My Furbaby Pack

Hi Everypawdy it’s me Miss Squeak a lot has happened since I last did a blog! 

Wow we now have 3 new furbabies in our pack! Yup that makes 7 sweet little furry friends.

I know that might sound crazy to some but it works great for us! 

I pride myself in the fact that they are all very well balanced, 

They get walked every day and and have all been trained too, so that’s a bonus! 

I would say the biggest thing you can teach your furbabies is recall! 

All our furbabies can free run with confidence, as we know that if we give a command, 

they will come back with their tails wagging. We are sure to make the training sessions

fun and exciting for the dogs, to begin with I used high value treats and now 

I can just use the command or hand gestures! We have only one male in the pack and 

he (Sir George) is a shihtzu and almost ten years old, then we have Miss Mildred (Guildy Polly Pocket Princess) she is a pure pedigree smooth coat chihuahua and she will be 6 this year, 

then we have SoSo she is a chihuahua x poodle and will be 4 this year 

then we have Vinyl-Violet (Pirate Puppy) she is a chihuahua with one eye and is 3 this year, 

then with have our two litter sisters Myrtle-Mayhem (Mert the turt) and SiSi (Head with Legs)

they are chihuahua x silky terrier and will be 2 this year and couldn’t look any more different, no one would guess they are sisters, then we have the baby of the pack SuSu she is a long coat chihuahua and will be 2 this year too! I will share a few pictures of them so you can see how cute they all are! 

How many furbabies do you have in your pack? 

Our furbabies don’t all live together but are with each other every day! 

Hope you have a Pawtastic day! 

I am going to start blogging more regularly! 

Big hugs and puppy licks,

Miss Squeak 

Vinyl-Violet My Little Deerhead Chihuahua

Hi Everypawdy! Its been a while since I last did a blog, but here I am today writing about our little lady Vinyl-Violet, its getting close to her eye operation, she is having  her left eye removed as we have tried over the last year to find a way to be able to have her eye saved but with no evil, over the last 16 months we have tried so had with medicine and and constant eye drops to save her eye, but have be unable to fix her problem, The poor little girl has gone blind from all the ulcers and scaring from the buildup of muck scratching her eye! So we are going to have one very own ChiRiffic pirate and she will be so much happier and healthier, we have thought long and hard about this issue as having an eye removed was the last thing we wanted for her, But after trying everything we could we made the hard decision to book her in for the eye removal. And it's not long now as its on the 21st of November 2018 so it is fast approaching. 

Please keep Vinyl-Violet in your thoughts, and here is a little more information regarding her operation.

What is Enucleation? 

Enucleation is the surgical removal of an eye and its associated structures, e.g. eyelids. The procedure is undertaken in order to prevent pain or spread of disease, such as when an eye is irreversibly damaged, cancerous, or affected by non-responsive glaucoma. 

Enucleation in dogs is often a treatment of last resort, when all previous attempts to salvage the eye have failed. The procedure is carried out under full general anaesthetic and, although a major procedure, there is every chance of a successful outcome. 

This is not a specialist procedure and is commonly carried out at general vet practice. 

 

Enucleation Procedure in Dogs 

Enucleation is never undertaken lightly and only after all other treatment options have been explored. For example with glaucoma, referral to place a surgical stent (drain) in the eye may be an option. Enucleation requires full general anesthetic and may involve an overnight stay after the surgery, for additional pain relief and monitoring. Elderly patients may require intravenous fluids during the surgery to reduce the risk of kidney complications. 

