#With this color system Noelle would be red :)
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froggitonamelon · 3 days ago
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What if Lighteners were warm colors and Darkeners were cool colors?
Also, here's a more canon compliant Dark World Kris with this design for fun! I'm partial to the gold 'cause it really screams 'Lightener' to me but maybe it's too far when it comes to recognizability?
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silver-starlight-99 · 3 years ago
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Monsters at Work: The Jokester Generation  Part Three: Life on the Other Side
There are many parents who’d call their child a miracle.  For Liam and Noelle Rae however, they’d come to use that term in a somewhat literal sense.  On the night when Mary Susanna Rae came into the world, her introduction wasn’t without… complications.  The newborn’s breathing was irregular, her lips and fingers were a chilling blue hue, and she came out gasping instead of crying.  The girl was showing signs of respiratory distress, and for the first-time parents, they were in a state of panic fearing their little girl wouldn’t make it through the night.  Thankfully, doctors were able to get the newborn to an incubator at lightning speed.  And, within a few days, little Mary Rae was stable enough to be returned to her exhausted, but overjoyed parents.  She’d need to return a few more times to the hospital, to ensure things were running smoothly.  But otherwise, the Raes were cleared to bring their daughter home.
Besides that little scare, little Mary Rae had a rather average infancy, with parents more than eager to smother their daughter in love and as many gifts they could buy.  While Liam’s job as an insurance agent didn’t mean the family was rolling in money, he was more than willing to splurge where he could on his little miracle.  And, to be fair, the mountain of baby toys, clothes and food they’d received as gifts from friends and extended family members meant the new parents didn’t have to worry as much about supplies for the first couple of months.  In spite of all this love and support, there was always a twinge of fear in their hearts, one that had never fully gone away since their daughter’s rocky introduction to the world.  While the hospital check-ins were completed, and the two were assured that there should be no further problems with Mary, it’s hard not to shake the fear of something going wrong with their little girl, something spontaneous, something they couldn’t prepare for.  For Noelle Rae, this would occasionally lead her to spend nights in her daughter's room, wanting to be sure she could jump in the second something seemed off with her baby’s breathing.  But as long as they kept her close and cared for, their fears would slowly start to wane. 
By the time Mary was two, the Raes’ worries were nearly dissipated.  Which was good, because this high-energy little lady was more than enough to keep them busy without anxiety about her breathing.  The toddler would insist on chasing every cat or dog that she came across in hopes of petting it.  She’d sing and dance herself to exhaustion with zero prompting.  She’d given her parents more than their share of heart attacks during games of hide-and-seek where she accidentally led them to believe she’d escaped the house.  Childproof locks in the Rae household were a must.  Thankfully, it appeared Mary also inherited her mother’s artistic drive.  If someone needed to keep her in place, just put some paper and a box of crayons in front of her and she’d stay still for a solid hour, perfecting each of her masterpieces.  Sure, there were nights where Mary would insist on sleeping in their room.  But hey, what kid didn’t go through a phase where they were terrified of a monster hiding under the bed or in the closet?  As long as Noelle and Liam were able to be there for their girl, there was nothing they couldn’t handle�� right?     
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It was an early Autumn morning when Liam Rae heard his wife’s cries.  He rushed out of his room to find her frantically scrounging in a closet.  According to Noelle, when she’d left to wake their daughter, she was nowhere to be seen.  This wasn’t the first time little Mary had gotten up early to try and coax one of her parents into a game of hide-and-seek, so she wasn’t immediately worried.  Of course, most games didn’t take over an hour with no sign of the toddler.  Starting to worry, Noelle began calling out to Mary, then outright ordering her to come out of her hiding spot.  With no daughter to be seen or heard, she began to check the closets and locked rooms, almost hopeful she’d accidentally forgot to lock a room and her baby was just snoring away somewhere.  Soon, Liam joined in the search, with both parents entering a state of panic.  By the time they’d turned their home inside out, no Mary in sight, and they triple-checked the front and back doors to ensure she couldn’t have gotten out of the house, they finally called the cops.
The rest of the day went by in a blur, a horrible, exhausting blur.  Hours were spent in questioning with the police, along with calls out to every neighbor they knew, asking if any of them had seen their daughter that morning, or any suspicious people near the house.  The police weren’t able to find any signs of forced entry.  And upon re-examination with the parents, with the exception of a few missing blankets and toys, there was nothing that could be considered unusual about Mary’s room.  It was as though the toddler had vanished into thin air.  Leaving the Raes on the verge of a breakdown.  After the initial interviews and investigations were completed, the parents were told it would take a few hours to finalize the missing-child report, leaving them to mull over the day’s events before the police could begin broadening their search.  Despite the assurances and messages of support from their neighbors, it wasn’t enough to keep away the air of despair that followed the parents the rest of the day.  After almost losing their little girl when she was born, they were facing a potential future where they may never see her again.  And once again, there was nothing they could do.  It gave Noelle flashbacks to Mary’s birth, the doctors rushing the newborn to get proper treatment.  While the exhausted mother was in a state of delirium from the medications taken to help alleviate the pain, and confused terror as to why she couldn’t hold her daughter.   
That following night was especially difficult for the couple, just trying to be there for each other as they cried themselves to sleep.  
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So imagine the shock they felt when Mary popped out of her room the following morning, right the f*ck outta nowhere, asking for a snack.  What started as shock shifted to jubilation as Noelle and Liam held their daughter tight, checking her over for injuries through tear-filled eyes.  Mary herself seemed fine, with no noticeable scratches or scars, not even a tear in her pajamas.  But it’s clear something has happened to her.  Her hair is disheveled and in need of brushing.  There’s a distinct smell on the toddler, but one her parents can’t discern.  She’s missing a sock. And still, the parents can’t find the missing blanket and toys.  None of this makes any sense.  But in the moment, their miracle is alive and safe, and they’re more than happy to revel in this moment of peace.
“And yes sweetie, Daddy will get you some Cheerios, just let us have this.”
Things however got a bit more complicated when it came to explaining things to the police.  The Raes thought the missing toys should’ve been enough to prove that something was in their home and took their daughter.  But as the police repeatedly explained, there wasn’t enough evidence to send an APB on someone who, for all intents and purposes, appeared and disappeared out of thin air. 
Of course, evidence or not, this event had some crazy ramifications for the people of this quiet neighborhood.  There were many families with young children that were suddenly fearful that someone could come for their own, and they’d be powerless to stop them.  A lot of households were investing in extra locks and security systems.  A Neighborhood Watch was established, but all it really seemed to do was stir up further anxiety and paranoia within the adults.  There were those who believed the Raes fabricated the whole kidnapping in a sick ploy for attention.  There were petty people who were using the situation as a means to place suspicion on neighbors they didn’t like.  A curfew was attempted, but that just made the teens in the area grow restless, many sneaking out in defiance and putting further stress on the parents.  What seemed like a quiet, easy-going suburbia was slowly devolving into one of suspicion and anxiety, with everyone trying to find someone they can put the blame on.  Things only got worse when one Gabriella Harlin, through a long line of accusations, was discovered to have been laundering money from her job to pay for her family's many extravagances.  
Some families were driven to move out because of the harassment they were facing on a daily basis.  Time and time again the police were called in to deal with reports of vandalism.  Eventually, even the local news caught wind of the chaos and began to ask people for interviews, the Raes especially since they were the ones considered to be the start of the whole situation.  It would be months before the chaos would eventually die down, but enough damage was done that after the dust settled, things on Langdale Avenue were never the same.  No matter how bad things seemed outside their home, Noelle and Liam Rae were facing something far more distressing inside.
Despite what the police had chosen to believe, something happened to little Mary Rae, and her parents were left to try and comfort their child in the aftermath of whatever she'd been through.  No longer was the toddler crawling into their bed whenever she was having a bad night, now her mom and dad were finding her curled up in her closet, eyes with a tinge of red as though she’d been crying.  Before, Mary would do the occasional doodle of a strangely-colored creature, but now she exclusively drew monsters and weird mish-mashes of animals.  And some of them were… rather disturbing; Mary being chased by a giant spider-crab (Waternoose.)  A green beach ball thing with horns screaming in pain (basically 80% of her interactions with Mike.)  A purple salamander being beaten with a bat (Randall.)  And most distressingly, a blue and purple bear-like monster called Kitty is being choked to death by long purple arms (Randall as he was trying to kill Sully before Mike stepped in with that snowball.)  How do they know the monster’s name is Kitty?  Because that’s the name she’s been repeating for the last few weeks, always asking where they were?  The Raes were quick to make the connection between this strange creature and the girl’s disappearance, but there’s still so much of the full picture they didn’t know. 
So yeah, between trying to take care of their daughter and having their neighbors and the local news going nuts outside their home, Liam and Noelle had their hands full for a few months.  There was a very serious consideration to move to a new city, even if it meant money would be tight.  But one of the things that held them back on this decision, once again, was their daughter.  Despite her new habits and her occasional bouts of moodiness, Mary always seemed the most comfortable in her room.  Something about the familiarity always seemed to soothe the girl.  And Liam and Noelle could tell that in this period of madness, this little room of calm was something their kid needed more than ever.  So they agreed to wait things out, but also thought it best to let Mary have some playdates with some of her cousins outside of town, so they could all enjoy a few hours of calm away from the chaos.            
