How To Prevent Tear Stains

One of the most frequent questions that I get is how can I prevent tear stains under their dogs eyes. There is nothing that spoils a dog’s cute expression more than dark red tear stains under their eyes and around their mouth. These stains can be prevented.

There are several reasons why tears cause staining. The most common is that when the hair and skin is wet it causes a low grade bacterial infection or a red yeast infection. Other causes could be a blocked tear duct, ear infections, genetics, allergies, food and possibly the water they drink.

There are several methods of curing tear staining and you may have to experiment a bit with what works for your dog. Remember when trying any of these that the results may not be immediately visible. It takes time for the tearing to slow and for the stained hair to grow out.

Probably the best way to prevent and cure tear stains is with a trip to your vet. A low dosage of tetracycline for about 2 weeks has been found to be very effective at curing tear staining that is due to bacterial or yeast infection. Some other antibiotics that have been found to be effective are Flagyl, and Tylan. They will also be able to determine if the staining is caused by a blocked or closed tear duct.

In addition to whatever method your veterinarian suggests, you can help the process along by following these steps daily. Make sure that your dog’s hair is not sticking up or falling into the eye and irritating it. Trim the hair or pull it up in a top knot. Then take a cotton ball and putting a drop or two of regular Visine on it. Gently rub under the eye on the stain. This will help to dry the area as well as neutralize stains themselves. Once you have the area clean and dry, you can take a tiny amount of petroleum jelly and smooth the hair down and out of the eye.

If your dog has staining around the mouth, you may want to make sure that your dog food does not have artificial coloring in it. Many dog foods have coloring that will cause staining. Also make sure that you are using stainless steel food and water bowls. Plastic bowls or cracked or chipped ceramic bowls can harbor the bacteria that cause staining around the mouth. Adding a little vinegar (1 tsp per quart) can help to change the ph balance and eliminate some staining. It takes a little effort to get your dog to actually drink this so start small with ¼ tsp per quart and work up slowly to 1 tsp.

One product that has been used by breeders and exhibitors to remove tear stains is Diamond Eye Tear Stain Remover. You can purchase a small bottle by clicking on this link Diamond Eye Tear Stain Remover, 4.22 oz. (125ml). It not only clears up the staining but also keeps the skin under the eye healthy.

Your groomer will trim the stained hair away from the eye as well as trimming any hair that might be falling into the eye. With regular grooming, this will keep tear staining to a minimum but removing the hair is only a temporary cure at best. Eliminating the actual cause along with good grooming is the way to keep your dog looking its best.

5 Tips for Winterizing your Dog

Ever notice that your skin gets drier in the winter months? Your dog or cat has the same problem. The nights get longer, the days cooler and the temperature drops. As your heating bills go up, your dog's skin and coat gets drier.

Here are a few tips to help keep your pet's coat and skin in tip top shape this winter.

1. Shampoo regularly. A regular bath will help keep your pet's skin clean and the pores unclogged. It helps to loosen dead hair and will keep the skin healthy. Use a mild, natural shampoo that is formulated for pets. The PH balance for pets is different than for humans so a human shampoo is not the right choice. At Happy Tails, we recommend Espree products as they are all natural and remove dirt without stripping the natural oils from the coat.
2. Brush regularly. Brushing your dogs coat will help to stimulate the skin. It removes dirt and tangles and keeps the coat from matting. Matts prevent the skin from drying and can contribute to fungal and bacterial infections of the skin. You will want to brush your dog out completely before bathing as small tangles or matts will become larger as the coat dries.
3. Condition the coat. Always use a conditioner or remoisturizer after the bath. These products are specially formulated and help to seal the hair shaft. This prevents moisture loss and makes the hair smoother to prevent tangles and matts. There are many options for different coat types. If you are not sure which is the best for your pet, ask your groomer or veterinarian.
4. Keep Feet clean. Dogs grow hair between the pads of their feet. During the winter with frequent rain or snow, this hair needs to be cleaned and/or removed to prevent infections. Just think about running around with wet socks outside. Whether it is cool and rainy or icy, this is very uncomfortable. Ice and snow can back inside the pads. The hair gets wet and matts and then does not dry completely. Removing this hair is the best option but if you can't do that, make sure that your dog's feet are clean and get dried when they come inside.
5. Supplements. The best way to care for your dogs skin (and your own) is from the inside out. Make sure that you are feeding a good quality dog food. Dog foods should contain Omega 3 and 6 oils. If you are noticing hair loss or dry skin, it's a good idea to supplement their regular diet with additional oils. Almost all of the skin and coat conditions will clear up with proper nutrition. I recommend Nu Vet Supplements as they are made with human grade ingredients and I have seen amazing results.

With a little extra winter care, your dogs coat and skin should remain healthy and shiny through the winter months. Stay warm!

TICKS!

The first thing to welcome me and the five dogs to Fort Mitchell were the ticks. They were thrilled to have new warm bodies to swarm all over. In my first week here, I must have picked close to a hundred ticks off myself and the gang. I went right out and bought Frontline Plus to treat the dogs but still had ticks jumping off them and onto me. Ticks of every size and descriptions, big one, little ones, fat ones, skinny ones. I itch just thinking about it.

Ticks are more than just an aggravation. They carry Lyme disease and • Ehrlichiosis as well as other diseases. While Lyme Disease is a lot more well known, Dr. Rachel Swan tells me that she sees a lot of Erlichiosis in this area. Without going into the medical details, I can tell you that both of these are pretty nasty diseases.

There is not much that I can do as a groomer to prevent ticks. The dips that we used in years past are highly toxic and didn’t last long enough to really be worth the trouble. The best that I can do is a flea and tick shampoo to kill them and then to remove the ticks that are on the dogs. When I use the high volume dryer, I can find almost all of them and remove them.

After their grooming, I recommend using Frontline Plus or Advantage for long term control. These need to be put on your pet approximately 48 hours after their bath. They are distributed through the oils in the skin and the delay lets the skin and hair recover from the bath. Both of these products are available through your local vet and they will tell you which they prefer. I have also seen these available locally at the feed stores. Your vet is the best bet as they will be able to give you the correct dosage based on weight and let you know if your dog needs a vaccination for Lyme’s disease.