The procedure involves:  Preparing the patient by withholding food overnight prior to the operation A pre-op check, possibly including screening blood tests A premedication injection and pain relief to prepare the dog for the aesthetic The dog may be put on intravenous fluids at this point The anesthetic is administered via a catheter in the front leg and maintained via gas delivered through a tube in the airway A vet tech monitors the dog's vital signs  Hair is carefully clipped from around the eye and face The skin is made sterile with surgical scrub The surgeon scrubs up, and then sutures the eyelids of the affected eye together The surgeon removes the eye by careful dissection, and any bleeding vessels clamped and tied off Skin is sutured over the empty socket The dog wakes from the anesthetic and must wear a cone to protect the surgical site The dog is discharged with pain relief and perhaps antibiotics The dog requires a post-op check at two to three days The sutures are removed 10 - 14 days later 

Efficacy of Enucleation in Dogs 

Once the initial post-operative discomfort is over, enucleation is extremely effective at preventing ocular pain, without risk of relapse. Many owners who opt for surgery after a delay often notice their dog is happier than it has been some time, now the long term low pain has gone. In many cases, the alternative to enucleation is long-term management of a condition, which can be difficult or even impossible to achieve. This may require visits to specialists for repeated anesthetics to repair damaged corneal tissue or regular visits to have the pressure within the eye measured. Medical management of severe eye conditions is rarely successful, which leaves the possibility that the dog is in constant low-grade pain, so treatment decisions are best made with the dog's long term welfare in mind. 

Enucleation Recovery in Dogs 

It is essential the dog wears a cone until the sutures are removed. For the first two to three days postoperatively, the dog may be quiet from the anesthetic and experiencing some discomfort. The pain can be managed with medications, which your vet will supply.  Following a check-up at the two to three-day point, the dog has gentle lead exercise until the sutures are removed at the 10 - 14-day mark.  Complications are rare, but include hemorrhage or wound breakdown. If the bleeding is severe, revisional surgery may be required or the clinician may opt to pack the socket and use pressure to prevent further blood loss. However, the vast majority of patients make a full and uneventful recovery.  Once the sutures are removed no further aftercare is needed and the patient signed off.  

Cost of Enucleation in Dogs 

The one-off cost of enucleation surgery must be balanced against repeated specialist visits, repeated anesthetics, and ongoing medication costs. At a general practice, the cost of enucleation surgery ranges from around $400 - $950 depending on the supportive care needed.  Prescription eye drops for glaucoma cost around $15 -25 per bottle and may last around 2 - 3 weeks each. When a condition is managed medically the dog may need weekly visits initially and then three-monthly check-ups. The cost of these visits can be $25 - 50 for a regular vet, to $70 - $270 for a specialist veterinary ophthalmologist.  

Dog Enucleation Considerations 

There are many factors to consider with enucleation surgery. The procedure is permanent and irreversible, and the dog blind on that side afterward. However, many of the conditions for which enucleation is appropriate may have already resulted in loss of sight. The short-term discomfort of surgery is balanced against the long-term benefit of being pain-free. In addition, this surgical option can be cost effective as the results are permanent. The risks of surgery are low and relate to hemorrhage and any anesthetic risks for that individual patient. However, good surgical technique and pre-op screening minimises both of these factors. 

Enucleation Prevention in Dogs

 Many of the health conditions that result in enucleation being an appropriate option are not preventable. Conditions such as glaucoma are strongly linked to genetic conditions such as luxating lens or poor drainage angles from the eye. 

Please be vigilant for the earliest signs of discomfort in your dog to get the eyes checked. Early medical treatment stands a better chance of success than much later intervention.  Other problems such as eyes popping out of sockets are linked to face shape. Flat-faced breeds such as pugs and pekes are at greatest risk. To avoid problems, the owner should avoid scrubbing their dog (which pulls back the eyelids) and use a harness rather than a neck collar.  

Owners should be vigilant for signs of eye discomfort, such as blinking and squinting, closing the eye, rubbing, or an ocular discharge, and seek veterinary attention. Prompt treatment of ulcers on the cornea (surface of the eye) can stop them from perforating which could result in the loss of an eye.  

We hope this has helped for you to understand a little more about Vinyl-Violets condition! We will keep you all updated with the recovery of our beautiful girl!

Thanks so much for taking the time to read about our furbaby. 

Miss Squeak 

 Don't forget to like comment and share! 

Have you had to have your furbabies eye removed let us know your story. 