Thankfully, things eventually died down.  Sure, things were still strained between neighbors, but by then, everyone’s name had been dragged through the mud at some point.  So everyone that was left was willing to let bygones be bygones, just to try and return to some level of normalcy.  Little Mary had become a bit more introverted since her return, but with time and care from her family, she would soon regain her old chipper attitude, even if she’d become wary around new people.  But hey, after everything she’d seen her neighbors put themselves through, the Raes weren’t surprised that their daughter wasn’t as trusting around unfamiliar adults.
In the end, everyone wanted to put this whole affair behind them, and the Raes were more than happy to do so.  When asked, Liam and Noelle would usually be as vague as possible in regards to Mary’s disappearance and the explosive aftermath of their neighborhood.  To be fair, with as little unbelievable evidence as there was, it wasn’t too hard for either of them to skim over the details.  And as their daughter’s attitude began to improve, the Raes also did their best to put her distressing past behind them.  Afterall, no matter how much they may have yearned for an answer, little Mary simply wasn’t able to explain, and in a few years, it was likely the whole terrible affair would become a faded memory in the child’s mind.  But Liam, always the one to try and think ahead, decided to hold on to some of Mary’s stranger doodles, while he and Noelle usually disposed of the others.  Who knows?  Maybe once their daughter was old enough to form sentences, something in her old drawings would be enough to spark a memory of what truly happened.  But that was no longer important.  What was important was that their daughter, their miracle, was alive and safe.  And this time, with God as their witness, she was going to have as normal and loving a life as Liam and Noelle Rae could possibly provide, weirdness be damned!  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Uh… hi
Ok, just a reminder, I was two when everything happened.  So if you’re expecting a detailed account of my first time in Monstropolis, I’m probably not the person you want to hear from.  Mike and Sully could probably do a better job at explaining how everything went down. But yeah, outside of a few nightmares, everything else just kinda turned into a blur for me.  But what I do remember, after coming back home, was being sad.  I love Kitty.  I spent plenty of nights by my closet just wishing he’d come back, only to wake up without seeing him.  It hurt.    
And outside of that… I guess I was still causing trouble back then.  Because my little disappearing act apparently caused the whole neighborhood to turn on itself.  I know my parents and a lot of the older people there don’t want to talk about it, but come on; the local news was so desperate for a spicy story when they heard about people starting to throw dog sh*t at each other's doors, reporters were on us like a toddler to a stray piece of candy.  I don’t remember much of it myself, but… you know that old Twilight Zone episode where the whole neighborhood goes batsh*t because they think one of them is an alien that’s messing with the power?
<The Monsters are Due on Maple Street?>  
(Yeah, that's it!)
I like to think the whole affair was like that.  I guess it makes me feel better about my part in everything.  It’s easier to think things on Langdale Avenue went to sh*t because adults are a bunch of paranoid idiots, instead of blaming myself for getting lost in the first place.  Maybe this is why mom and dad don’t like talking about it.
Anywho…
Ok, I told you I don’t remember much of what happened back then, right?  Well, I definitely remember the day Sully came back.
I was about four and a half.  It was a bit before I had to go to bed, so I was just playing with my toys.  And suddenly, I heard my closet door creaking open.  And who should pop out?  James P. Sullivan himself.  I remember giving him the biggest, tightest hug I could. And it felt so good to feel him hug me back.  He pulled me through his side of the doorway, and I was a little surprised I wasn’t seeing the same scream floor I’d emerged from the first time.  I didn’t really care about that at the moment, I was just happy to see Kitty again.    
And… I guess that kind of became the new routine for us.  Every other night when it was late, we’d just spend time with each other.  It took some time for us to coordinate things to find a good time to meet.  While time seems to pass at the same rate on both ends, I think my world’s a couple of hours behind that of the Monster world.  But once we nailed down 11 O’clock as the best meeting time, me and Sully would hang out at least once a week.  Sometimes I’d just show him some of my drawings, or just talk about whatever dumb thought came into my brain that day.  Other times I’d bring in some toys from my room and we’d just play.  Sully usually just went along with whatever I wanted to do, but he says he was fine with that.  
Mike on the other hand, he was a bit harder to connect with at the start.  We didn’t hang out as much as me and Sully, but when we did, it usually amounted to him showing off the stuff in his room.  The door station was in his room after all.  But that wound up being pretty fun too.  I think it might’ve been here where my interest in baseball started.  And let’s face it, Mike likes to put on a tough-guy attitude, but he’s a sweetheart deep down.  There was this one night where I was having trouble sleeping, I don’t remember why, and he just sang me this lullaby he came up with on the spot. 
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And then, a little while later, Celia started popping by for our visits.  The three of them decided to form a … I think the word for it is a throuple?  Whatever the term, they were spending a lot more time together, so it makes sense that Sully would want us to officially meet.  Things were kinda awkward at first; she might’ve known kids weren’t actually toxic, but it must’ve been weird either way to be so close to a human.  But with Sully helping along with introductions, we wound up getting along pretty well.  Mike even taught me how to braid her hair without, you know, accidentally choking her hair.
Since then, my nightly visits were becoming a regular part of my life, and one I looked forward to.  They never lasted longer than about 10 minutes at a time, but I cherished them.  Apparently since they had to steal the Scream cans to power the door station, they always had to conserve energy.  Despite that, I couldn’t help but see these monsters as just another part of my family.  Something that was getting progressively harder to explain as I was getting older.  When a kid’s four or five, it isn’t too weird to hear them talk about strange beings as though they were real people; what kid didn’t have an imaginary friend phase?  When you ask a kid to draw a picture of their family, you don’t really question the weirdly-colored creatures holding the little girl’s hand; she’s just being creative.
It’s when I got older that things started getting complicated.
By the time I was in… I think second grade?  Yeah, by then I was catching on that I needed to start keeping things to myself.  My parents were telling me, in the kindest way they could, that I was starting to get too old for imaginary friends.  To be fair, I think a part of that was because I had gotten into 3 fights by then with other kids because they were telling me my monster family couldn’t be real.  I’m not sure what got me to react so violently, and I don’t think that instinct ever went away.  I just got better at hiding it around other people.
(...where was I going with this?)
<You were gonna tell them about the dentist incident>
(No I wasn’t!)
<I think it would help keep things interest- >
(No it wouldn’t!  So f*ck off and let me tell my own d*mn story!)
<Alright, geez>
Ok, so, I was starting to act out, and I was finally catching on that others weren’t believing my monster story.  Between all that stuff and what went down when I was 2, it was getting hard for a lot of the other parents to feel comfortable with me around their kids.  The term “problem child” started getting thrown around, and that just made me more frustrated.  Which made me more reliant on my time with Sully, which made me more frustrated that it just wasn’t safe for me to tell anyone the truth.  
As I got older, it felt like I was seeing the Monster world less and less.  Sully had big plans for his world, and they were taking up more and more of his time.  By the time I was in fifth grade, we were meeting maybe once a month.  It meant we had more time to talk, but it also felt like so much had to get crammed into the time we had.  Me getting onto the baseball team.  Mike and Celia tying the knot.  Getting my first real friend.  Sully meeting up with some kinda monster group for his plans to make Laugh power a thing.  Saying goodbye before I spent my first summer away from home.  Mike and Sully tying the knot, kinda.  It was an unofficial ceremony where they just kinda shared vows and had a lot of cake from some fancy bakery.  I actually got to attend that, since they were doing it in Mike’s room.     
And… I’m not sure what else to say.  Things pretty much kept on like that through high school, and even beyond that.  Keeping this secret, it hasn’t been easy,  But I can’t imagine a life without my family, all of it.
<… Uh, you’re kinda leaving out a lot of backstory stuff> 
(I guess.  But they’re not reading this to hear my entire life story) 
<I feel like your life is crazy enough that they’d be pretty okay with hearing your life story.  Learning about an entire world of monsters, leading a double life, finding love, not to mention all that stuff with Sid- >
(OKAY!  That’s a little more than they need to know… I think.  Who’s even reading this?)
<I don’t know, I think Silver’s just using this as a way to play around with her writing style for the story>
(God, I gotta deal with enough people looking down on me back home.  I don’t need a bunch of people online trying to dissect every little detail of my life. Are we done here?)
<I guess.  You know, you don’t need to be so hard on yourself.  You’ve had a lot of stuff happen to you that wasn’t in your control.  You could stand to try and be a bit more honest with others...>
-Boo grinding her teeth in aggravation-   
<But hey, through it all, you’ve been a pretty amazing person.  Somebody who’d do anything for the people she loves.  You’re loyal, strong, open-minded, sweet, and you’ve got the biggest heart of any kid I know.  We all think that.  And hey, you’ve always got me to talk to, no matter what>
(…
Thanks Zowie.  So… are we done here?)
<Yeah, I think we’ve done enough to leave ‘em hooked for the next chapter>
(And how much longer ‘till I actually get to be in this AU thing?)
<Uh, I don’t know.  Silver says it might be another chapter of background stuff before we get things rolling with the real story.  And then she still needs time to properly introduce Tylor> 
(Oh God.  Stay tuned folks, looks like it’s gonna be a while
Wait… I thought I was the protagonist of The Jokester Generation, who the f*ck is Tylor?)
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anewfreind · 6 years ago
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Hey so, you played DeltaRune right? What was your first impression on the main cast? i.e. raslei, lancer, Susie, Kris.
Oh fucketh yes thou kindeth basterd, let thine doith this.
Alright, so imma talk about the game and new characters, and if you would like, send asks on the undertale cast, and how they changed, because i would love to talk about that! I would also love to talk about theories for both Deltarune and Undertale! Do send asks! Now lets begin:
*ahem*
I was NOT expecting it to be this long for what I thought was a free demo
I loved ALL the characters this time. I didn't think I'd like Susie and Lancer much, but they grew to be my favourite characters of the story this time.
