[Beverly D]

Hi, my Coton de Tulear all of a sudden, after spending 2 weeks at her usual boarding spot, came home with red stained tear ducts and red paws from licking. She is 7 years old and has never had this before. She is pure white and we always took pride in her coat. We are at thee ends of our ropes. Sugar has been to her vet several times, has had blood work done that shoed no infection, etc. I am hoping that a change in her diet will help. She is a finicky eater of only wet food. Help!

[Dori]

Beverly D. I’m wondering if you know whether they gave her a different food. I’m assuming that when you board your dogs you brought enough food for them. Also, do you bring them water also or are they drinking the facilities water. Maybe their water system needs to be checked. Too much chlorine or fluoride in the water if it’s city water. If well, maybe too many minerals. One of my dogs is a Maltese and a couple of years ago when I boarded her she came back with reddish tear stains, reddish feet and a reddish beard. I had to conclude that it was something she ate or drank. Also stained reddish were the hairs all around her vulva. Also a big one, have any of the employees been handing out treats (which is very sweet and I know they all mean well and like to do that so the dogs don’t fear them). You may be feeding grain free and the facilities treats may cheaper treats that contain grains. Or something in the treats your dog had an issue with. I find that it’s typically something like that.

[Beverly D]

Hi Dori, Thanks much for info. Yes, we always bring her food that she has eaten for years, and her same treats. Not sure why things would change so drastically after 7 years. She has boarded here since a pup, her groomer is there, as is her vet. Do you or anyone out there have any thoughts on the various raw dog foods? I have been doing some research and this was mentioned as a possible way to go. We have been giving her probiotics, and I am s-l-o-w-ly thinking (or maybe I am just THINKING I am seeing) that I see a change for the better. Very frustrated. Appreciate your help!

[Beverly D]

Dori, how did you get that adorable photo of your dog on the site? I would like to add a photo, too but do not knowhow to do so. Is he/she a Coton?

[Dori]

Hi Beverly D. I have three toy dogs. A Maltese, my avatar is my 15 1/2 year old Maltese Hannah. That photo was from last year when she was 14 years old. I also have a 5 1/2 year old Maltipoo, Katie and a 5 1/2 year old Yorkipoo, Lola. They are all fed commercial raw foods that I have been feeding for the last 3 years or so. Katie, my Maltipoo, was a basket full of food intolerances and other issues as she was the runt of someone’s litter that I rescued so not to have her euthanized. Due to all her food intolerances and my research I found DFA and schooled myself on canine nutrition. All three of my dogs are doing remarkably well and Katie has been off of all antihistamines, over the counter and prescribed, for the past three years. If you want info on the commercial raw dog food companies that I feed and trust please let me know. I have done extensive research into all of them and trust their foods and the companies. But I will say that these foods are what work for my dogs. All dogs, as humans, are individuals and different.

As far as I can remember, please go to avatar.com and follow directions. I have a Mac Book Pro so it was fairly simple. If you’re working on a windows computer than, I’m sorry, but it’s been too many years since I’ve used a windows computer to be of any help.

I’m going to go onto avatar right now and see if I can refresh my memory and walk you through the steps.

[Dori]

Hi Beverly again. Okay so I’m totally wrong on how to post your pic to your responses. Let me try to refresh my memory and I’ll post again. It’s been awhile.

[Dori]

OH! So sorry Beverly. It’s gravatar.com and then sign up and follow their directions. If that doesn’t work please let us know and I, or someone with a functioning brain at the moment, will walk you through it. Gotta walk the girls right now. I’ll be back.

[Beverly D]

Thanks, Dori. I cannot get over how similar your Hannah and my Sugar look. I use Windows, not a Mac user. Thanks for being so welcoming!

[Beverly D]

And, yes, please tell me about the raw foods. Thanks!

[Dori]

I’m looking forward to seeing Sugar in your avatar. Even if you’re on a windows machine you can still go to gravatar.com and sign up and then they’ll walk you through the steps to post picture. I just can’t walk you through it because I’m on a Mac.

As to the foods that I feed, they are all commercial raw foods from companies that I like and trust and all three girls have done very well on all of them. I feed all three girls the same meals. I also rotate proteins within the brands and I also rotate with different brands. All proteins with the exception of any and all poultry (fowl) regardless of how or where it is listed in the ingredients. Nothing with feathers because Katie is highly intolerant. These are the companies I feed.