Miss Vinyl-Violet Chihuahua Puppy

 Welcome to Miss Squeaks Truth About Dogs,

its been a while since I have done a blog, But I m back and we have a new Chihuahua puppy, 

we have had her since the 25th of April and she is now almost 7 months old and her name is 

Vinyl-Violet and she is just adorable and is love so very much. She has settled in very well and is loved by her Furbrother and Fursister, 

she is now totally toilet trained yay!

I have been very busy with getting her trained and socialised so thats what i have been up too. Lately 

we have been having lots of fun with all our chihuahua cfurfriends that we have playdays with once a month, so i thought would introduce her to the world, and as it said we are now back to blogging so if you would like your furbaby to have a feature in this blog lets us know in the comments, and see you all soon 

Miss Squeak Miss Mildred and Vinyl-Violet

Come check us out on Facebook at 

Chi-Riffic Chihuahua's (fan page)

or at 

Chihuahua's Down Under (Chi-Riffic) 

that is our friendly group with lots of fun stuff and cute puppies hope to see you there!

Miss Squeaks Chihuahua Feature Chickeeta and Bella.

Welcome back to Miss Squeaks Truth about Dogs, I have been thinking of doing this for a while now, and have decided that it would be fun to do a feature chihuahua story and share other likeminded furbaby owners stories. The feature chihuahua's are my furbaby nieces and we love them so very much and enjoy having them and their Mumma Lisa come and have a play and a cuppa with us, These two wonderful chihuahua's have helped my little Miss Mildred feel more comfortable in her interaction with other dogs, we love them so very much and the friendship that Lisa and I have is just amazing. We really clicked even before we had met, and now have the pleasure of doing so many fun furbaby things together, We help run a very cool chihuahua play day, we have a true love for each other and our furbabies, so let get on and talk about how Lisa got her beautiful chihuahua's. 
This story below is in Lisa's own words and the pictures have been provided by Lisa Edney.

Lisa Chickeeta and Bella

This is my story about my Chihuahua life, which I will add was the best thing that has ever happened to my life. I was in a waste of time bad relationship I got my first chihuahua Misty flipper at the age of 35.. I was sad and feeling unloved and this little chihuahua had been treated so wrongly, The first thing she done was bite me as she trusted no one.

 I gave her a bath fattened her up and gave her lotsa love and she returned the love ten fold (never to bite me again) she began to be that good I could trust her to be held by other adults, I always had to watch her with children though, but she was good with my cats and my big rabbit. I had her for 3 years and she began to show me she was old and feeling worn out, so I went and got her and I a puppy named Chickeeta , My first puppy ever (yay yippee) I had catties from a wee tacker and one Labrador who was awesome that attached to my family and the owners gave him to us as he loved us all so much and was always running away from home to our house  he was 11 years and he lived till 16  (he was already well behaved and trained by someone else) Back to my wee cute puppy I signed up for puppy classes and she was my little sweetheart and Mistys too, she made Misty Flipper feel young and vibrant again for two years. 

Then we lost our girl  Misty at the age of 12, My Chickeeta mourned about for her Bestie for 6 months, I could no longer watch my little girl mourn, So I looked on Gumtree and found an ad  I decided I wanted to save another Chihuahua from a not so fortunate lifestyle again. I looked at many cross breeds and I was looking like getting another dog

  chi X as big as Chickeeta. I had this sweet little chihuahua named Bella I emailed about her,  but the owners would not contact me back a week went by and finally I get a email.. I booked to view her the very next morning. She was so little ribs showing back bone displayed and had been ill treated, So I had to take her, as that was my aim better life forever home with love, she was 2 and a 1/2  needed to go to the vet. I had said to Chicky when we left home If you get on with her she is coming home, well Chicky played straight away. Our new budd. We got Bellsies  paid $500 for her took her to the vet we got her needles up to date got a shine on her and her weight back up to scratch, Chicky Bella an I got out of the night mare relationship and I met the love of my life, and the girls life too, and of course my Cattie Winston they love him just as much we have our family set and their Daddy spoils them all, and they love him so. We are one big happy family and our chihuahua's life has just got better and better, the last 2 years my girls and I have been going to chihuahua play dates. This has given us a gathering mummy has fun and so do our chihuahua babies, we all come home from playdate all worn out but left with beautiful memories and smiles lotsa pics of lots of doggies playing and having fun. 