Also, I knew Deltarune was an anagram of Undertale, but I went through the entire goddamn game without realizing that Ralsei was an anagram for Asriel. Yes, I'm stupid.
I really like the new party battle mechanics! I didn't use the fight option, but still.
I wasn't able to find part B of the key that would unlock that mysterious cell in the prison. Did anyone else find it?
This was a very easy game to get a Pacifist run in, and I got the good ending straightaway! Seemingly.
SEEMINGLY.
WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?!?
Still here? Cool lets go
So, some interesting points and thoughts I had about the game and characters, and other things and tropes I noticed:
Ascended Meme: Toriel mentions that Kris and Asriel enjoy playing Super Smashing Fighters, a clear Shout-Out to the Super Smash Bros. franchise. At the time of the release of Deltarune Chapter 1, a popular meme was that Sans would be confirmed as a character for the then-upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Anti-Frustration Features: Should you make at least three unsuccessful attempts to clear either timed-tile puzzle, Ralsei will offer a hint on how to solve them
Attack! Attack! Attack!: Susie's main method of fighting: She'll keep attacking enemies and won't listen to Kris. Fortunately, she gets better during the final dungeon. Perhaps this is how she was raised?
Awesome, but Impractical: The Top Cake heals your entire party for 160 HP, but your entire party only has 90, 110 and 70 HP anyway and can't be increased at all. Furthermore, giving the Top Cake back to the Top Chef makes him give you the Spin Cake, which, while only restoring 80 HP, is unlimited and any encounter that isn't a Boss fight will probably not shave off your entire HP.
One thing that annoys me with the game is that Lv can’t increase, but we will get back to that later
Bait-and-Switch: A lot of the plot details are set up in a similar fashion to the previous game, only to subvert expectations.
Susie threatens Kris early on and is a berserker who attacks monsters on sight and doesn't care about the quest she's nominally on, much like a No Mercy run from the previous game, but she refrains from killing anyone and ultimately makes a Heel–Face Turn.
Lancer is similar in both a recurring antagonist role and has a skeletal appearance with a blue color scheme, which might lead players to believe he has a connection with Sans and Papyrus from the previous game; he and his father turn out to just be Darkners who resemble skeletons and have no apparent connection with Sans and Papyrus at all.
A mysterious doorframe appears early on and savvy players (or fandom nerds) might expect them to tie into Gaster as they did in the previous game. They end up being a fast travel system (which is lame).
Lastly, there's Lancer's dad, the King, who might look like a Suspiciously Similar Substitute for Asgore, right down to one of the people close to him trying to persuade both you and him not to fight (Undyne for Asgore, Lancer for the King). However, when you actually encounter the King, not only does he threaten to throw Lancer off a roof if the Lighteners don't kneel before him, he also tricks Ralsei into bringing him to full health so he has them at their mercy again. He ends up being defeated by Ralsei putting him to sleep while Kris and Susie escape, or captured by Lancer when he turns his own troops on him.
Big Door: There's a large bunker-style door built into the landscape in the forest to the south of town. Locked, unfortunately.
One of the encounters can be resolved peacefully by getting Ralsei to sing a lullaby, which also puts Susie to sleep. This later turns out to be the key to peacefully resolving the fight with Susie and Lancer. It comes up again in the "bad" ending to the King fight, where Susie notes that while she can't take the King down, Ralsei can. Susie: “I'd never forget something I made fun of you for.”
Similarly, Susie attacks automatically during the first battle with Lancer (who can't be killed), which is an early hint to the player that Susie attacks on her own and you'll have to prevent her from doing damage if you want a pacifist run.
Cliffhanger: The chapter ends with Kris (most likely being controlled) pulling out their/the player's SOUL, shoving it in a cage, and drawing a knife, at which point Kris's eyes glow red like Frisk's do if Chara's permanently corrupted your save after a genocide playthrough back in Undertale. This ending felt like a punch to the gut, and gave me so many questions to ask. Also, in the final scene, you can control the SOUL while it's in the birdcage. It won't change the outcome.
Lancer appears to be this for most of the initially-bad guy cast of Undertale, possessing a Sans-like color scheme, Papyrus's kid-brother nature and general enthusiasm for "evil," and Alphys's emotional attachment to the Big Bad.
Kris seems to be a hybridization of Frisk and Chara: their face, skin color and silent nature lean more towards the former, while their clothes and relation to the Dreemurr family (especially Asriel) scream of the later. Of course, after what happens in the ending, who knows how the three are connected? But here is something people have forgotten about, since I haven’t seen anything on it, but Kris looks exactly like the unused Frisk sprite, besides the sweater
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Even if you go out of your way to beat encounters by force, enemies just get knocked off-screen. Contrast with Undertale and its infamous Genocide/No Mercy route.
After you beat the game and it closes itself, restarting shows Ralsei's legend as the intro and provides a new background for the file select screen.
Susie's hair is wild and covers her eyes, symbolizing her wild and violent outcast vibe. After the fight with the King, it's cut to reveal her eyes, and she becomes a lot more expressive and open with her emotions from them on.
All main characters are this, or have a Face Framed in Shadow. Them revealing their faces is usually a big deal.
Kris and Susie's outfits change when they fall into the dark world. Kris also becomes more blue in appearance, while Susie becomes more pink.
On the walk home, talking to numerous characters heavily hints that something is up with Kris. Numerous people refer to them as "creepy", or "quiet", and Noelle notes that they're usually quite distant from others. The game implies that Kris was being possessed by the player ala the first game
Ralsei makes direct reference to interface elements and controls as part of his tutorial-giver role. This leads to an amusing moment in the first block puzzle, as this trope doesn't apply to Susie.
Susie: (Who the hell is "[Z]"?)
Susie's solo fight against Lancer parallels the first game's fight against Toriel in a number of ways. In both cases, the foe is a family member of the king that guards the protagonist's way back home, and they're trying to prevent the protagonist from meeting the king in order to avoid bloodshed. Once the fight goes on for long enough, the foe starts attacking exclusively by dropping projectiles from above that are guaranteed to miss, showing their reluctance to fight someone they'd started growing close to.
This chapter has a lighter tone than all of Undertale. The game mechanics are more focused on solving puzzles and befriending enemies than fighting, and no one can die, even if you DO decide to attack all your enemies.
After returning from the World of Darkness, talking to several of the NPCs imply that Kris isn't acting like themselves. Noelle comments on how Kris is really talkative compared to normal, Noelle's dad implies Kris has forgotten things that they should know, the hospital clerk comments on how Kris isn't normally so bad at playing piano, and Kris in general seems a lot less "creepy" to the townspeople.
After arriving at the fountain, Kris and Susie find themselves back at the school, in a room with a chess board, playing cards, and some toys that look like the characters they encountered. But both of them remember what happened, and it's left ambiguous as to whether it really was just a dream or not.
If you have the Spooky Sword equipped, your "weapon" upon leaving the dark world will be the Halloween Pencil, leading to more questions.
If you follow the Jevil sidequest plot to its conclusion, mentions of The Queen are made, as well as Seam describing the event that drove Jevil insane as "Dark yet Darker" adding even heavier implications to Gaster's presence in the future story.
If one talks to Rouxls Kaard after starting his first puzzle, he will verbatim quote I. M. Meen. (Also Rouxls Kaard, thou art must marrith me)
When Burgerpants talks about his fellow pizzeria employees, he mentions a "Purple Guy" and wonders if he even works there.
Ralsei removing his hat and hood at the end, revealing that he looks exactly like Asriel. Judging by Susie's reaction, this is one both in and out of universe.
Right at the end of Chapter 1. Kris is tossing and turning in the middle of the night, when they jump out of bed and start walking around very slowly. They then stop in the middle of the room and pull their own soul out of their body, before throwing it into the birdcage from earlier. They then turn their head around slowly, revealing Chara's trademark smile and glowing red eye, before materializing a knife out of nowhere. Anyone who's played Undertale (so most of people playing this game, as it was recommended to those who already played Undertale) should have some very horrific guesses about what this mean
The King grabs Lancer's throat when he finds out that they let the heroes get away
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lucyannsmith98 · 5 years ago
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09/05/20
Artist research
These artists research that I had picked for the beginning of the project.
Noelle Miller
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I love the way she works, she is amazing at what she does. I love the way she uses likes to create depth and contrast in here works. Depending on the background colour, she chooses colours for the lines that will stand out and be a contrast to either the dark colours of the backgroung or the lighter colours, so shr picks lighter or darker lines to put emphasis on the lines and the background as separate focal points. My favourite of the pieces that I have on the blog is the 4th and 5th image I love how the backgrounds are very colourful and chaotic. On the 4th picture there is a lot of colours in this piece going from dark black to really bright neon pinks and yellows. On the 5th picture there isn’t as many colours but it had a lot of shading in it and with the colours going from bright red to a deep red to black. However both pictures have really bright line work at the top layer of the piece. The 4th picture has light purple lines and the 5th picture has white lines. The lines help separate the amount of one colour or the mess of having several colours blending together.