Primal Formulas Raw Frozen and Primal Pronto Raw Frozen and sometimes Primal Freeze Dried
Vital Essentials Raw Frozen Foods and sometimes Vital Essentials Freeze Dried
Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Food Only
Answer’s Detailed Raw Frozen
OC Raw Frozen
Nature’s Logic Frozen Raw

Once or twice a week I split a can of sardines in water with no salt (from grocery store) between the three girls.

For treats I give them small pieces of organic (if available) fruits and veggies. Apples and cucumbers must be peeled because they carry a lot of bacteria and are waxed to make them pretty for us. Make sure to not feed any seeds or pits from any fruits as they are toxic to dogs. Of course as I’m pretty sure you already know, no raisins, grapes or onions.

If you want any more info, please ask.

[Marietta B]

I have a white Shih Tzu and the same thing happened once. The vet told me it was an allergic reaction. She prescribed steroids and antibiotics and it cleared right up. I probably wouldn’t go that route again, though. I try feed dehydrated or air dried “raw” food now and use natural products and it has never happened again.

[Dori]

Oh my goodness, isn’t she a cutie. Sugar and Hannah do look similar. She looks so tiny, how much does she weigh? Hannah weighs 7 lbs. So glad you got her pic up so I could see her. We all love to see doggie pics.

[Beverly D]

Hi Dori,
Are you looking at the small white Shih Tzu? She is cute, but not my Sugar. I haven’t yet tried to get her on this site yet. Just too darn busy with work. It is survey time for my health-care business. Sigh.
Take care! I will be in touch.

[Dori]

Oh hey Beverly, I thought you’d figured out how to get Sugar on gravatar.com. So silly of me I didn’t even look to see it was someone completely different. I saw a small white dog that reminded me a little of mine and jumped to thinking it was so. Anyway, looking forward to seeing Sugar.

[Beverly D]

Hi Dori,
I ordered Primal Freeze Dried Chicken from Amazon Prime for Sugar. I hope she likes it!

[Cotons mom]

Beverly, I have two cottons, 1 1/2yr old, and I have had the same problem with the eye staining their whole life. I feed only raw, and pretty much the identical ones that Dori listed and they only get filtered water and if they get treats they get either fruit/veges or small pieces of freeze dried food. They do get bully sticks and raw bones from time to time. I’ve tried the sardines in water but neither one will eat them. My husband is very frustrated with the staining and has even said that he wants to try the stuff called Angel Eyes but I don’t have a good feeling with any of that stuff.
They are due their “shots” and I’m wondering about getting titers for some, and wonder if their is anything out there for heart worms besides stuff like heart guard.

[Dori]

Cotons mom. Please explain to your husband, if he doesn’t already know it, that Angel Eyes contains antibiotics so it’s a bad idea for anyone to use it. I read somewhere that there is a big controversy on companies being able to add antibiotics to over the counter eye stain ingredients and I believe they are due to be outlawed. I’ll have to figure out where I read this. I read it just in the last two or three weeks. I’ll have to see if I can find the article and post it. Anyway, antibiotics are very destructive to the immune system and should never be given just to remove eye stains. They are not attractive, that’s for sure, it’s simply an aesthetic issue, not life threatening. Antibiotics should only be used for infections that cannot be controlled any other way. They don’t just kill bad bacteria but the good bacteria that is needed to survive. Anyway, that’s my opinion on antibiotics. I’m going to go search for the article.

Here’s one: http://www.aaha.org/blog/NewStat/post/2014/09/03/531874/FDA-targets-tear-stain-remover-products-for-misusing-antibiotics.aspx

Here’s another: http://www.fierceanimalhealth.com/story/pet-tear-stain-removers-still-widely-available-despite-fda-warnings/2015-02-09

Google has quite a few posts regarding the FDA and antibiotics in products for dogs, cats, horses that have not been deemed safe or tested. Also there are articles where veterinarians are not comfortable with the over use of antibiotics just to remove unsightly tear stains that are not, in almost all cases, not a medical issue but an aesthetic one.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by Dori.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by Dori.

[Beverly D]

Hi Dori and Cotons Mom,
I am encouraged about Sugar’s progress. We have been gradually changing her food to the Primal freeze dried. She is a picky eater, but she really loves this food. Her eyes seem to be clearing up, too. Thanks so much for all the info!

[Dori]

Hi Beverly. Glad her eyes seem to be clearing up and that she’s liking what is a fabulous food. Don’t forget that you can rotate through the different proteins and, of course, through other freeze dried foods. Primal is my favorite of all raw and freeze dried foods. Second for freeze dried foods is Vital Essentials.

And now I’ll have to start bugging you to go to gravatar.com and post a picture of Sugar. I can’t wait to see her. We love doggie pics. 🙂

[Author]

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