Mine always feel pretty and love their dresses they wear they truly do I have some gorgeous friends with the same crazy chi hearts like mine so we are all like family. I have met my friend Helene. Whom has been a cherished  friend even before I met. Her and I look forward to the fun us two crazy Furbaby lovers have together in the future, chihuahua's love us unconditionally but being small they are like baby's on so many ways and I just love them xxxx 

 The picture above is Lisa and Myself at our Christmas Chihuahua day we are so much alike and are like soul sisters, I am so happy to have found you and your wonderful fubabies, Miss Mildred has learnt so much for all three of you, Love you to the moon and back!

If you like this sort of story and would like to be apart of it,

please comment below or inbox me. 

Thanks so much for coming to read my blog,

Miss Squeaks Truth About Dogs

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Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred 

Chihuahua Madness What We have Been Up Too.

  

Hello fellow furbaby lover's, its been a busy time of year for all of us around this time, lots has been going on, so I will you fill you all in on some things that we have been up to. 

Lets start with the beginning for December when i had my Gordon the gallbladder removed from my body, that was a wonderful thing to have happen. And I can say Miss Mildred was a fantastic nurse while I was recovering from my operation. Not long after that about 4 days later we had a Chihuahua Christmas Party and it was great. 

We had about 40 people turn up with just as many cute furbabies in toe, we had a few prizes for best dressed and a gate prize too, it was so much fun and exciting to see everyone have a fun time and I always love to meet new owners and furbabies. 

Miss Mildred is now so very much more relaxed at the play days to watch her grow into this sweet active little dog is just beautiful. She can now walk around with the other furkids and play with out worrying about what I am doing. So that is a little update on how proud I am with my sweet little chihuahua Miss Mildred, we had Christmas at two houses this year so it was a very hectic day so when we finally got home we relaxed. 

We had a very quite new years, but on the 2 of January we went on a rescue mission to rehome two cute sweet chihuahuas who needed a new home we went to pick up Odie a 12 yr old boy and Ruby a 5 yr old girl who we believe were a breeding pair, I so wanted to keep them both and when I got to finally meet them I feel in love with the both of them. Little Ruby was so very small the size of a can of coke and weighed about 1.2kgs  just so adorable and so very well behaved, they both went to a very loving home next door to my auntie so I am able to check up on how they are going, thats is a truly wonderful thing, and the home that they now live in has a set of twins girls and two other young girls under the age of 12 but older then 5 so it was a perfect home for them to go into, and they are getting all of their medical problems looked into as the have not been spayed and we didn't get any information on the needles or worming that is now all happening so we are very happy about that too, so I will show some pictures of them in their new home.

This is how the furbabies sat when we were on the way to their new home. Both Odie and Ruby are just so sweet and loving and I can't wait to give you all some more updates on these to cuties. 

Miss Mildred has been swimming at her Grandma's and Poppy's this week with all her fur siblings and working on her tan. We have had a wonderful start to our year and hope you all have too. My family had a birthday party for me as i have turned 37 this month and gee its no different then before, haha 

We hope you have enjoyed our little update on what has been happening in our world, 

We would love to know what you have all been up too as well so leave it in the comments, 

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xx Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred xx

Miss Squeaks Fun Christmas Ideas For Your Furbaby!

 Okay lets talk Christmas, and our furbabys now its my first Christmas with Miss Mildred and gee I can't wait to get her new dresses from Ebay that we ordered I know I am excited to get them she has a few coming and I have a red and white one picked out for her to wear for the big day! Its so very cute a frilly just like the pretty princess that she is aww I mustn't be the only one who is excited about Christmas even Sir George has a outfit a little green elf costume that he looks so fantastic in and yes I will post pictures of them in their Christmas digs, Because I know you will want to see them haha! But i thought of a few ideas that you might like to do with your furbabys this Christmas! And we'll  get straight to it now.

