• Skin infections/diseases • Hypo and hyperthyroidism • Other endocrine diseases (i.e. Diabetes increases sugar in the dog’s system and into their tears. Bacteria are attracted to the sugar in the tears and create staining). STAGES/DEVELOPMENT IN THE LIFE OF THE DOG • Eruption of primary (puppy) or secondary (adult) teeth pro- motes increased tearing. • Hormonal influences: Heat cycles and pregnancy are times when a bitch may tear more. HAPPINESS OF THE DOG • Stressors on the dog will pro- mote increased tearing (i.e. first dog show or crating a dog that isn’t used to confinement). • More dogs in one environment may create more stresses on the dogs and increase tearing in all of the dogs. HYGIENE OF THE DOG • Frequency of cleaning the facial furnishings including nasal hair and bathing the dog. • Keeping the muzzle hair dry by blow drying the dog after bath- ing and after using products on the hair. • Keeping the skull hair out of the dog’s eyes. This involves keeping the frontal hair in topknots and rubber bands so the hair doesn’t irritate the dog’s eyes. • Hairs that protrude into the eyes (ingrown eyelid hairs) can irritate and cause tearing. • Some breeders feel that the dog’s eyelashes irritate the eyes and increase tearing. • Leave and don’t cut the hair adja- cent to the inside eye (the wick) so that tears can travel down these hairs.
most of the breeders. These don’t contain dyes in the food. • Treats without red, green, blue or yellow dyes • Calcium: Can give 1 / 2 tablet of Tums per day. The purpose is to change the pH of the tears, and hence reduce the bacterial at- traction to the hair. I’m not sure this makes any difference, but was in the literature. • Missing link and/or vitamins can be added to food to increase the dog’s immune system. • White diet: Chicken, rice, oat- meal, cottage cheese, etc. WATER • Use lower mineral content water, either filtered or distilled water. • Train the dog to drink from a water bottle which has a nozzle and can hang from the side of a cage or in a dispenser (similar but larger than bottles used for hamsters). This keeps the face drier and the facial hair doesn’t dip into the water bowl. • If you use bowls, use stainless • Can add 1 / 2 -tsp. vinegar (acetic acid) or lemon juice to the dog’s water to create a more acidic system and change (lower) the pH of the tears (if the dogs will drink it). ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES help (especially if they are kept in a humid environment like a basement). • Air filters can decrease allergens and irritants in sensitive dogs. LOCAL TREATMENT— PREVENTION: • A dehumidifier in the area where the dogs reside may • Clean the hair around the eyes/ muzzle at least one-two times a day. Remove the little “globs” on the inner eye that collect daily. Most breeders recommend cut- ting the dog’s eyelashes. Some say leave the hair adjacent to the inner eye (called the “wick”) and the tears tend to travel down steel bowls, which are more bacteriostatic.
this hair. One can tuck this hair into the muzzle hair when show- ing the dog. • Keep the muzzle area dry. At shows you can put a paper towel type wrap (piece) next to the eye with a rubber band to collect any tears that the dog may have at the show, then remove this before showing. • In puppies, you can use Vaseline around the eyes to prevent the tears from soaking into the hair. This is advisable especially when the dog is teething as it will help the tears to run off and not ad- here to the hair while the puppy is cutting its teeth. • Don’t allow the tear stains to get so bad that you have to bleach the hair to remove the brown discoloration. • Boric acid powder with corn- starch in equal parts put on the nasal hair to help keep it dry and more bacteria free. • Can wipe the hair with peroxide or sun-in liquid/spray daily. SHAMPOOS • Tea Tree Oil Shampoo (Mela- leuca alternifolia) acts as bac- teriostatic control of hair under the eyes. • White ‘N Brite—Purple Horse® whitening shampoo from animal feed stores. (Also reduces urine stains from dog’s paws). • Other blue shampoos for white dogs. EYE DROPS • Collyrium by Fresh Eye®: This has boric acid and put eye drops in the eye two drops, both eyes,
two times a day as needed. • Numerous eyewashes for eyes contain boric acid. I found at least half a dozen at the pharmacy.
• Antibiotic drops or ointment: Such as Terramycin 1 / 4 inch of ointment in the lower eyelid daily for ten days. SYSTEMIC TREATMENT: (Antibiotics used to prevent future dis- coloration of tear stains) T op N otch T oys , O ctober 2018 • 51
TREATMENT: DIET/FOOD
• Royal Canin®, Bil-Jac (dry)®, Eukanuba® and Natural Bal- ance® were recommended by
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