Have you noticed that your Schnauzer’s beard is somewhat black or red? You may have also noticed that this discoloration is turning into rust spots. In situations like this, what should you do?
This type of coat requires extra care and attention. Therefore, as soon as you notice that your Schnauzer’s beard is a little red or rusty, in other words dirty, contact your trusted groomer.
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Introduction
By nature, the Schnauzer dog breed tends to have more extravagant beards and whiskers. In a way, these features are part of their appeal. And who can resist the tenderness of these pets?
First of all, don’t despair and, above all, don’t try to use some kind of human product on your pet.
They have characteristic properties in their fur; that is why only specialized products should be used for the care of their coat.
Within the community of pet lovers, there is a belief that some foods could influence in changing the color of our dog’s coat. Unfortunately, to be sure, there is no scientific support to confirm this belief.
What is certain is that the dog’s coat is influenced by genetic and environmental factors.
On the one hand, the first factors are in charge of distributing pigments in the coat, blurring them and distributing them according to each body zone of the Schnauzer.
On the other hand, environmental factors include the use of topical substances, medication, aging or even exposure to sunlight.
All of the above mentioned causes changes in the coat of our pet. This dark, black or reddish color occurs mainly in the area of the tip of the hair, such as the beard and whiskers of our Schnauzer.
Why does my dog’s beard get dark and red?
Before you wonder about what is going on with your pet, make sure you have had a complete check-up with your trusted groomer or veterinarian. This will help us to have a clearer picture of the situation.
Excessive tears and saliva
After having ruled out some kind of more serious problem; in general, stains in the beard are usually due to an excess of tears or saliva.
It may be a strange thing to assimilate, but, just like when we cry and tears fall down our cheeks, in the case of our pets it happens in the same way. The only difference is that they can’t wipe it away without extra help.
Normally, an excess of tears in our pets is the result of their tear ducts being narrower than normal. In other words, because they are larger or twisted, the tears cannot drain at a normal rate.
The same is true for saliva staining.
Because all breeds of dogs produce excess saliva, it leaks and runs down the jaw line, causing dirt to be stored there.
In the case of our Schnauzer, this could be more detrimental.
Discoloration due to a chemical substance
As a result of excess tears and saliva, a chemical substance called porphyrin is released. This chemical causes our pet’s whiskers and beard to turn pink, red or rusty.
If not foreseen, a continuous release of porphyrin could cause the situation of our dog’s beard to worsen.
Therefore, it is important to maintain a habit of regularly cleaning the Schnauzer’s face.
Causes of rust in the beard
As we mentioned before, if our pet does not have any other health problem, it is most likely caused by the excess production of tears and saliva.
However, this is mainly due to:
- Environmental factors, such as some allergy or overexposure to toxins dangerous to our pet.
- Exposure to certain bacteria.
- Feeding certain types of food that cause dogs to produce more saliva or allergies that increase saliva production.
- In addition to this, if the dog is taking any type of medication, this can be one of the side effects of this.
- Stress or anxiety also causes some dogs to produce excessive drool.
On the other hand, there are other more serious problems that could cause an overproduction of tears or saliva. In such cases, a veterinary consultation is necessary:
- Ocular infections, either underlying or recurrent. That is, such as conjunctivitis.
- Ear infections.
- Ingrown eyelashes.
- Cysts or any condition near the eye.
- Cysts in the mouth or nose.
- Suffering from a fungal infection.
- If you notice that your dog has some difficulty chewing, it may accumulate bacteria, thus generating more saliva than normal.
- Dental deterioration.
- Inverted eyelids.
- Congenital problems.
- Some type of disorder in the nasal cavity and tear ducts.
- Finally, if it presents some type of disease or infection in the teeth and gums, this is a clear symptom that something is wrong with our pet.
How to remove the redness in my pet’s beard?
Once you have consulted with the Pet Grooming service, as well as your trusted veterinarian to make sure there are no additional health problems, it is time to get down to work.
If everything is in order, the easiest way to start removing stains from your Schnauzer’s beard is to take the following preventive measures.
Using a cotton flannel to wash your child’s face
By far one of the best options, and the cheapest and healthiest, is to take an organic cotton cloth or flannel and start washing your face.
Remember that the special treatment will have warm water as the main element.