If you're  like me , you think about your dog a part of your family. Then Christmas  is simply another occasion to solidify that relationship and embrace your dogs in all of the season’s commotion. Should you not break down before Christmas Eve, here are some gifts and activities that might make this Christmas extra, exceptional for you and your dog.

1. Get your dog a stocking.

That is, if they do not have one already. If this is your dog’s 1st Christmas with you, this can be a extremely nice way to commemorate your 1st of the many Christmas holidays together and solidify his or her place in your home.

There are 2 choices for this small activity. you could run out to your local Target or Kmart Red Dot or BigW and find a cute little stocking with their initial on it. That’s fast, easy, and totally counts. Or, if you have got a while to do a small homemade project, create one! Decorating a stocking that matches your dog’s temperament is something fun to do while you and your dog are sharing time watching crummy Christmas movies over a chewy bone and some wine/punch.

2. Lend a homeless dog a hand.

If your dog is dog friendly, this feature may be for you. wherever I spend the holidays, many shelters and rescues would love nothing more than to get their dogs out of their facilities or boarding to get a much-needed night in a home. Just  a day or 2 in a nice, warm home goes a long way towards helping out  a dog who is not as lucky as your own dog. Run a rescue or work with a shelter? Contemplate making a short-run fostering program for the holidays.

3. Take fun photos.

Earlier this season, one amongst my dogs gave up the ghost. Not to  get momentarily morbid, however having a lot of photos of him has positively helped Me and my family grieve. The Holidays are the simplest time to form those recollections and capture them so you mostly have a token of happy, silly, spirited times.

In my house, we’ve invested in jingle bell collars. The collars look laughably goofy on my  furbabys and create a lot of noise, however in a photo it’s too cute for words so worthwhile.

4.Participate in a very special activity together.

December is one in all the few months where everyone probably gets a while off of work. To make up for all those busy days throughout the year when your pup waited with patience for you to get home, do something exceptional together that you just might not get to try to to the remainder of the year. We are thinking of taking our furbabys to the beach Yay they'll like it.
Less-intensive activities are even as special. It could also be  a special trip to a doggy playground, or a walk on a brand new path you don’t take each day. This is just one nice way to show your dog how much he or she means to you and may make the holidays even more special for each of you.

Once again I would like to thank you all for coming and reading all of my blogs this is truly a passion for me and I enjoy doing the blog posts its fun and gets my brain moving in and on the right path but if we ever seem to be talking about the same stuff and you get bored just leave a comment below on what you might like Miss Mildred and I to talk about! We would love to keep everyone happy and up to date with whats going on with us over here in Perth Western Australia!
  
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And come back soon !
Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred

Miss Squeak And Miss Mildred Are Back Blogging.

 Hello and welcome to my blog Miss Squeaks Truth About Dogs.

After a little holiday away from blogging Miss Mildred and I 

Miss Squeak are getting back on the blogging wagon, and today I would love to let you all know, that over the last few week while we have been away. 

Some very cool things have happened like we had a Chihuahua play day for our Western Australian Chihuahua Lovers Facebook group and it was amazing, I was very excited and scared at the same time, because when you create a event you worry that no one will turn up. But I should not have been worried as we had over 40 chihuahua furbabies and owners at our chihuahua big day out, it was a wonderful day.  

So much that we are having a Christmas Chihuahua Party on the 11th of December yay!

We are very excited about our up coming chihuahua party, 

and I will blogging about it soon, In other news I have started a little video series about what I have for my little girl and what I use for her, my first video I talk about my nail clippers and her collars that I use with bells on them so I can hear where she is around house, But in the next few videos I will talk about my favourite dresses, harnesses, shoes this is a very good chance for you to have a look into my crazy chihuahua madness.

 I love my little polly princess so very much and she is my constant shadow, I feel like I am the luckiest furbaby mumma as I have a wonderful sweet loving little chihuahua, she makes my days brighter and everyday is easier when you have furbabies in your life to make you smile and laugh.

