Eye Infections in Dogs

An eye infection is a relatively general description of a medical condition that may result in discomfort, discharge and abnormal appearance of a dog's eyes and surrounding tissue.

Conjunctivitis

This is generally the most common type of eye infection seen regularly in dogs. Conjunctivitis is characterized by the inflammation of the portion of the eye called the conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is the thin, clear membrane that protects the eye as well as the inner eyelid. The cause of this condition is most commonly a viral infection, an allergic reaction, or a bacterial infection.

The most common bacteria that cause conjunctivitis are streptococci and staphylococci. In Allergic conjunctivitis, the cause may be any number of airborne irritants that are causing an allergic reaction. Conjunctivitis that is caused by a virus is usually a result of a respiratory infection, flu, or other viral conditions. Regardless of the specific cause, this is the condition that manifests with all of the general symptoms of an eye infection, without any secondary symptoms.

Blepharitis

Blepharitis is a condition that usually manifests as an inflammation of the eyelids. The most common cause of this condition is a bacterial infection, which causes the subsequent inflammation of the eyelid. Other causes include demodectic mites, sensitivity to the sun, trauma, and other eye diseases. Though this condition may affect humans as well as dogs, it is occasionally seen in cats and other mammals.

Ulcerative Keratitis

In the condition of Ulcerative Keratitis, a dog's eye is subject to inflammation of the cornea. This is usually characterized by specific erosions of the cornea, though may also manifest as ulcers. This condition can be caused by several factors, though is commonly caused by keratoconjunctivitis sicca.

The common name for keratoconjunctivitis sicca is “Dry Eye”, and is characterized by a deficiency of tears, usually caused by abnormalities in the tear ducts. Other causes of this condition include herpesvirus, trauma(where eye is punctured), other disease affecting the eyes/tear ducts, and facial nerve paralysis.

Juvenile Cellulitis (Puppy Strangles)

This is a condition that usually manifests as blisters around the eyes, in addition to blisters around the lips, mouth, nose and ears. These blisters will cause irritation to the eyes, resulting in many of the common symptoms of an eye infection. The blisters will eventually become ulcerated, and a dog will have other secondary symptoms, such as enlarged lymph glands and anorexia. This condition is caused by a bacterial infection.

About The Author:
Learn more about dog eye infection, symptoms of dog eye infection at DogEyeInfection.Net

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The 5 most Common Reasons for Dog Tear Stains

If you’ve ever seen a dog with red or brown marks in the areas around and just under the eyes, you’ve seen a dog that is suffering from tear staining . The staining can matte around the dog’s eyes and leave a gooey, thick mess that is hard to clean.

If you’ve ever seen a dog with red or brown marks in the areas around and just under the eyes, you’ve seen a dog that is suffering from tear staining . The staining can matte around the dog’s eyes and leave a gooey, thick mess that is hard to clean. Most people assume that the stains are caused by excessive moisture from the dog’s eyes and that they’re just a fact of life. In fact though, tear stains have many different causes, and figuring out the root of the problem could end up saving you some work and also improve your dog’s life.

1.) Ear Infections

Tear staining can be linked back to ear infections, so it’s important to keep your dog’s ears as clean and dry as possible. If you notice that your dog is getting a lot of ear infections which also coincide with excessive tearing, the two are probably related. Use a good cleansing product to make sure the ears are clean and your dog’s tear stains might be reduced as a result.

2.) Allergies

Dogs can experience reactions to thing just like humans, and tear staining can often be a reaction to allergens or irritants. In fact, some dogs will suffer reactions to their food which will change the pH level in your dog’s system which in turn can cause excessive tearing. If you notice that your dog’s tear stains get worse in certain situations than it might be an environmental factor that is adding to the problem.

3.) Blocked Tear Ducts

Some dogs are born with tear ducts that are closed which need to be surgically opened by a vet, but this isn’t the only way a duct can be blocked. At times, a dog can develop clogged tear ducts which can add to excessive tearing, and unfortunately, a trip to the vet will be needed to irrigate the ducts. Luckily, this isn’t a very common problem, but if you suspect clogged tear ducts, it should be taken care of, lest your dog suffer unnecessarily.

4.) Red Yeast

One of the biggest causes of tear staining is from a dog having an excessive amount of tears. This high level of moisture can keep the hair around the face wet, which then becomes an area where bacteria can breed. One of the most common forms of this bacteria is called Red Yeast, which causes a yeast infection around the eyes and leads to the brownish-red stains that you sometimes see on dogs.

5.) Water

Some waters contain a high mineral content, which can cause staining on a dog’s entire face and beard. A lot of moisture can remain on the face trapped in the hairs after a dog drinks, which can be moved to eye level by the dog trying to lick his face clean. And, if the mineral content is high, it will increase the level of red-brown staining on a dog’s face. If you notice both tear stains and a discolored beard, try switching your dog’s water to combat the problem.

Red or brown tear stains are not attractive to look at, and they can be a symptom of a larger problem. If your dog has excessive staining around they eyes and on its face, it might be worth looking into what the cause of the staining is.

About The Author:
Happytails.com provides you Natural tear stain remover, helps in removing dogs tearstains remover naturally. Tear stain remover contains no pharmaceutical antibiotics and is safe for your dog.

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Dog Grooming Tips

Just like us dogs like to be groomed and pampered at least once a week. Dog grooming will keep your loved one happy and healthy. You can take your dog to professional groomers at a pet store or a place that is dedicated to dog grooming, but you can attempt to do it yourself.

All you need is to have some basic dog grooming supplies. You will need dog shampoo, nail clippers and a comb or a brush. If you need more information on how to groom your particular breed of dog, your vet can help you or you can get a book that will teach you how to groom your dog. To begin with dog grooming, start from cleaning his ears. You should check your dog’s ear while grooming. Dogs with droopy ears are particularly vulnerable to waxy ears, ear mites and fungus. This should be done at least once in a week.

Move on to clipping your dog’s nails. The most important aspect of dog grooming. You should clip your dogs nails every two to three weeks. If you start clipping nails in puppy hood they will get used to the idea of the dog grooming process. Now, you are ready to give your dog a bath. This is the messiest part of grooming your dog. Start bathing your dog with a mild shampoo from the legs first and then the body and the face at last. Let the shampoo sit in the fur for three to five minutes and rinse thoroughly. You can towel dry your dog or you can use a blow dryer. If you decide to use a blow dryer, dry one area at a time, do not jump around from one spot to another. Be sure to separate your dog’s coat and dry all the way to the dog’s skin. Do not forget to dry underneath your dog’s paws. When blow drying the head, do your best and not to direct the air flow into the dog’s eyes and ears.

After the bath, brushing your dog is the most time consuming. When you brush your dog is careful no to use a brush that is too hard otherwise you can accidentally cause your dog to have brush burn. It may seem like an unnecessary part of dog grooming, but you need to brush your dog’s teeth. You need to do so at least once every week. There is also mouth wash that is formulated specially for dogs that will aid in reducing bacteria. A common cause of your doggie’s bad breath can be from the source of a build up of plaque and tartar on their teeth. To help prevent this from happening, you can feed them with a particular brand of dog food that will slow the process of plaque and tartar from developing on their teeth. There are also rawhides to chew or a nylon bone to prevent dog breath. So there is no reason your dog should go around with doggie breath.



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Good news for dog lovers. Get free dog health care tips and latest information about dog grooming at http://www.petloverstalk.org

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