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This sounds crazy. But did you know our pets…rust? Quite seriously. And almost every dog and cat sports some sort of rust stain. But the key is knowing how to find them and understanding what they tell us about their health…
Hint: It’s got a lot to do with licking!
Surprise #1. It’s not dirt.
Sure they’re more obvious in white or light coloured furry family members but if you look around their feet, belly, mouth and eyes, you’ll notice those red/brown stains on the fur. Even in pets that don’t take delight in getting dirty.
So what is it?
The fact these red/brown stains occur in these places is no accident. That’s because they’re the most common spots for licking when feet and bellies become itchy (usually from grass allergies) or food remnants ‘saved for later’ are licked from around mouths.
Why the rust stain?
It’s a really simple chemical reaction we see around our homes every day. Their saliva (and tears) contains iron (in a compound called ‘porphyrins’) which ‘oxidises’ or rusts when it’s exposed to air. Meaning clear saliva turns a reddy brown colour on their fur.
It’s a secret sign!
If the sound coming from the foot of the bed doesn’t do it, these rust stains are a way of telling you they’re licking…a lot. And may be experiencing itchy, allergic skin. Allergies to grasses, weeds and pollens are incredibly common with up to half of all dogs and one in 10 cats affected.
You can soothe those irritations and give them that restful sleep they’re probably craving with my Soothe My Skin Wash. The calming chamomile, aloe vera and oatmeal settle the itch while the coconut oil actually neutralises the stain.
These rust stains might be a surprise but they’re almost a secret code your vet can use to see exactly where and how much they’ve been licking. And you didn’t need to go to 6 years of vet school to learn it!