Noelle Miller is an abstract painter living. After graduating from Colorado State University with a BFA in fine arts, she moved to Asheville to try and focus on her artistic practice and integrate with the arts community of where she is living. Her work has an interest in emotion and the general manifestation of energy within everyday life. Her work has recentally been focusing very specifically on the idea of memory and feelings of nostalgia. She is consistently drawn to moments in life considered to be “mundane” or “in between” moments. By recreating the memories and those feelings she has through her abstract paintings, she is attempting to focus her attention on being in the present. Large swatches of color build a platform for the telling of the story of her piece. Delicate lines, textures and clouds of color create a language of what is remembered in contrast with where moments of these memories lapse. Noelle has always been drawn to acrylic paint because of its quick drying properties. This lightfast quality requires immediate response to how the paint is reacting with different mediums being incorporated, which in turn keeps her mind extremely focused on the moment. Noelle has been showing her work in shows and galleries since she graduated in 2013. She had her first solo show at the Asheville Area Arts Council in 2017 titled, Appalachian Magic. In 2017 she also won Wicked Weed Brewing’s Festival of Artistry, and went on to create two labels with the company throughout the next year.
Kate Fisher
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I like the way that paint looks like ink and that it still looks like the canvases is still wet and still moves around, especially on the 1st picture with how the blue is so dark and the white is so bright, I like how the pink is spread out throughout the left side of the piece. I like how the 2nd image looks like an realistic beach scene, I love the colours the different shades of the blues with the white and the pink and peach tones that looks like sand. The 3rd picture is very pastel and muted colours the green makes the flow of the darker shades stand out. I like how in all the pieces the artist uses fluid white paint to drip down the canvas to create lines and contrast throughout the different colours.
Kate Fisher is a woman who spent half her life doing something that was not her passion. He worked as a planner for a children’s event and party company. Since she was 19, For 15 years, she had worked with the fun visual world of designing and creating things needed for a children’s event. She also finished her psychology degree along side her job. Kate being very creative led her to start her own company however she was very good at managing staff, systems, accounting, stock ordering and all the other management tasks that come with starting your own business. Kate likes to paint both large abstract artwork and femal portraits, but it depends on how she is feeling and her level of patience. Kate fisher is inspired by colour, she really likes the colour blue and all the shades of it, it will always be in most of her canvases. She puts the colour into her canvases because for the her the colour means beauty and the positivity, calming feeling it evokes. Kate fisher uses mainly fluid acrylics for the flexibility that they allow in her work. When she creates her piece she aims to enjoy the process and to make sure that the painting can boost her mood whenever she looks at it and she hopes that it will have the same effect on her viewers. She has said “Whether then fall in love with the mix of colours, get lost in the details, or just love the subject matter - it doesnt matter.”
I like the line work in Noelle puts into the her work. I like the flow and the way the paint sits in Kates work, I would like to involve their elements in my work and translate them in to my own style.
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insidethemindofkl · 7 years ago
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Dear Aimee,
Hey Aim!!! Oh my goodness, so much is going on and I wish you where here for it! Well let me just start with the fact that I just spent 10 days in the most beautiful place on earth. Alaska was so awesome. There where so many instances where I would just yell, " I WISH AIMEE WAS HERE!!!" Noelle's wedding was like a fairy tale! So many beautiful light colored flowers, lots of lace, and greenery. The ceremony was beautiful. They set it up so that the arch was parallel with the mountains which made some killer pics. They had speeches and a dance floor which was a blast! Mom came and danced a ton and Grandma Karen got super drunk and started flirting with Grandpa and the bartender and...honestly anyone she could get her hands on. lol it was hilarious. Noelle was beautiful. She had her hair done up in a really pretty curly up do with a little flower cluster in the middle. Her dress was very simple, but gorgeous. Sleeveless, with the top corset section was all beaded and the bottom flowed out with a beautiful train. Her makeup was flawless of course. Daniel was so handsome. He was wearing a dark navy suit and his hair was slicked back. He is so cute. They make a really good looking couple. Aimee...they left in a helicopter!!! They guy owed Uncle Doug a favor. It was so cool!. Ellie, Anna and I went earlier that day to the newly wed’s hotel room to decorate it honeymoon style. We covered the floor, bed, bath tub, table, window sill, etc, in red rose petals. We made a design on the bed that said N + D in the shape of a heart. We bought little candles and lined the bath tub with it. We also left champagne glasses, chocolate and some sparkling cider by the bed. It was so fun! So after the wedding, us girls took about 2 days to recuperate. Then the hiking began. We went on so many hikes it was great. Oh and you would be so proud of me...I jumped in the glacier water!!! It was so flipping cold. I think my heart legitimately stopped beating for about 3 seconds. But I did it. I can check that off my bucket list. lol. We also went to a glacier. It was beautiful. I felt like I was a part of that movie Alaska! Do you remember it?? The one where the dad crashes his plane on the side of a mountain in Alaska then the daughter, that hates him, hikes the mountain to try and find him?? Wow that just unopened a ton of good old memories. We also went shopping and I bought my fist Lulu Lemon item!! I bought some shorts. It was part of my birthday money that mom gave me. I also bought some face wash from The Body Shop, some Fleo workout shorts, a face mask from The Body Shop also, and a Alaska shirt :). I don’t know if you ever went shopping with the girls at all.. it is a whole new experience. Let’s just say that it took me about 20 minutes to buy all that stuff…we where at the mall for 3 and a half hours…oh Lord help me. And you know how much I “love” shopping…(cough sarcasm cough) :) I think my favorite part about Alaska was the morning talks us girls would have every day. We would all wake up at different times, make some tea or coffee, then grab a blanket and sit down in the living room or outside on their patio with the little gas fire and we would all have our bibles and we would just talk about God or fashion or makeup or boys or anything. But we would always talk about God. It was weird when He didn't come up in conversation. God definitely spoke to me through those ladies. I pray every day that you will meet a girl that loves Jesus as much as you do so you can encourage and build each other up. I believe we all need someone to help us as we go through life. Oh girly I really do miss you tons. As I am going day to day here back home, I wish you where here to keep me company. My friends aren't really making any effort to hang out or talk to me, but God is good and I am using this time alone to get closer to Him. I have been running a lot, doing pushups a couple times a day; I’m just trying to not loose my strength at all. It’s not that fun, but I will survive. Don’t cry when you read this, but Daisy misses you. She will sit by the front window and watch for you to come home like she did when you would come home from school  It's so cute and so sad. She is going to flip out when you get home. I leave for basic in 1 week. I am so so so excited. I am not that nervous…yet. I really don't think it will be that bad. I just need to keep my head down, and just move forward. I am sure you know what that feels like. I head back to Florida in a couple days to have my last check in at MEPS and to say goodbye to everyone there. I get there on a Friday, my birthday is on Sunday, and I ship out that following Tuesday early morning. So guess what?? I CAN’T DRINK ON MY 21ST BIRTHDAY!! I can't have any traces of alcohol in my system when I show up at MEPS. lol I thought that it was pretty funny. Mom talks about you a lot. I can tell she really misses you and loves you so much. She is so proud of you Aim, and so am I. I love you so much girl! Just remember that you are loved by not only us but by your heavenly father who always knows what's going on. Never forget, "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." -Isaiah 41:10 "God is within her she will not fall." -Psalms 46:5 Keep your head up. God gives His hardest battles to His strongest soldiers. -Pinterest lol I love you so much Aimee. Stay strong. Love God, love others, serve always. All my love, your sista, Katherine 8.21.17
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Fiora's Child Prequel Part I
s-noells submitted:
Meyneth scrolled rapidly through the Monado’s code, trying to figure out why she suddenly grew a dick and became pregnant. It had to be a glitch of some sort. A Machina goddess does not simply wake up in the morning with a hole burnt through her dress and a Homs dick sticking out. She squinted, trying to concentrate on the code. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary. Her concentration broke when she heard the clicking of footsteps draw near her. She snapped towards the source of the sound, only to see a familiar face.
“Alvis, you startled me.” Meyneth spoke, staring at the very man that was the surrounding facility. “Is there something you want?”
Much to her surprise, the AI gave a dry chuckle, much like Klaus used to do. Meyneth gave him an odd look and he explained. “I came here to ask you the same.”
His words were dry, emotionless; only seeking to inform. Of course, this wasn’t a property of him being a machine, it was a byproduct of how Klaus programed him, which led to Klaus falling in love. By no means was Alvis aware of such feelings, Meyneth doubted he was even capable of understanding them, but it did give her a considerable amount of curiosity towards how Klaus might’ve coped with such feelings with how “petty” he considered them to be.
“Meyneth?” The AI prompted, drawing her attention back towards the situation at hand. Meyneth sighed, knowing how odd this must sound.
“You see, a glitch must’ve appeared in your programming.” Meyneth started. “The model and texturing of a Homs genital has randomly appeared on my crotch.”
“Klaus sent me to confront you about that.” Alvis explained, a look of interest crossed his face. So, Klaus was expecting this? “37 hours ago, Klaus requested for the removal of his genitals. He later reconfigured them to work as a failsafe should he ever fall. 5 hours ago, he tested them on you.”
Meyneth took a moment to process the information she was given, ignoring the stares Alvis was giving her. It didn’t take long for her dumbfounded expression to quickly turn to rage. Her eyes began to glow a luminescent red as she looked at Alvis directly in the eyes. “Where is he?”
 —
Klaus frowned, listening to Meyneth’s accusations. He was expecting as much from her, but it was still rather tiresome. They were sitting in the original space station in the room where conferences were once held. Across from him sat Meyneth, Alvis was next to him.
“Klaus! Are you even listening to me?!” Meyneth demanded, her eyes blazing crimson in anger. An odd trait she developed during the recreation of the universe, Klaus thought. “Klaus!”
“Yeah, I heard you.” Klaus growled. “It’s a failsafe. The genital monster won’t be much of an issue as long as I live.”
“Which won’t be much longer if you keep this up.” Meyneth growled. She turned to the AI. “Alvis, can you take this thing out?” The computer nodded. “Good.”