We are so happy to have Miss Mildred and Sir George Wobble, and are grateful that we found them so they are able to spend their lives with us. We also took the firkins to the vet for the yearly health check and needle, we took 5 furbabies to the vet and gee that was fun, but they all behaved so very well and as they were in their pack they were all balanced and helped each other with the stressfulness that a vet visit brings. All furbabies had a check up needles and got a good bill of health, but Miss Mildred has to have one of her baby teeth removed as it hasn't fallen out, so that is a little scary, but I don't want her to get sick or have any other problems due to her baby tooth so its coming out.

  I am so happy to be blogging again as it is a passion of mine and if I can help other owners with my tips and tricks then that is even better, in my next blog I am going to be back to giving information and helpful tips for all of my wonderful readers, I really just wanted to check in and let you all know why and what we have been up too, like always Miss Mildred and I would love to hear about what you all have been up to over the last few weeks, so let us know in the comments below, and checkout the video and let me know what you think as it can be hard to put yourself out into the world and I guess we all get a little worried people might not get what your talking about but oh well you get that and I have a few other videos to get up and have the world look at them haha, So on that note I hope you all have a wonderful week and we send happiness, laughter, love and joy to you and your furbabies!

 

 So until the next blog kiss and hug your furbabies and family, and let us know what you might like us to blog about,

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Thanks for reading

xx Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred xx

Miss Squeak Talks All Things New With Miss Mildred.

So lots of new things have been going on in our sweet little nest, Monster and I Miss Squeak went off to Bali, a few weeks ago for ten nights and we left our furkids Miss Mildred and her fur brother Sir George with my big brother and son while we were away, so they got to have a holiday too. with the other dogs in our pack, it doesn't get any easier to leave them even when we FaceTime them too see how they are going, and they come running when they hear our voices its just to cute, and makes it a little easier to go on with the holiday. 

While over in the land of smiles we went to a wonderful shop called PawzBali and wow what a fantastic shop, you can find really cute outfits and even have your furkids groomed or looked after in the upstairs boarding rooms, the owners were just lovely as well as the staff, we got the furbabies some new outfits for summer, and I can't wait to dress them in their new clothes hats and bows. 

I will post the link below. Because I believe this is a must see shop if your in Kuta her is what i got the furkids.

 http://www.pawzbali.com

Our two wonderful furry babies came to the airport to pick us up and gee this time 

Miss Mildred was very excited to see us, I was shocked a last time she gave me the cold shoulder for a week, but as she is getting older she is also growing in her development, just after we got home we went to our Chihuahua play day where for the first time Miss Mildred was able to walk around with her tail high and she was confident enough to play and respond to commands yay.

This was a very big step for her as she is so shy and timid, also we had our lovely friend Lisa come over with her two Chihuahuas over to play and this intern has help Miss Mildred come out of her shell even more, I am super proud of Miss Mildred as I thought she might just stay shy and timid, but with every Chihuahua play day she has gotten better, so to all the other mums and dads of shy timid furbabies just keep up positive reinforcement and I am sure you will see the same results as I have with Miss Mildred, 

In our next big news! We finally got to meet the newest member of our pack little Soso she is my mamma's Chihuahua x Poodle and aww she is so very cute and fluffy she has been coming over every second day to play with Miss Mildred and Sir George so we can have a pack that all loves each other and knows their place in the pack, 

Miss Mildred warmed up to her within a few meetings and now they play tug and fetch together  and we are starting to command train her for my mumma, I will keep you posted with updates. and new pictures, as I had a few weeks off from blogging as I wasn't very well and when I am under the weather I can't blog as its my eyes that are the problem, Yet they are letting me get back to my blogging yay! I really enjoy doing this and helping out other furbaby mums and dads. 

So until my next blog stay safe and keep your furbabys close hug and kiss then for Miss Mildred and myself Miss Squeak, we hope to see you soon! Thanks so much for reading my little update on all the things that are new with us.

