White-Coated Dog Skin Care: Tear Staining, Sunburn, and Discoloration Issues

Based on peer reviewed veterinary research · For educational purposes only · Updated October 2026 · 9 min read

Why Do White-Coated Dogs Have More Visible Skin Problems?

White-coated dogs do not have weaker skin overall, but their coats show every stain, and their pale skin has less pigment to protect it from sunlight.

Breeds commonly affected include the Maltese, Bichon Frise, West Highland White Terrier, Samoyed, American Eskimo Dog, Great Pyrenees, white Boxers, Bull Terriers and Dalmatians. In these dogs, three separate issues tend to get lumped together: tear staining under the eyes, rust colored staining on the paws, muzzle or legs, and sun damage on lightly pigmented skin.

These problems look cosmetic, yet each can point to something medical. Tear staining can reflect excess tear production or poor drainage. Saliva staining on the feet and legs is often a sign of chronic licking from allergy or infection (Hensel et al., 2015). Pink skin on the nose and belly can burn, and repeated burns over years can lead to solar dermatitis and, in some dogs, skin cancer (Nikula et al., 1992). Separating the cosmetic from the medical is the first step toward choosing the right care.

What Causes Tear Staining, Saliva Staining and Discoloration?

Most reddish brown discoloration on white fur comes from porphyrins, iron containing pigments excreted in tears and saliva. On a dark coat they are invisible. On a white coat they oxidize to a rust or pink tint wherever fluid sits on the hair.

Tear staining. Shallow eye sockets, hair growing toward the eye, narrowed tear ducts, eyelid conformation problems and eye irritation all increase tear overflow (epiphora). Constantly wet hair below the eye can then develop a brown, sometimes odorous film as microbes multiply.

Saliva staining. Staining on the paws, inner legs, flanks or around the genitals usually reflects licking. The most common reasons are environmental or food allergy, flea allergy, and secondary bacterial or yeast infection (Hensel et al., 2015). Itch drives licking, licking keeps skin wet, and wet skin favors overgrowth of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Malassezia pachydermatis (Bond et al., 1996).

Sun related changes. White hair and pink skin offer little UV protection. Dogs that sunbathe belly up, or have thin hair on the nose and ear tips, receive the most exposure. Chronic sun damage causes redness, scaling, thickening and crusting on those areas (Nikula et al., 1992).

Signs and Symptoms to Watch For

The location and texture of a change usually tell you which problem you are dealing with. Use the table below as a rough guide, not a diagnosis.

How to Treat Skin Problems in White-Coated Dogs at Home

Home care is appropriate when the skin is mildly red or stained, the dog is otherwise well, and there are no open wounds, eye pain or non-healing crusts. The goal is to remove the moisture and microbes that drive staining, calm irritated skin and prevent further sun damage.

1. Keep stained areas clean and dry. Wipe the fur under the eyes and around the mouth once or twice daily with a soft, damp cloth, then dry it thoroughly. Moisture is what turns staining into infection.
2. Trim hair that wicks tears or saliva. Keep hair around the eyes and between the toes short so fluid does not sit against the skin. Use blunt tipped scissors or ask a groomer.
3. Apply an antiseptic to red or irritated patches. On licked paws, inner legs or reddened skin under stains, a chlorhexidine spray applied once or twice daily reduces the bacterial load on the skin surface. Avoid the eyes.
4. Bathe with a medicated shampoo when the body is affected. For scattered crusts, pustules or odor on the belly and legs, a chlorhexidine shampoo with a 10 minute contact time, two to three times weekly at first, is a standard topical approach (Mueller et al., 2012).
5. Limit sun exposure on pink skin. Keep white dogs indoors or shaded during peak UV hours and use a dog safe sunscreen on the nose and ear tips. Do not use human sunscreens containing zinc oxide, which is toxic if licked.
6. Track progress for two to three weeks. With consistent use, mild irritation typically starts to improve within 1 to 2 weeks. If redness spreads, the skin is painful, or crusts on sun exposed skin do not heal, see your veterinarian.

Veterinary Treatment Options for White Coat Skin Problems

Veterinary care starts by separating the causes. Your vet may check tear production and tear duct drainage, look at skin cytology to confirm bacteria or yeast, and work up underlying allergy if licking is the driver. Persistent eye discharge or redness needs an eye exam, not a stain remover.