“Alvis, don’t you dare!” Klaus shouted, but it was too late. In the blink of an eye, his precious genital monster was thrust from the safety of Meyneth’s womb and left floating in the air, hissing in displeasure. Meyneth bit her tongue, clearly in pain. Klaus gave an annoyed sigh. “Alvis, heal her.” It took a moment for Meyneth to calm down. Klaus rolled his eyes, not really caring.
“Alvis.” Meyneth said, catching Klaus’s attention. “Come with me. It appears I’ll need something to counter Klaus’s… creation.”
Klaus frowned as the computer followed Meyneth out the room. Briefly, he wondered what Meyneth was doing.
After hours upon hours of fine tuning the code of her new creation, Meyneth started up the program.
On the ground of the next room, her reproductive system sat. She previously had Alvis significantly enlarge it, so that it would be go up to her waist in size. She decided to do the same with Klaus’s genitals, to ensure she wouldn’t accidentally step on them.
“Alvis, start up the system.” Meyneth ordered, calling out to the room. The nearby monitors buzzed to life.
“Starting in 10… 9… 8… 7… 6…” The computer counted. Meyneth sighed, annoyed that she’d have to go to such measures to counter Klaus’s creation. It didn’t matter though, now that she was finally finished. “3… 2… 1…”
Meyneth’s attention diverted to the genitals that were splayed across the floor in the other room. She watched as large quantities of ether were injected into the sexual organs. The blood within them focused into veins. Carefully, the fimbriae grabbed onto the ovary, holding it gently, while at the same time holding the system up. The area outlining the uterine cavity began to glow a gentle blue color as three dark blue rings appeared around its back, like the blue rings Meyneth could summon. The main body was resting on the floor, in a stance faintly reminiscent of a seal. The vagina was draped on the floor like a rag. Of course, Meyneth knew it was the most dangerous part of her little contraption. The uterus was specifically designed to defend from Zanza’s dick. It was a shame that such combat capabilities prevented it from acting as a failsafe like Zanza’s creation could.
With great delight, Meyneth approached her creation. The uterus looked at her in an almost intrigued way, as if it wished to know her better. Meyneth grinned slightly, it was almost cute in a way. She patted it on the head, it made an delighted noise that sounded almost like a squeak.
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jeffreyrwelch · 6 years ago
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Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!)
The post Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!) by Marybeth Bittel appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.
For nearly 21 years, I was grateful to share life with a snowy-white Bichon ball of fluff known as Sir Lancelot of Camelot. Nope — he couldn’t joust, and he never sat at the Round Table (though he did get a “No Sir” the few times he tried begging at our rectangular dining room table). We actually called him “Sparky” for short. Both names were bestowed upon him at a rescue for abused canines; and when I looked into that brave little face, I couldn’t argue. We brought Sparky home and got him groomed so that his fur practically gleamed. All except for the dog tear stains running down his cheeks, which made it look like he was valiantly weeping over some fickle Frenchie named Guinevere.
First, what are dog tear stains?
What exactly are dog tear stains, or epiphoria? Photography by Susan Schmitz/Shutterstock.
Thanks to Sparky’s little round vanilla-white head, these chocolate-colored dog tear stains also made him look like a four-legged ice cream sundae. Realizing that there was nothing remotely noble about this, I started to do some research. What I learned is that the medical term for this issue is actually “epiphoria.” Yeah, it sounds a lot like “euphoria,” but if you’ve ever seen a dog with epiphoria or dog tear stains, you know the look resembles nothing approaching elation. “Epiphoria” actually means “watery eyes,” and in most dogs the condition creates an expression somewhere between chronically bummed out and weirdly hung over.
In certain cases, epiphoria or dog tear stains can also be the sign of some pretty sobering health issues. Animal ophthalmologist Dr. Noelle McNabb stresses that it’s truly a symptom, rather than an outright disease. Ordinarily, dog tears help lubricate the eyes and excess fluid drains away into the lacrimal (tear) ducts on either side of the nose. Healthy ducts are shaped to drain the tears toward the back of the nose, down the throat. However, when those ducts aren’t functioning optimally, excess fluid drips down the face. This leads to dampness and tear stains.
What causes dog tear stains? And why are dog tear stains rusty-brown?
Holistic veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker explains that dog tear stains are rusty-brown because animal tears aren’t clear like human tears. They contain waste products from the breakdown of red blood cells — which means they carry naturally occurring, iron-containing molecules called porphyrins. It’s the iron that discolors those dog tears.
What’s important to note is that dog tear stains can be caused by a wide range of factors, some more serious than others. Certain dogs simply suffer from seasonal allergies. Others may have slightly misshapen or partially plugged tear ducts. Additional causes include abnormally placed eyelashes, conjunctivitis, injury, infections and even glaucoma.
So with Sparky, our first order of business was making sure these tear stains weren’t due to a pre-existing health condition. Turns out he was simply the teary type, and he teared up a LOT. This led me on a pseudo-quest for the Holy Grail of natural dog tear stain removers that may actually help alleviate this unsightly staining issue. Ultimately, my strategy to deal with dog tear stains boiled down to two chronological phases: prevention and cleaning.
How to prevent dog tear stains
If there’s anything I learned from the tear stains on light-colored dogs like Sparky, it’s that dog tear stains are seriously stubborn. Wiping/cleansing the area is practically futile if you’re not addressing the root cause of dog tear stains — so focus on the following factors:
Food: What does your pup eat daily? Forget the fancy marketing lingo on the front of the package — turn it over and look at the label. Lots of cheap carbohydrate fillers, chemical flavor additives, artificial colors, and meat by-products lead to systemic overload that can worsen dog tear stains. So first and foremost, switch your pup to a premium, balanced whole-food diet that’s rich in real meat protein. Sparky especially loved the Zignature brand, with Tiki Dog as a special-occasion treat.
Water: Do you live in an area with hard water? Those yucky minerals leaving tea-colored rings around your drains can worsen dog tear stains, too. So try switching to pure filtered water. As a bonus, it also removes harmful chlorine and other toxins.
Fluff factor: How fuzzy is your pup’s fur? Often, a gentle trim around the eye area can help remove older, darker, crustier dog tear stains. For safety’s sake, enlisting a professional pet groomer to perform this service is a smart precaution.
pH Balance: Dr. Becker notes that slightly altering the acidity of your dog’s body chemistry can sometimes help alleviate dog tear stains. So, you could try adding a very small amount of vinegar to a full bowl of your pup’s drinking water each day. “Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is more commonly used in animals, probably because the unfiltered version contains an element called the ‘mother,’” notes Dr. Judy L. McBeth DVM, CVA of Fox Ridge Veterinary Clinic in Oswego, Illinois. Dr. McBeth explains that these cloudy strands of proteins and enzymes help ACV offer “more nutrients and beneficial bacteria than regular vinegar.” However, Dr. McBeth also emphasizes that the daily dose in question should be relatively tiny. This conservative approach can help avoid the esophageal irritation that could potentially result from vinegar’s natural acidity. “While it would be best to use ACV,” Dr. McBeth says, “most people have white vinegar at home so it’s a handy option.” She notes that the recommended daily dose of ACV is generally 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon per 50 pounds of body weight, but strongly suggests starting quite low to gauge your pet’s reaction. She also warns that vinegar would be contraindicated in pets with bladder stones, esophageal injury, or severe dental issues like oral ulcers.
Dog tear stain removers
Saline solution. Photography by kpakook/Shutterstock.
Depending on the dog in question, I’ve had varying degrees of success with all of the following dog tear stain removers. If time allows, it’s best to employ all three — but at a minimum, once you’ve eliminated the surface goop, daily maintenance cleansing is a must. A quick daily face-grooming session helps minimize discoloration before it can re-accumulate.
Natural brightening solutions: The American Kennel Club (AKC) suggests moistening a cotton gauze pad with gentle saline solution, and lightly rubbing around/underneath each eye. You can also mix one part hydrogen peroxide to four parts water. Over time, this can have a subtle brightening effect. Use a cotton swab or makeup sponge to carefully dab this diluted mixture beneath (not in) the eye area, along the sides of the nose.
Mild cleansers: Harsh chemical additives can actually irritate the sensitive mucus membranes around the delicate eye area, intensifying the problem. So try moistening a damp washcloth with an extra-mild, non-tear baby shampoo (like Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo). Gently wipe around the face and snout area every few days.
Barriers: I’ve had ongoing success with non-greasy, “natural barrier” products that help absorb new tears before they can saturate facial fur. These include baby powder made with cornstarch (not talc) and zinc oxide (read the VCA’s stance on zinc oxide and why zinc in small amounts is okay). Use a tiny paint/cosmetic brush to dab a very thin layer of either beneath your dog’s eyes every day, especially near the nose. Just be careful to stay outside the lids!
Still need help removing those dog tear stains? Try the Complete Cat & Dog Tear Stain Remover Solution from Healthy Solutions for Pets >>
Tell us: Have you ever battled stubborn dog tear stains? What dog tear stain removers do you suggest?
Thumbnail: Photography by Susan Schmitz/Shutterstock. 
This post was originally published in 2017. 
Read more about dog eye issues on Dogster.com:
Dog Eye Discharge — What’s Normal and What’s Not
Can Dogs Cry and What Exactly Is Dog Crying?
Cherry Eye in Dogs: Tips on Prevention and Treatment
The post Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!) by Marybeth Bittel appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.
0 notes
buynewsoul · 6 years ago
Text
Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!)
The post Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!) by Marybeth Bittel appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.
