Umbilical Hernia

An umbilical hernia is the most common type of hernia found in puppies. In the case of umbilical

hernias, a portion of fat or internal organs protrudes through an incompletely closed umbilical

ring. Umbilical hernias may be present at birth, or may be acquired. The most common means of

acquiring an umbilical hernia is as a result of the umbilical cord being severed too close to the

abdominal wall.

In most cases umbilical hernias are small and reduce as the puppy grows. Generally, by the

time the pup is six months old the umbilical hernia will shrink and disappear on its own

Tear Staining

part in dogs staining. Any dog CAN have a tear staining issue .... no dog is immune to this problem.

tear staining has always been an annoying aspect of having white dogs. Although, genetics do play a part in tear staining, I find environment and stress play the biggest Let me preface this discussion with a disclaimer:

The information here is for the use of encouraging education in caring for your dogs. I am not a licensed veterinarian. All medication given to your dog should be under the consultation of a licensed veterinarian.

Most tear staining is due to a low grade systematic infection. This can cause the enzyme levels in the dog's bodily fluids to be "off" and therefore cause excessive staining. This systematic imbalance can be caused by simple stress or it can indicate an underlying health issue.

Tear Staining is the red/brown discoloration that can usually be found on a dog under the eyes and around the mouth. In some more progressed states you can also find staining on the feet or around the genital areas. Although this is primarily an acetic problem, it is an issue that should be addressed as it is always a medically based. A small staining problem in the beginning can end up being the first signs of a more serious underlying health issue that could surface at a later point.

If you have not had the experience of dealing with this issue previously, at this point I would discuss this issue with your veterinarian. Unfortunately, some vets do not think tear staining is an actual problem. If your vet responds this way, either change vets or talk to your breeder or someone with more experience.

As a first attempt to treat mild tear staining, many vets/breeders treat tear stain with an oral antibiotic. The most prevalent antibiotic used initially is Tylan Solable Powder. Tylan powder is an antibiotic that is not commonly used with dogs. This is helpful, has most dogs will not have built up an immunity to this antibiotic. It can be dissolved in their drinking water or be given orally daily. Different people use different doses. I would talk to your vet and breeder friends to see how they dose their dogs. Tylan is also a very mild antibiotic that has a secondary benefit of being useful in the treatment and prevention of some gastro-intestinal infections that can be picked up at dogs shows or other places with many dogs present. Although safe for dogs of all ages (except nursing puppies, mothers in whelp or nursing, and dogs on other medications), I would not recommend using it continuously. I would give them at least a week off every 3 weeks, to be on the safe side. Results do not happen overnight, but if after a 3 week period of time you don't see an improvement there probably is an underlying cause for the staining. Remember that the existing stain will not disappear but the hair will start to grown out white around the staining area.

If you have a darker stain that is resistant to a mild antibiotic treatment, you will need to more directly identify the specific health issue. First, visit your veterinarian to have a thorough examine, to look for ear infections, eye infection, blocked tear ducts and teeth issues. No antibiotic can fix some of these underlying health issues by themselves.

If you are having problems with tear staining and Tylan doesn't work, I suggest having a Culture and Sensitivity test run on the tearing residue. By just putting them on random antibiotics at the wrong doses, you could eliminate many common antibiotics by desensitizing the dog's system to them. Tylan is primarily made to battle microplasma in poultry and swine. This is not a commonly used canine antibiotic so if desensitizing occurs towards Tylan, it is not as damaging as it could be with other more commonly used canine antibiotics. Having the tearing cultured almost always is successful because the sensitivity report that tells your veterinarian what exact antibiotics the bacteria will respond to. This takes the guesswork out of the equation. In bad cases, I have found the bacteria to be resistant to most commonly used veterinary antibiotics. Tear staining can be attacked in two ways, with both oral antibiotics and with eye medication. Consult your vet for the proper doses.

Bad tear staining can be communicable. Constant wetness under the eyes is the perfect environment to develop a secondary bacterial infection. This tends to turn into a form of Staph. Dogs licking each, other sharing water, using the same brushes can pass the bacteria. I Lysol my brushes every so often, or have dedicated brushes for certain dogs. I clean my dog room and puppy room with a bleach based solution and at completely other times an ammonia based solution, either can be mixed with Fabulouso. Many health issues (i.e. coccidia) are only killed by ammonia not bleach and vice versa. For day to day cleaning of my doggie areas, I use Odo-Ban or Simple Green. Regular washing with anti-bacterial dish washing liquid of all dog's water and food bowls is very important. Water and food bowls should be either ceramic, glass or stainless steel. Plastic and other materials can harbor bacteria. Once a month, the bowls can be soaked in a weak bleach solution for true sanitation and then washed in a normal fashion with soap and water.

Tear staining is usually has an environmental basis, too. In addition to antibiotics, I also use more holistic solutions:

**Using filtered or distilled water.

**Using ionizers in the rooms with the dogs for air purity, good ventilation for example exhaust fans, ceiling fans, open windows etc.

**Exposure to sunshine is crucial. Being outside with sunshine and clean fresh air is healthy for everyone, including dogs.