For superficial bacterial infection, current guidelines favor topical antiseptic therapy as the first line wherever possible, keeping systemic antibiotics for deeper or widespread disease (Hillier et al., 2014). Chlorhexidine works by binding to the negatively charged bacterial cell wall and disrupting the cell membrane, which causes leakage of cell contents. It also binds to the outer layer of the skin, giving residual activity after application (Mueller et al., 2012).

Chlorhexidine Spray contains chlorhexidine and is suited to small areas such as licked paws, irritated patches under tear stains or crusted spots on the belly. For larger areas, Chlorhexidine Shampoo allows whole body contact. Both are FDA-registered OTC veterinary drugs listed on DailyMed. Learn more on our bacterial skin infections in dogs page.

If tear staining is your main concern, see our guide to tear stains and coat discoloration in white dogs. For dogs with pink noses or bellies, our article on sunburn in dogs and at-risk breeds covers UV protection in more depth. Sun damaged lesions that crust or thicken need veterinary assessment, and may require biopsy.

How Can You Keep a White Coat Healthy Long Term?

Long term success depends on treating the cause of staining rather than masking it. If the paws keep turning rust colored, the dog is still licking, and the itch behind that licking needs attention. Year round flea control and allergy management do more for a white coat than any whitening product.

Daily face wiping, regular trimming around the eyes and drying the paws after walks keep moisture from settling into the fur. Filtered or stainless steel water bowls do not stop porphyrin staining, but keeping the muzzle dry after drinking helps.

For cosmetic brightness, Brightening Shampoo for White Coats is a non-medicated grooming shampoo for coat discoloration. It is not a treatment for any skin condition, so use a medicated product on red, crusted or smelly skin instead.

Finally, plan around the sun. White dogs benefit from shaded outdoor time, avoiding midday sunbathing on patios, and checking the nose, ear tips and belly regularly for redness, scaling or crusts that do not heal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my white dog have red stains on its paws?

Rust colored paw staining is usually caused by porphyrins in saliva from frequent licking. Licking is often a sign of itch from allergy, fleas or a skin infection, so the cause is worth investigating.

Can white dogs get sunburned?

Yes. White dogs with pink skin on the nose, ear tips and belly can sunburn, and repeated sun damage can lead to solar dermatitis and skin cancer. Shade and a dog safe sunscreen help protect these areas.

Is tear staining harmful to my dog?

Tear staining itself is mostly cosmetic. Constantly wet fur under the eyes can develop bacterial or yeast overgrowth, and new or heavy tearing can point to an eye problem that needs a vet exam.

Can I use chlorhexidine on my white dog's stained skin?

Chlorhexidine can be used on red or irritated skin on the paws, legs and body to reduce bacteria. Keep it out of the eyes, and see a veterinarian if the skin does not improve within two to three weeks.

Sources

1. Nikula KJ, Benjamin SA, Angleton GM, Saunders WJ, Lee AC. Ultraviolet radiation, solar dermatosis, and cutaneous neoplasia in beagle dogs. Radiation Research. 1992;129(1):11-18. DOI
2. Bond R, Ferguson EA, Curtis CF, Craig JM, Lloyd DH. Factors associated with elevated cutaneous Malassezia pachydermatis populations in dogs with pruritic skin disease. Journal of Small Animal Practice. 1996;37(3):103-107. DOI
3. Mueller RS, Bergvall K, Bensignor E, Bond R. A review of topical therapy for skin infections with bacteria and yeast. Veterinary Dermatology. 2012;23(4):330-341. DOI
4. Hillier A, Lloyd DH, Weese JS, et al. Guidelines for the diagnosis and antimicrobial therapy of canine superficial bacterial folliculitis (Antimicrobial Guidelines Working Group of the International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases). Veterinary Dermatology. 2014;25(3):163 to 175. DOI
5. Hensel P, Santoro D, Favrot C, Hill P, Griffin C. Canine atopic dermatitis: detailed guidelines for diagnosis and allergen identification. BMC Veterinary Research. 2015;11:196. DOI

Related Reading

• Tear Stains and Coat Discoloration in White Dogs: Causes and Care
• Sunburn in Dogs: UV Damage, At-Risk Breeds & Prevention
• Chlorhexidine for Dogs: Antiseptic Skin Care Guide
• Why Is My West Highland White Terrier So Itchy? Causes, Triggers & Relief

E. Maddens

Founder of Vetified. Develops topical antifungal and antimicrobial formulations for companion animals. Vetified products are listed on DailyMed and manufactured through FDA-registered facilities in the United States.

Research basis: All Vetified content references peer reviewed research published in journals including Veterinary Dermatology, JAVMA, and Journal of Small Animal Practice.