For nearly 21 years, I was grateful to share life with a snowy-white Bichon ball of fluff known as Sir Lancelot of Camelot. Nope — he couldn’t joust, and he never sat at the Round Table (though he did get a “No Sir” the few times he tried begging at our rectangular dining room table). We actually called him “Sparky” for short. Both names were bestowed upon him at a rescue for abused canines; and when I looked into that brave little face, I couldn’t argue. We brought Sparky home and got him groomed so that his fur practically gleamed. All except for the dog tear stains running down his cheeks, which made it look like he was valiantly weeping over some fickle Frenchie named Guinevere.
First, what are dog tear stains?
What exactly are dog tear stains, or epiphoria? Photography by Susan Schmitz/Shutterstock.
Thanks to Sparky’s little round vanilla-white head, these chocolate-colored dog tear stains also made him look like a four-legged ice cream sundae. Realizing that there was nothing remotely noble about this, I started to do some research. What I learned is that the medical term for this issue is actually “epiphoria.” Yeah, it sounds a lot like “euphoria,” but if you’ve ever seen a dog with epiphoria or dog tear stains, you know the look resembles nothing approaching elation. “Epiphoria” actually means “watery eyes,” and in most dogs the condition creates an expression somewhere between chronically bummed out and weirdly hung over.
In certain cases, epiphoria or dog tear stains can also be the sign of some pretty sobering health issues. Animal ophthalmologist Dr. Noelle McNabb stresses that it’s truly a symptom, rather than an outright disease. Ordinarily, dog tears help lubricate the eyes and excess fluid drains away into the lacrimal (tear) ducts on either side of the nose. Healthy ducts are shaped to drain the tears toward the back of the nose, down the throat. However, when those ducts aren’t functioning optimally, excess fluid drips down the face. This leads to dampness and tear stains.
What causes dog tear stains? And why are dog tear stains rusty-brown?
Holistic veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker explains that dog tear stains are rusty-brown because animal tears aren’t clear like human tears. They contain waste products from the breakdown of red blood cells — which means they carry naturally occurring, iron-containing molecules called porphyrins. It’s the iron that discolors those dog tears.
What’s important to note is that dog tear stains can be caused by a wide range of factors, some more serious than others. Certain dogs simply suffer from seasonal allergies. Others may have slightly misshapen or partially plugged tear ducts. Additional causes include abnormally placed eyelashes, conjunctivitis, injury, infections and even glaucoma.
So with Sparky, our first order of business was making sure these tear stains weren’t due to a pre-existing health condition. Turns out he was simply the teary type, and he teared up a LOT. This led me on a pseudo-quest for the Holy Grail of natural dog tear stain removers that may actually help alleviate this unsightly staining issue. Ultimately, my strategy to deal with dog tear stains boiled down to two chronological phases: prevention and cleaning.
How to prevent dog tear stains
If there’s anything I learned from the tear stains on light-colored dogs like Sparky, it’s that dog tear stains are seriously stubborn. Wiping/cleansing the area is practically futile if you’re not addressing the root cause of dog tear stains — so focus on the following factors:
Food: What does your pup eat daily? Forget the fancy marketing lingo on the front of the package — turn it over and look at the label. Lots of cheap carbohydrate fillers, chemical flavor additives, artificial colors, and meat by-products lead to systemic overload that can worsen dog tear stains. So first and foremost, switch your pup to a premium, balanced whole-food diet that’s rich in real meat protein. Sparky especially loved the Zignature brand, with Tiki Dog as a special-occasion treat.
Water: Do you live in an area with hard water? Those yucky minerals leaving tea-colored rings around your drains can worsen dog tear stains, too. So try switching to pure filtered water. As a bonus, it also removes harmful chlorine and other toxins.
Fluff factor: How fuzzy is your pup’s fur? Often, a gentle trim around the eye area can help remove older, darker, crustier dog tear stains. For safety’s sake, enlisting a professional pet groomer to perform this service is a smart precaution.
pH Balance: Dr. Becker notes that slightly altering the acidity of your dog’s body chemistry can sometimes help alleviate dog tear stains. So, you could try adding a very small amount of vinegar to a full bowl of your pup’s drinking water each day. “Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is more commonly used in animals, probably because the unfiltered version contains an element called the ‘mother,’” notes Dr. Judy L. McBeth DVM, CVA of Fox Ridge Veterinary Clinic in Oswego, Illinois. Dr. McBeth explains that these cloudy strands of proteins and enzymes help ACV offer “more nutrients and beneficial bacteria than regular vinegar.” However, Dr. McBeth also emphasizes that the daily dose in question should be relatively tiny. This conservative approach can help avoid the esophageal irritation that could potentially result from vinegar’s natural acidity. “While it would be best to use ACV,” Dr. McBeth says, “most people have white vinegar at home so it’s a handy option.” She notes that the recommended daily dose of ACV is generally 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon per 50 pounds of body weight, but strongly suggests starting quite low to gauge your pet’s reaction. She also warns that vinegar would be contraindicated in pets with bladder stones, esophageal injury, or severe dental issues like oral ulcers.
Dog tear stain removers
Saline solution. Photography by kpakook/Shutterstock.
Depending on the dog in question, I’ve had varying degrees of success with all of the following dog tear stain removers. If time allows, it’s best to employ all three — but at a minimum, once you’ve eliminated the surface goop, daily maintenance cleansing is a must. A quick daily face-grooming session helps minimize discoloration before it can re-accumulate.
Natural brightening solutions: The American Kennel Club (AKC) suggests moistening a cotton gauze pad with gentle saline solution, and lightly rubbing around/underneath each eye. You can also mix one part hydrogen peroxide to four parts water. Over time, this can have a subtle brightening effect. Use a cotton swab or makeup sponge to carefully dab this diluted mixture beneath (not in) the eye area, along the sides of the nose.
Mild cleansers: Harsh chemical additives can actually irritate the sensitive mucus membranes around the delicate eye area, intensifying the problem. So try moistening a damp washcloth with an extra-mild, non-tear baby shampoo (like Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo). Gently wipe around the face and snout area every few days.
Barriers: I’ve had ongoing success with non-greasy, “natural barrier” products that help absorb new tears before they can saturate facial fur. These include baby powder made with cornstarch (not talc) and zinc oxide (read the VCA’s stance on zinc oxide and why zinc in small amounts is okay). Use a tiny paint/cosmetic brush to dab a very thin layer of either beneath your dog’s eyes every day, especially near the nose. Just be careful to stay outside the lids!
Still need help removing those dog tear stains? Try the Complete Cat & Dog Tear Stain Remover Solution from Healthy Solutions for Pets >>
Tell us: Have you ever battled stubborn dog tear stains? What dog tear stain removers do you suggest?
Thumbnail: Photography by Susan Schmitz/Shutterstock. 
This post was originally published in 2017. 
Read more about dog eye issues on Dogster.com:
Dog Eye Discharge — What’s Normal and What’s Not
Can Dogs Cry and What Exactly Is Dog Crying?
Cherry Eye in Dogs: Tips on Prevention and Treatment
The post Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!) by Marybeth Bittel appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.
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daddyslittlejuliet · 6 years ago
Text
Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!)
The post Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!) by Marybeth Bittel appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.
For nearly 21 years, I was grateful to share life with a snowy-white Bichon ball of fluff known as Sir Lancelot of Camelot. Nope — he couldn’t joust, and he never sat at the Round Table (though he did get a “No Sir” the few times he tried begging at our rectangular dining room table). We actually called him “Sparky” for short. Both names were bestowed upon him at a rescue for abused canines; and when I looked into that brave little face, I couldn’t argue. We brought Sparky home and got him groomed so that his fur practically gleamed. All except for the dog tear stains running down his cheeks, which made it look like he was valiantly weeping over some fickle Frenchie named Guinevere.
First, what are dog tear stains?
What exactly are dog tear stains, or epiphoria? Photography by Susan Schmitz/Shutterstock.
Thanks to Sparky’s little round vanilla-white head, these chocolate-colored dog tear stains also made him look like a four-legged ice cream sundae. Realizing that there was nothing remotely noble about this, I started to do some research. What I learned is that the medical term for this issue is actually “epiphoria.” Yeah, it sounds a lot like “euphoria,” but if you’ve ever seen a dog with epiphoria or dog tear stains, you know the look resembles nothing approaching elation. “Epiphoria” actually means “watery eyes,” and in most dogs the condition creates an expression somewhere between chronically bummed out and weirdly hung over.
In certain cases, epiphoria or dog tear stains can also be the sign of some pretty sobering health issues. Animal ophthalmologist Dr. Noelle McNabb stresses that it’s truly a symptom, rather than an outright disease. Ordinarily, dog tears help lubricate the eyes and excess fluid drains away into the lacrimal (tear) ducts on either side of the nose. Healthy ducts are shaped to drain the tears toward the back of the nose, down the throat. However, when those ducts aren’t functioning optimally, excess fluid drips down the face. This leads to dampness and tear stains.
What causes dog tear stains? And why are dog tear stains rusty-brown?
Holistic veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker explains that dog tear stains are rusty-brown because animal tears aren’t clear like human tears. They contain waste products from the breakdown of red blood cells — which means they carry naturally occurring, iron-containing molecules called porphyrins. It’s the iron that discolors those dog tears.
What’s important to note is that dog tear stains can be caused by a wide range of factors, some more serious than others. Certain dogs simply suffer from seasonal allergies. Others may have slightly misshapen or partially plugged tear ducts. Additional causes include abnormally placed eyelashes, conjunctivitis, injury, infections and even glaucoma.