**Keeping your dogs clean with their hair out their faces is also important.

**Keeping your dogs environment clean is imperative.

**Keeping the filters in your air conditioning and heating systems clean.

Genetically, there are some bloodlines that are more prone to tearing then others. Hair growth on the eye rims , and more protruding eyes can be indicators. Prevalent problems with related dogs in different environments is also another good indicator. The predisposition to having health issues that cause tear staining can be genetic in origin. Look for trends in the dogs of that particular bloodline.

As for cleaning up the already stained hair. The key is to eliminate the cause of staining first and then you will find the stained hair will slowly fade and be much easier to whiten. There are ways to remove the stain once the staining has stopped. But, unless there is a crucial reason to remove the stain, always remember that staining is just a superficial thing and the ways to remove the stain are harsh to say the least. Tearing is always a medical issue, with environment, care and genetics playing a part in the mix.consistency and time are always the keys to the best solution!

I hope this helps.

The patellar or kneecap is usually located directly in the center of the knee joint. Luxation, or dislocation of the patella, occurs when the patella slides out of its groove. Patellar luxation occurs mostly in toy and small breeds of dogs weighing 22 pounds or less such as the miniature poodle, the pomeranian, yorkshire terrier, and some other toy breeds. Females are 1.5 times more affected than males. In most cases, luxation is a congenital condition (that appears at birth), but it may appear some time later. It is thought to be inherited although the exact mode of transmission has not been determined. In some cases, the condition is acquired through trauma. An affected dog can lame occasionally, or walk on three legs. Sometimes, a dog will show pain and hold his leg up. Surgery is the treatment of choice. Conservative treatments such as prednisone and/or restricted activity doesn't give much benefit and is recommended mostly for mildly affected or older dogs. More about Patellar Luxation [...]

Nose-Stenotic Nares

 Stenotic Nares is a condition where the narrow resticted nostril puts a strain on the dog's system and can lead to an enlargement of the heart. When the surgery is performed the veterinarian removes a portion of the nasal cartilage to enlarge the nasal openings. In this disorder, the openings to the nostrils are too small and the puppy has a really hard time breathing through the nose. Stenotic nares is an inherited defect. An early surgical intervention can provide adequate airway flow that helps prevent the development of secondary problems like tracheal collapse and chronic bronchitis.

Mouth-Cleft Palate

Dog cleft palate is a failure of the two sides of the palate to fuse correctly during the embryonic stage of developement. It can just be the soft tissue, in which case it is only cosmetic defect, but if the hard palate is affected, a puppy usually dies. It can be congenital or result from intoxication resulting from using steroids (cortisones), Vitamin A in overdosages, and some antibiotics. A cleft palate can be corrected surgically, however the puppy must be old enough to undergo an anesthesia.

How does your dog get Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease starts with plaque. This is the white film that accumulates on our teeth. If the plaque is not removed through regular tooth brushing, it will mineralize (harden) and turn into tartar. As the tartar builds, the plaque continues to accumulate and infect the gums. Plaque and bacteria

unchecked over time can enter the bloodstream and cause disease in the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys.

How can periodontal disease be prevented?

Unfortunately, periodontal disease cannot be reversed. It can, however, be slowed or stopped with proper dental care. There are several things

you can do to prevent this disease from affecting your best friend. At least once a week you should brush your dog's teeth and feed a

nutritionally balanced dry diet, void wheat and corn that can act as sugar between the teeth and cause decay.

You can purchase toothbrushes made especially for dogs, or you can use a soft child's toothbrush, a finger toothbrush, a gauze pad around a finger,

or a cotton swab. Use toothpaste specially formulated for dogs and focus on the back molars, as they tend to develop plaque more quickly than frontal teeth.

Dog toothpaste contains ingredients that continue to be effective in preventing decay long after brushing. Most toothpaste have a special food flavoring to make

it more appealing to your dog . Stay away from human toothpaste baking soda or salt as many dogs don't like the taste, and these products might

possibly upset their digestive systems or create an allergy reaction.

Feed a nutritionally balanced diet preferably dry. A hard, crunchy premium food will scrape against the teeth and help to inbibit bacteria from growing.

Provide dental chew toys and chew items. Not only are they fun for your dog he doesn't even realize how good they are for him. Supply your dog

with plenty of (teeth cleaning) chew toy and bones, especially knobby toys, rope toy and floss toys. Rawhide is another chew item that rubs against

the dogs teeth and removes harmful plaque, but I advise against rawhide as it swells to five times the size of your dogs stomach and can take two

weeks to digest posing the threat of intestinal blockage. So a great alternative to rawhide is pork skin. Anything you find in the form of rawhide

you can now find in pork skin, It's easily digestible, more nutritional and still provides a great tartar scraping effective on the teeth.

Lastly, get regular dental exams by a veterinarian and schedule your dog for a yearly teeth cleaning. With a little effort your dog could end up having

a smile as good as yours !!

Written by: Colleen Paige/ with over two decades of expertise as a dog trainer and animal behaviorist, Colleen teaches people to be kind fo their

dogs using love and leadership in combination with ( Speaking) dogs language. A columnist for Fido Friendly and regular guest expert for many

national magazines, tv and radio programs, she also founded National Dog Day.