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And if you have any suggestion for blog leave your ideas in the comments below. 

Sending Love Happiness Laughter and Joy

to you all.

xx Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred xx

Chihuahua Tear Staining and How To Remove It.

Tear Staining, The Cause and Correction

 Brown or pinkish brown streaks on the cheeks of dogs is a common sight.  When tears overflow from the eyes, they run down the face creating wetness that provides the perfect environment for bacterial growth.  As bacteria replicate they cause skin irritation and produce pigment that stains the hair brown or pinkish brown.  In dark-coated dogs this colour change is of little consequence, but in white furbaby's tear staining is obvious.

There are two causes of tear staining.  The first is tear-duct blockage.  In the normal canine eye, tears leave the eye via two small openings called “puncta”. One is in the upper eyelid and the other is in the lower eyelid.  Once through the puncta, tear fluid enters the tear duct that carries it to the nose.  This occurs in people as well, that’s why your nose drips when you cry.

Unperforated puncta can be surgically opened but success depends on the rest of the tear-duct system being intact.

Many tear-stained dogs have a subtle eversion (turning out) of the lower eyelid, which compresses the puncta, preventing normal tear drainage.  Surgical correction of the eyelids can reverse tears overflowing in these cases.

The second cause is excess tear production, too much volume for normal tear ducts to handle.  Any eyelid deformity that causes chronic eye irritation (rubbing on the eye surface) such as an inverted eyelid or extra eyelashes along the edge of the eyelid or fur from the dog’s body, stimulates increased tear production.  Many of these conditions are simply flushed out by themselves and when this does not happen, can be corrected surgically.

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.

 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.

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.

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.

Red Yeast

One of the biggest causes of Tear Stains 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.

 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 discoloured 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.

Most furbaby owners of small light and white dogs take great pride in keeping their furbaby spotlessly clean. You can imagine then how frustrating it is to have to deal with those annoying tear stains below the eyes.

Tear stains can occur in any breed of dog, it’s just less obvious and therefore not as big a problem on dogs with darker coats. While the tears are initially clear, bacteria can grow on the moist hair, and that’s what’s responsible for making the stains the familiar red colour.

I’ll Cry If I Want To..

There are really only two causes of epiphora, which is the scientific word for tears spilling down the face. Firstly, it can be caused by excess tear production which doesn’t drain down the tear duct. This little duct goes from the inner eyelid to inside the nasal cavity, and carries excess tears away. That’s why when you cry, you usually get a runny nose too! The tear duct is narrow, and if there are too many tears being produced, it just can’t cope with them all, and the tears trickle down the face.

Weepy eyes often occur in dogs with allergies, infections or irritation due to dust. Some dogs have eyelashes growing in unusual places, such as inside the eyelid. These will rub on the eye and cause pain and increased tear production. A similar problem occurs in short nosed breeds such as British Bulldogs or Pugs – their short nose may result in the facial skin being pushed up towards the eyes, which can also lead to hair rubbing and irritation.

The second reason tear spillage occurs is because the tear duct is blocked, and doesn’t drain tears from the eyes. This is usually a conformation, or head shape, problem. Some breeds of dog such as the Bedlington Terrier or Lhasa Apso may be born without a tear duct opening in their eyelids, so the tears can’t drain at all. Other breeds have very prominent eyes, and this doesn’t leave much space for tears to collect and drain down the tear duct. This may happen in Chihuahuas, Pekingese and similar breeds. 

Why So Sad?

If your furbaby  has a chronic tear staining problem, it’s a good idea to have him checked by your veterinarian. You need to find out if there is an underlying medical problem. Hair rubbing on the eye is painful, and may lead to more serious conditions such as an ulcer on the cornea. Infections usually need a course of antibiotics to clear them up. Stray eyelashes and skin folds which cause hair to rub on the eyes may need corrective surgery. If your dog has any of these problems, you’ll probably notice other symptoms such as squinting, or rubbing at the eye with a paw.

If your furbaby has a blocked tear duct, sometimes flushing it can help. However, because the problem with the duct is usually related to the dog’s conformation, this doesn’t often improve the situation. 