So with Sparky, our first order of business was making sure these tear stains weren’t due to a pre-existing health condition. Turns out he was simply the teary type, and he teared up a LOT. This led me on a pseudo-quest for the Holy Grail of natural dog tear stain removers that may actually help alleviate this unsightly staining issue. Ultimately, my strategy to deal with dog tear stains boiled down to two chronological phases: prevention and cleaning.
How to prevent dog tear stains
If there’s anything I learned from the tear stains on light-colored dogs like Sparky, it’s that dog tear stains are seriously stubborn. Wiping/cleansing the area is practically futile if you’re not addressing the root cause of dog tear stains — so focus on the following factors:
Food: What does your pup eat daily? Forget the fancy marketing lingo on the front of the package — turn it over and look at the label. Lots of cheap carbohydrate fillers, chemical flavor additives, artificial colors, and meat by-products lead to systemic overload that can worsen dog tear stains. So first and foremost, switch your pup to a premium, balanced whole-food diet that’s rich in real meat protein. Sparky especially loved the Zignature brand, with Tiki Dog as a special-occasion treat.
Water: Do you live in an area with hard water? Those yucky minerals leaving tea-colored rings around your drains can worsen dog tear stains, too. So try switching to pure filtered water. As a bonus, it also removes harmful chlorine and other toxins.
Fluff factor: How fuzzy is your pup’s fur? Often, a gentle trim around the eye area can help remove older, darker, crustier dog tear stains. For safety’s sake, enlisting a professional pet groomer to perform this service is a smart precaution.
pH Balance: Dr. Becker notes that slightly altering the acidity of your dog’s body chemistry can sometimes help alleviate dog tear stains. So, you could try adding a very small amount of vinegar to a full bowl of your pup’s drinking water each day. “Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is more commonly used in animals, probably because the unfiltered version contains an element called the ‘mother,’” notes Dr. Judy L. McBeth DVM, CVA of Fox Ridge Veterinary Clinic in Oswego, Illinois. Dr. McBeth explains that these cloudy strands of proteins and enzymes help ACV offer “more nutrients and beneficial bacteria than regular vinegar.” However, Dr. McBeth also emphasizes that the daily dose in question should be relatively tiny. This conservative approach can help avoid the esophageal irritation that could potentially result from vinegar’s natural acidity. “While it would be best to use ACV,” Dr. McBeth says, “most people have white vinegar at home so it’s a handy option.” She notes that the recommended daily dose of ACV is generally 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon per 50 pounds of body weight, but strongly suggests starting quite low to gauge your pet’s reaction. She also warns that vinegar would be contraindicated in pets with bladder stones, esophageal injury, or severe dental issues like oral ulcers.
Dog tear stain removers
Saline solution. Photography by kpakook/Shutterstock.
Depending on the dog in question, I’ve had varying degrees of success with all of the following dog tear stain removers. If time allows, it’s best to employ all three — but at a minimum, once you’ve eliminated the surface goop, daily maintenance cleansing is a must. A quick daily face-grooming session helps minimize discoloration before it can re-accumulate.
Natural brightening solutions: The American Kennel Club (AKC) suggests moistening a cotton gauze pad with gentle saline solution, and lightly rubbing around/underneath each eye. You can also mix one part hydrogen peroxide to four parts water. Over time, this can have a subtle brightening effect. Use a cotton swab or makeup sponge to carefully dab this diluted mixture beneath (not in) the eye area, along the sides of the nose.
Mild cleansers: Harsh chemical additives can actually irritate the sensitive mucus membranes around the delicate eye area, intensifying the problem. So try moistening a damp washcloth with an extra-mild, non-tear baby shampoo (like Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo). Gently wipe around the face and snout area every few days.
Barriers: I’ve had ongoing success with non-greasy, “natural barrier” products that help absorb new tears before they can saturate facial fur. These include baby powder made with cornstarch (not talc) and zinc oxide (read the VCA’s stance on zinc oxide and why zinc in small amounts is okay). Use a tiny paint/cosmetic brush to dab a very thin layer of either beneath your dog’s eyes every day, especially near the nose. Just be careful to stay outside the lids!
Still need help removing those dog tear stains? Try the Complete Cat & Dog Tear Stain Remover Solution from Healthy Solutions for Pets >>
Tell us: Have you ever battled stubborn dog tear stains? What dog tear stain removers do you suggest?
Thumbnail: Photography by Susan Schmitz/Shutterstock. 
This post was originally published in 2017. 
Read more about dog eye issues on Dogster.com:
Dog Eye Discharge — What’s Normal and What’s Not
Can Dogs Cry and What Exactly Is Dog Crying?
Cherry Eye in Dogs: Tips on Prevention and Treatment
The post Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!) by Marybeth Bittel appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.
0 notes
stiles-wtf · 6 years ago
Text
Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!)
The post Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!) by Marybeth Bittel appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.
For nearly 21 years, I was grateful to share life with a snowy-white Bichon ball of fluff known as Sir Lancelot of Camelot. Nope — he couldn’t joust, and he never sat at the Round Table (though he did get a “No Sir” the few times he tried begging at our rectangular dining room table). We actually called him “Sparky” for short. Both names were bestowed upon him at a rescue for abused canines; and when I looked into that brave little face, I couldn’t argue. We brought Sparky home and got him groomed so that his fur practically gleamed. All except for the dog tear stains running down his cheeks, which made it look like he was valiantly weeping over some fickle Frenchie named Guinevere.
First, what are dog tear stains?
What exactly are dog tear stains, or epiphoria? Photography by Susan Schmitz/Shutterstock.
Thanks to Sparky’s little round vanilla-white head, these chocolate-colored dog tear stains also made him look like a four-legged ice cream sundae. Realizing that there was nothing remotely noble about this, I started to do some research. What I learned is that the medical term for this issue is actually “epiphoria.” Yeah, it sounds a lot like “euphoria,” but if you’ve ever seen a dog with epiphoria or dog tear stains, you know the look resembles nothing approaching elation. “Epiphoria” actually means “watery eyes,” and in most dogs the condition creates an expression somewhere between chronically bummed out and weirdly hung over.
In certain cases, epiphoria or dog tear stains can also be the sign of some pretty sobering health issues. Animal ophthalmologist Dr. Noelle McNabb stresses that it’s truly a symptom, rather than an outright disease. Ordinarily, dog tears help lubricate the eyes and excess fluid drains away into the lacrimal (tear) ducts on either side of the nose. Healthy ducts are shaped to drain the tears toward the back of the nose, down the throat. However, when those ducts aren’t functioning optimally, excess fluid drips down the face. This leads to dampness and tear stains.
What causes dog tear stains? And why are dog tear stains rusty-brown?
Holistic veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker explains that dog tear stains are rusty-brown because animal tears aren’t clear like human tears. They contain waste products from the breakdown of red blood cells — which means they carry naturally occurring, iron-containing molecules called porphyrins. It’s the iron that discolors those dog tears.
What’s important to note is that dog tear stains can be caused by a wide range of factors, some more serious than others. Certain dogs simply suffer from seasonal allergies. Others may have slightly misshapen or partially plugged tear ducts. Additional causes include abnormally placed eyelashes, conjunctivitis, injury, infections and even glaucoma.
So with Sparky, our first order of business was making sure these tear stains weren’t due to a pre-existing health condition. Turns out he was simply the teary type, and he teared up a LOT. This led me on a pseudo-quest for the Holy Grail of natural dog tear stain removers that may actually help alleviate this unsightly staining issue. Ultimately, my strategy to deal with dog tear stains boiled down to two chronological phases: prevention and cleaning.
How to prevent dog tear stains
If there’s anything I learned from the tear stains on light-colored dogs like Sparky, it’s that dog tear stains are seriously stubborn. Wiping/cleansing the area is practically futile if you’re not addressing the root cause of dog tear stains — so focus on the following factors:
Food: What does your pup eat daily? Forget the fancy marketing lingo on the front of the package — turn it over and look at the label. Lots of cheap carbohydrate fillers, chemical flavor additives, artificial colors, and meat by-products lead to systemic overload that can worsen dog tear stains. So first and foremost, switch your pup to a premium, balanced whole-food diet that’s rich in real meat protein. Sparky especially loved the Zignature brand, with Tiki Dog as a special-occasion treat.
Water: Do you live in an area with hard water? Those yucky minerals leaving tea-colored rings around your drains can worsen dog tear stains, too. So try switching to pure filtered water. As a bonus, it also removes harmful chlorine and other toxins.
Fluff factor: How fuzzy is your pup’s fur? Often, a gentle trim around the eye area can help remove older, darker, crustier dog tear stains. For safety’s sake, enlisting a professional pet groomer to perform this service is a smart precaution.
pH Balance: Dr. Becker notes that slightly altering the acidity of your dog’s body chemistry can sometimes help alleviate dog tear stains. So, you could try adding a very small amount of vinegar to a full bowl of your pup’s drinking water each day. “Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is more commonly used in animals, probably because the unfiltered version contains an element called the ‘mother,’” notes Dr. Judy L. McBeth DVM, CVA of Fox Ridge Veterinary Clinic in Oswego, Illinois. Dr. McBeth explains that these cloudy strands of proteins and enzymes help ACV offer “more nutrients and beneficial bacteria than regular vinegar.” However, Dr. McBeth also emphasizes that the daily dose in question should be relatively tiny. This conservative approach can help avoid the esophageal irritation that could potentially result from vinegar’s natural acidity. “While it would be best to use ACV,” Dr. McBeth says, “most people have white vinegar at home so it’s a handy option.” She notes that the recommended daily dose of ACV is generally 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon per 50 pounds of body weight, but strongly suggests starting quite low to gauge your pet’s reaction. She also warns that vinegar would be contraindicated in pets with bladder stones, esophageal injury, or severe dental issues like oral ulcers.
