in her left eye, which is red. I have been applying the over-the-counter eye ointment Maxitrol, but I am already on my fourth tube — it only works for a couple of days. Please help my baby girl. I don’t know what else to do.
Donna Hendershot
Somerset, Pennsylvania
Dear Ms. Hendershot,
A. Hair around a dog’s eyes may take on a rust color any time there is an increased flow of tears. Tears contain proteins that bind to iron, and when the tears reach the outside of the body and are hit by oxygen, they literally rust, explains Tufts veterinary ophthalmologist Stefano Pizzirani, DVM. It is particularly obvious on white-coated dogs.
Tear overflow can occur for a number of reasons. The most common is extra hairs rubbing onto the cornea, which is very sensitive. (Have you ever had a hair in your eye?) Sometimes an infection or foreign body causes a problem. Allergies, too, can increase tear production, with the rusty coloring showing up on the sides of the nose.
As for the rust color anywhere on the legs, including the paws, the cause is licking. Saliva, like tears, can cause a red stain. Common causes of excess licking include psychological triggers or again, allergies.
In the case of your own dog, Dr. Pizzirani says, it looks from the photo like there’s a small mass on the bottom of the dog’s left eye, at the edge of the eyelid. That can produce some friction on the cornea, he says, which would increase tearing and overflow.
The best bet would be to have Emmy examined and diagnosed by a veterinary ophthalmologist and perhaps a veterinary dermatologist. Proper treatment will bring her coat back to its natural color.
My dog has been licking her back paws causing them to turn almost completely rust color just the paws she licks him lick some licks them any suggestion
She is four years old a rescue dog. She’s the best dog we’ve ever had but she licks her paws which stands for bed but stains our bed
I have a yellow lab whose belly and leg fur was white when he recued me 2 yrs ago. Since that time, I believe he had hot spots near his belly and started licking quite a bit.
After many months, I noticed his fur was turning off white and brownish where he’d been licking.
Since that time, he’s also licked areas under his front legs and the hair there is also turning brownish.
Noah’s a 90 lb. Lab who I can’t bathe myself. I have him washed once every 6 weeks by someone who comes to my house to bathes him from her grooming van. Should I get something for her to use while washing or get something to apply myself every few days or week?
If it’s not allergy then it’s for humidity.
I wash my dog’s paws after every walkies and it’s not completely dry when she is at home. Poor doggy is getting red and rusty because of this.
The tip is to make sure she won’t over lick and she is completely dry (with air brush) every day.
my dogs two front legs turned rusty color what is this i changed her food to no grain a few weeks ago but no change
My white dog, 2yrs plus started turning rusty red around her belly fur and paws, even her tear line, my vet said i should give her 2ml cod liver oil for 10 days and I’m glad she’s getting back to normal. Try cod liver oil for babies