Troy's Online

Tear Staining in Dogs.

Elli — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 02:58:07 +0000

Some dogs have a normal overflow or discharge of tears but other dogs have an excessive amount which means there may be a problem of a small or blocked tear duct.

Abnormal overflow of tears caused by a blocked tear duct is called Epiphora. Chronic tearing can result in brown or reddish stains around the eyes and the face of the pet. When the area around the eyes is constantly wet it becomes a good breeding ground for bacteria or yeast and gives off a foul odor.

Sometimes foods or treats that contain artificial coloring or beet pulp should be avoided. Switching to a premium food that contains no wheat, corn or gluten which often cause allergies in dogs is advisable. Always use stainless steel or china bowls as plastic is a breeding ground for bacteria. If your local water has a high mineral content then you may consider purified or bottled water.

There is a product available on the market called Angel Eyes that with regular use has proven to be effective in helping to clear up the bronze staining around the eyes and mouth due to constant licking. Angel Eyes is a powder that contains tylosin which is FDA approved and has no adverse affect on animals. It comes in three different flavors beef, chicken and sweet potato.

Urinary Tract Infections

Elli — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:49:27 +0000

Dogs sometimes get urinary tract infections or stones.

If you find your dog constantly waiting at the door to go outside to urinate or if you find blood in the urine please be cautious as there may be a urinary infection or the presence of bladder crystals or stones. If you let your pet outside and you catch her straining to pee, squatting but not passing urine or her pee is very little, then you know something is up. Try to give your pet lots of water as this may help flush out her system, but it will not fix the infection. It is a good idea to pay a visit to your vet. You may be asked to bring in a urine sample which with a male dog is easy but with a female you could try to obtain by collecting a sample mid-stream in a plastic container as the dog eliminates herself. Your vet may suggest x-rays to be able to see if there are crystals or stones.

My pet has this problem and I took her to Dr Groskin of Englewood Animal Hospital in Englewood NJ, who put her on medication for two weeks to dissolve the crystals and she is feeling much better now.

Summer can be a tough time for our pets.

Elli — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:46:54 +0000

Very young, old, overweight, ill pets and especially the breeds with short noses have trouble when the thermometer reaches above 75F-degrees. It is best to walk dogs before 9 am and after 5pm when he sun isn’t as strong and the pavement isn’t as hot. Very hot pavement can easily cause the footpads to blister.
Don’t leave pets in parked cars, even with the windows open, even if it is for a few minutes. When it is 80F-degrees outside, the temperature inside a car can rise to 120F-degrees within minutes. Cats and dogs don’t have sweat glands like us and when they are overheated they pant and salivate excessively. If your pet exhibits these symptoms it means it is overheated. Heat stroke can result in brain damage and death.

If your pet becomes lethargic, collapses, has a rapid heart beat , looks anxious or has warm skin wrap a cool wet t-shirt or towels around him and seek veterinary help immediately.

Many dogs love to swin in the ocean or in a pool. Don’t leave them unsupervised and hose your dog down with fresh water after it goes in salt or chlorinated water as salt and chlorine may create skin irritations.

Provide fresh, clean drinking water all the time and even on walks always have a water bottle on hand. There are pet water bottles available on the market which open up and provide a dish in which the dog can drink from. New Angle Pet Products make a very good pet water dispenser called “Gulpy”.