Dog tear stain removers
Saline solution. Photography by kpakook/Shutterstock.
Depending on the dog in question, I’ve had varying degrees of success with all of the following dog tear stain removers. If time allows, it’s best to employ all three — but at a minimum, once you’ve eliminated the surface goop, daily maintenance cleansing is a must. A quick daily face-grooming session helps minimize discoloration before it can re-accumulate.
Natural brightening solutions: The American Kennel Club (AKC) suggests moistening a cotton gauze pad with gentle saline solution, and lightly rubbing around/underneath each eye. You can also mix one part hydrogen peroxide to four parts water. Over time, this can have a subtle brightening effect. Use a cotton swab or makeup sponge to carefully dab this diluted mixture beneath (not in) the eye area, along the sides of the nose.
Mild cleansers: Harsh chemical additives can actually irritate the sensitive mucus membranes around the delicate eye area, intensifying the problem. So try moistening a damp washcloth with an extra-mild, non-tear baby shampoo (like Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo). Gently wipe around the face and snout area every few days.
Barriers: I’ve had ongoing success with non-greasy, “natural barrier” products that help absorb new tears before they can saturate facial fur. These include baby powder made with cornstarch (not talc) and zinc oxide (read the VCA’s stance on zinc oxide and why zinc in small amounts is okay). Use a tiny paint/cosmetic brush to dab a very thin layer of either beneath your dog’s eyes every day, especially near the nose. Just be careful to stay outside the lids!
Still need help removing those dog tear stains? Try the Complete Cat & Dog Tear Stain Remover Solution from Healthy Solutions for Pets >>
Tell us: Have you ever battled stubborn dog tear stains? What dog tear stain removers do you suggest?
Thumbnail: Photography by Susan Schmitz/Shutterstock. 
This post was originally published in 2017. 
Read more about dog eye issues on Dogster.com:
Dog Eye Discharge — What’s Normal and What’s Not
Can Dogs Cry and What Exactly Is Dog Crying?
Cherry Eye in Dogs: Tips on Prevention and Treatment
The post Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!) by Marybeth Bittel appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.
0 notes
grublypetcare · 6 years ago
Text
Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!)
The post Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!) by Marybeth Bittel appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.
For nearly 21 years, I was grateful to share life with a snowy-white Bichon ball of fluff known as Sir Lancelot of Camelot. Nope — he couldn’t joust, and he never sat at the Round Table (though he did get a “No Sir” the few times he tried begging at our rectangular dining room table). We actually called him “Sparky” for short. Both names were bestowed upon him at a rescue for abused canines; and when I looked into that brave little face, I couldn’t argue. We brought Sparky home and got him groomed so that his fur practically gleamed. All except for the dog tear stains running down his cheeks, which made it look like he was valiantly weeping over some fickle Frenchie named Guinevere.
First, what are dog tear stains?
What exactly are dog tear stains, or epiphoria? Photography by Susan Schmitz/Shutterstock.
Thanks to Sparky’s little round vanilla-white head, these chocolate-colored dog tear stains also made him look like a four-legged ice cream sundae. Realizing that there was nothing remotely noble about this, I started to do some research. What I learned is that the medical term for this issue is actually “epiphoria.” Yeah, it sounds a lot like “euphoria,” but if you’ve ever seen a dog with epiphoria or dog tear stains, you know the look resembles nothing approaching elation. “Epiphoria” actually means “watery eyes,” and in most dogs the condition creates an expression somewhere between chronically bummed out and weirdly hung over.
In certain cases, epiphoria or dog tear stains can also be the sign of some pretty sobering health issues. Animal ophthalmologist Dr. Noelle McNabb stresses that it’s truly a symptom, rather than an outright disease. Ordinarily, dog tears help lubricate the eyes and excess fluid drains away into the lacrimal (tear) ducts on either side of the nose. Healthy ducts are shaped to drain the tears toward the back of the nose, down the throat. However, when those ducts aren’t functioning optimally, excess fluid drips down the face. This leads to dampness and tear stains.
What causes dog tear stains? And why are dog tear stains rusty-brown?
Holistic veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker explains that dog tear stains are rusty-brown because animal tears aren’t clear like human tears. They contain waste products from the breakdown of red blood cells — which means they carry naturally occurring, iron-containing molecules called porphyrins. It’s the iron that discolors those dog tears.
What’s important to note is that dog tear stains can be caused by a wide range of factors, some more serious than others. Certain dogs simply suffer from seasonal allergies. Others may have slightly misshapen or partially plugged tear ducts. Additional causes include abnormally placed eyelashes, conjunctivitis, injury, infections and even glaucoma.
So with Sparky, our first order of business was making sure these tear stains weren’t due to a pre-existing health condition. Turns out he was simply the teary type, and he teared up a LOT. This led me on a pseudo-quest for the Holy Grail of natural dog tear stain removers that may actually help alleviate this unsightly staining issue. Ultimately, my strategy to deal with dog tear stains boiled down to two chronological phases: prevention and cleaning.
How to prevent dog tear stains
If there’s anything I learned from the tear stains on light-colored dogs like Sparky, it’s that dog tear stains are seriously stubborn. Wiping/cleansing the area is practically futile if you’re not addressing the root cause of dog tear stains — so focus on the following factors:
Food: What does your pup eat daily? Forget the fancy marketing lingo on the front of the package — turn it over and look at the label. Lots of cheap carbohydrate fillers, chemical flavor additives, artificial colors, and meat by-products lead to systemic overload that can worsen dog tear stains. So first and foremost, switch your pup to a premium, balanced whole-food diet that’s rich in real meat protein. Sparky especially loved the Zignature brand, with Tiki Dog as a special-occasion treat.
Water: Do you live in an area with hard water? Those yucky minerals leaving tea-colored rings around your drains can worsen dog tear stains, too. So try switching to pure filtered water. As a bonus, it also removes harmful chlorine and other toxins.
Fluff factor: How fuzzy is your pup’s fur? Often, a gentle trim around the eye area can help remove older, darker, crustier dog tear stains. For safety’s sake, enlisting a professional pet groomer to perform this service is a smart precaution.
pH Balance: Dr. Becker notes that slightly altering the acidity of your dog’s body chemistry can sometimes help alleviate dog tear stains. So, you could try adding a very small amount of vinegar to a full bowl of your pup’s drinking water each day. “Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is more commonly used in animals, probably because the unfiltered version contains an element called the ‘mother,’” notes Dr. Judy L. McBeth DVM, CVA of Fox Ridge Veterinary Clinic in Oswego, Illinois. Dr. McBeth explains that these cloudy strands of proteins and enzymes help ACV offer “more nutrients and beneficial bacteria than regular vinegar.” However, Dr. McBeth also emphasizes that the daily dose in question should be relatively tiny. This conservative approach can help avoid the esophageal irritation that could potentially result from vinegar’s natural acidity. “While it would be best to use ACV,” Dr. McBeth says, “most people have white vinegar at home so it’s a handy option.” She notes that the recommended daily dose of ACV is generally 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon per 50 pounds of body weight, but strongly suggests starting quite low to gauge your pet’s reaction. She also warns that vinegar would be contraindicated in pets with bladder stones, esophageal injury, or severe dental issues like oral ulcers.
Dog tear stain removers
Saline solution. Photography by kpakook/Shutterstock.
Depending on the dog in question, I’ve had varying degrees of success with all of the following dog tear stain removers. If time allows, it’s best to employ all three — but at a minimum, once you’ve eliminated the surface goop, daily maintenance cleansing is a must. A quick daily face-grooming session helps minimize discoloration before it can re-accumulate.
Natural brightening solutions: The American Kennel Club (AKC) suggests moistening a cotton gauze pad with gentle saline solution, and lightly rubbing around/underneath each eye. You can also mix one part hydrogen peroxide to four parts water. Over time, this can have a subtle brightening effect. Use a cotton swab or makeup sponge to carefully dab this diluted mixture beneath (not in) the eye area, along the sides of the nose.
Mild cleansers: Harsh chemical additives can actually irritate the sensitive mucus membranes around the delicate eye area, intensifying the problem. So try moistening a damp washcloth with an extra-mild, non-tear baby shampoo (like Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo). Gently wipe around the face and snout area every few days.
Barriers: I’ve had ongoing success with non-greasy, “natural barrier” products that help absorb new tears before they can saturate facial fur. These include baby powder made with cornstarch (not talc) and zinc oxide (read the VCA’s stance on zinc oxide and why zinc in small amounts is okay). Use a tiny paint/cosmetic brush to dab a very thin layer of either beneath your dog’s eyes every day, especially near the nose. Just be careful to stay outside the lids!
Still need help removing those dog tear stains? Try the Complete Cat & Dog Tear Stain Remover Solution from Healthy Solutions for Pets >>
Tell us: Have you ever battled stubborn dog tear stains? What dog tear stain removers do you suggest?
Thumbnail: Photography by Susan Schmitz/Shutterstock. 
This post was originally published in 2017. 
Read more about dog eye issues on Dogster.com:
Dog Eye Discharge — What’s Normal and What’s Not
Can Dogs Cry and What Exactly Is Dog Crying?
Cherry Eye in Dogs: Tips on Prevention and Treatment
The post Dog Tear Stains — How to Make Natural Dog Tear Stain Remover (and More!) by Marybeth Bittel appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.
0 notes