In the same way, you can also use organic cotton pads that do not contain a pinch of alcohol.
Once you have these elements, place your pet in a quiet place.
Thanks to these you will be able to reach very small and wrinkled crevices such as the nose or the maxilla.
On the other hand, make sure that nothing gets into his eyes, nose and mouth.
Keep in mind that there is no need to soak the cloth completely, just make sure it is very wet so you can carefully wipe it all over his beard.
When you have finished the job, dry it carefully so that it is neither wet nor damp.
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Pay attention to what your pet eats
Your pet’s diet has a great impact on saliva production. For this reason, it is ideal that you focus on providing a healthy diet.
Generally, there are commercial brands claiming to contain a balanced food; however, most of them are full of ingredients such as wheat, corn and similar products. Those who know pets, can assure you that this type of food only generates that the dog increases its weight, but does not ensure a quality of life.
In the same way that happens with humans, providing an inadequate diet causes our dog to develop bacteria in the mouth, nose, as well as in the eye area.
A clear example is that dogs that eat dry food, when they are two years old, tend to suffer from some level of periodontal disease. The opposite happens with dogs that are fed raw food.
Obviously, it will not be normal for a dog to have teeth or gum problems.
Try specific options for your pet
There is no single rule that is guaranteed to work for your Schnauzer. In fact, you will probably have to try several options until you find what works for your dog.
However, it is important to mention that you should avoid the total use of chemicals, antibiotics, special solutions, removers, bleaching products, vinegar, yogurt or others.
The only thing that these substances will cause is to generate more damage on the coat of our pet. And although they may partially cover the color of the beard, the real problem will remain.
Your Schnauzer’s life is precious
Our pets are already part of our family.
Therefore, we recommend that you do not give them any product without first consulting a specialist. Besides, it will never be possible to eliminate this substance produced by salivation and tears.
What is sought is to reduce the appearance of red, black or rusty color; as well as to prevent any type of infection that may occur in the area of the beard of our pet.
Above all, be patient.
The color in the Schnauzer’s beard will not go away overnight. Reducing the intensity of the coloring will take some time, but, with these techniques and tips you will be able to notice notice noticeable changes in the color of his coat.
Tricks to eliminate darkening in the Schnauzer’s beard.
- For the most part, try to avoid using any chemicals to reduce tear production or saliva. This way, your dog is more exposed to toxins that his liver will later have to cleanse; when it could simply be reduced by implementing a new routine.
- Incorporate into your routine the daily habit of washing your dog’s face. Preferably, integrate a wash both in the morning and at night.
- As mentioned above, use a flannel or cotton pads to carefully clean the most affected areas. The area of the beard and whiskers of our Schnauzer are very sensitive places, therefore a proper cleaning should be done.
- Change your pet’s food dishes for a glass or ceramic container. It is well known that plastic containers accumulate a large amount of bacteria that enter through the mouth, eyes and nose.
- Increasingly, unfiltered water can contain chemicals and minerals that are harmful to your pet’s health. Therefore, try to provide boiled water at the right temperature.
- If you constantly notice stains on your Schnauzer’s beard, one of the best options to prevent it is to pass a towel with water at room temperature. You can do this once a week. This way, it will help clean off any dust or dirt particles that are not easily seen.
- Note if your pet has any strange behavior, such as if there is something that could be causing allergies. In case you notice that your dog has seasonal allergies, help him with frequent cleaning.
- Use a tissue or napkin to keep the chin area dry during the day. If you detect any product that causes excessive tears or saliva, reduce its exposure.
Tips to take care of a schnauzer’s beard hair
- Visit your groomer regularly to keep his beard trimmed. These experts will use special scissors to reduce your pet’s whiskers.
- They will also tell you the grooming routine that you will have to follow. They will also treat your pet with the care it deserves.
- Reduce the stress of your pet’s environment. Try to give your pet more attention through play, cuddling and affection. Your pet needs to feel safe in his environment, so if you manage to reduce what causes stress in your pet, you will notice how he drools much less, and, therefore, the intensity of the colors in his beard will decrease.
Conclusions
In itself, all the coat of our Schnauzer should have a proper cleaning.
If we focus specifically on his beard and whiskers, these areas require more attention.
Making sure to provide them with a good quality of life will guarantee a happy and grateful pet.