Your only real option is to control the staining.

Dry Those Tears

Your first step is to keep the hair around the eyes trimmed nice and short. This helps the hair dry out quicker and slows the growth of any bacteria.

Some vets recommend using antibiotics to control the bacteria that cause the staining. This isn’t a good long term solution because you may end up with the bacteria becoming resistant to the antibiotic. 

There has been some suggestions that changing a dog’s diet can reduce tear staining. It’s not known if the change in diet has a direct effect on the staining, or whether the tear staining is secondary to a food allergy, and the dietary change reduces the symptoms of that allergy.

There are also many anecdotal cures, such as giving your dog demineralised water to drink, avoiding foods containing beet pulp, and adding buttermilk to the diet. None of these have been proven to consistently make any difference.

Chihuahuas experience problems with tear staining at the corners of the eyes. Tear stains typically manifest in the form of dark yellow or brown stains. Such stains are typically the result of some kind of eye irritation, which may be caused by long hair, ingrown eyelids or blocked tear drainage holes. If your Chihuahua shows signs of tear stains, try a home remedy to clean them. Once you have cleaned your dog's eyes, you can take a few simple steps to prevent the stains from coming back.  

 This is what I use and do, Items you will need.

Damp Cloth, Milk of Magnesia, Corn Starch Cotton Swabs Peroxide and Ophthalmic Ointment.

Check your Chihuahua's eyes to be sure there isn't anything stuck in it, causing irritation and tearing. If your furbaby's eyes are red and swollen, or if deformities are visible, take them  to see your vet immediately.

Step 2

Wipe the area around your Chihuahua's eyes gently with a damp cloth to remove any buildup of crust around the eyes and to soften the dried stains.

Step 3

Use a cotton swab dipped in warm water if your furbaby's eyes are particularly crusted and they need a bit of extra attention to clean. This is not uncommon when you haven't been maintaining the dog's eyes regularly. Avoid making contact with your Chihuahua's eyeball, and do not apply enough pressure with the swab to cause discomfort.

Step 4

Combine equal parts milk of magnesia and peroxide with enough corn starch to make a paste. Spread a small amount of the paste on the tear stains around your dog's eyes, working it into the fur.

Step 5

Let the milk of magnesia mixture dry for up to four hours, then wash it out completely and let your Chihuahua's fur dry. Apply a thin layer of opthalmic ointment to the area around your dog's eyes after washing out the milk of magnesia mixture, to prevent irritation.

Step 6

Repeat the milk of magnesia treatment every other day for one week or until the tear stains have lifted.

Step 7

Trim the fur around your dog's eyes using a pair of blunt-nose scissors. Fur growing too close to the eye is one of the most common causes of tear stains, so trimming the fur should help prevent irritation and thus future stains from forming.

Step 8

Consult your veterinarian if excessive tear stains persist. This is what I do for Miss Mildred and it does work, But like I have said if you think there might be a problem with your fur baby's eyes and tear staining take them to the furbaby doctor and have them checked over, Because they might have a tear ducts that are blocked or maybe eye lashes causing problems.

 

  Miss Mildred and myself Miss Squeak really hope this information has helped you understand tear stains and why they can occur and what you can do to keep them at bay the trick I use works well for Miss Mildred and her fur brother 

Sir George, I also put white vinegar in the water that they drink as it helps balance the ph level in the water and another thing I use a stainless steel water bowl as I was using a red plastic bowl and was told by Miss Mildred's Furbaby Doctor that the dye might leach out in to the water hence adding to the red stain on her face, So once again I hope my blog as helped you a little more in understanding why this happens and what you can do to prevent it from getting to bad.

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Chihuahua Tear Staining and How To Remove It.

If you have any other suggestions on how to remove the tear staining let Miss Mildred and I know in the comments below so we can share this information with other furbaby Mums and Dads, Once again Thankyou for reading and we will see you back here on our next blog, 

Sending Love, Laughter and Light to you all.

 xx Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred xx