As your dog ages, you want to make sure that you can keep him in the peak of health. You know that this means monitoring his diet and keeping an eye on how easily he moves and his energy levels, but did you know that you should also take a look at his eyes? Dry eye is essentially a condition where your dog’s tear glands stop working properly and it is something that is fairly common among older dogs. The issue that arises is that when your dog has dry eye, he is going to prone to chronic and painful eye infections. If the irritation gets bad enough, the cornea can become severely scratched and this in turn can lead to ulceration of the wound and blindness.

How can you spot dry eye in your dog? This is a fairly common issue and happily enough, it can be treated fairly quickly. Dry eye will first make itself known through a thick yellowish discharge instead of the clear or cloudy tears that your dog might shed to get rid of debris. The lack of useful tears can mean that bacterial organisms are going to overgrow on the eye and in many cases, you will find that they are around your dog’s eyes might look crusty or dusty. Do you notice that your dog is “wiping” his eyes on his foreleg or have you noticed that his sight seems to be worse? He might even be blundering into doorways that he was once able to navigate quite easily.

If you suspect that your dog might have dry eye, take him to the vet immediately. Your veterinarian will usually proceed by taking a strip of absorbent material and holding it next to your dog’s eye, waiting for the tears to develop. The moisture will travel up the strip of absorbent material and this can be compared with the moisture from the eye of a healthy dog. This treatment can be taken care of very quickly and your dog will only need to have the test performed for a minute.

With good treatment, dry eye can be eliminated permanently. The first step is to take care of any infection that the eye is currently undergoing.

Past infections may have also damaged the tear glands or the nerves, and if your dog is taking any sulfa drugs, they need to be halted. Eye drops or ointment can be applied to treat this condition. Cyclosporine ophthalmic ointment as well as tacrolimus might be used for this purpose. If your dog does not respond to these treatments, artificial tears can be used. In very severe cases, a salivary duct can be transplanted into the eyelid area. Though this procedure is rarely used, it is still another option to consider.

As your dog ages, his needs are going to change, and you will find that you are in a place where you need to look into how you are going to accommodate those changes. Take some time and learn more about how to take care of your dog and what his needs are.

This article was written by Kelly Marshall of Oh My Dog Supplies - the online leader of high quality dog steps and other high quality dog supplies.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-to-treat-dry-eye-in-dogs-1429988.html

Originally a hard working gun dog used to spending its days hunting the Labrador retriever has an altogether different image today. Now, Labs are considered to be ideal family pets and if you want the perfect picture of doggie cuteness than a Labrador puppy will fit the bill. Labs are loyal and faithful companions for their owners.

Very popular with dog owners around the world the Labrador retriever is a perennial favourite with all age groups. Their cute looks and playful nature make them great companions for the young and the old and they are often trusted with jobs such as police and emergency rescue work.

Labs are also extensively used as assistance dogs for the blind and also the physically handicapped. They also excel in therapy work.

Labrador retrievers typically love water and they are incredibly strong swimmers. Their coat and otter like tail make them feel right at home in the water and they like nothing more than splashing around in ponds, rivers or in the sea.

A legacy of their gundog breeding is that Labradors are natural retrievers and they love to pick up and carry all sorts of objects. Their soft mouths enable them to carry even delicate objects with no problems and it is claimed they can even carry eggs in their mouths without breaking them. Ive not seen this myself but wouldnt be surprised if it were true. Neither would I be surprised if the Lab simply ate the egg. They do have large appetites!

Generally Labradors dont have the same problems of aggression and temperament that can surface in some other breeds and are well known for the laid back nature.

The Labs playful nature makes them ideal playmates for children and will be more than a match for even the most energetic of children. They love to chase, and of course retrieve, and throwing a ball for them to run after will give Labs amused for hours. They also love being around humans and enjoying receiving as much as giving affection.

Labs, as a breed, are exceedingly intelligent making them highly trainable though it is certainly true that they have great independence and can be quite stubborn in their behaviour.

Blessed with a great degree of inquisitiveness Labs will often follow any new scent or person they come across and can be quite determined in their pursuit ” especially if they thing there is a tasty treat at the end of the trail.

Because of these attributes, they sometimes can be easily go missing or be lured away from their owner. Because of this it is highly recommended that Labs be micro chipped as well as having the name, address and phone number of their owner on their collar.

Health wise Labs can be prone to being overweight. Their incredible appetites and ability to eat anything put before them means that their weight needs to be carefully monitored. Other health issues which can affect the breed most commonly include problems with hips and joints including the awful condition known as hip dysplasia.

But, those minor health concerns aside, it has to be said that, for many of us, Labrador retrievers are as close as you can come to having the perfect family pet!

Searching for the best information on Labrador Retreivers - look no further than the Labrador Retriever Guide an independent resource for all Labrador owners with a complete history of the Labrador Retriever

To train your puppy, one has to be patient in your ways and approaches. One of the most important aspects of dog training is to provide an enclosure to the dog in the contour of using a crate. Puppy housebreaking is a common practice and a crate serves as an effective tool to provide success in your puppy potty training. Other than taking care of housebreaking, the crate enables the dogs to decrease its anxiety of separation, and prevents behaviors, which may be destructive. Another advantage to train your puppy with the crate is mostly during stays in hotels and while traveling. It is preferable if the dog gets crate training at an early stage. However, one has to ensure that crates are not a means to punish the pups or as a confinement for them. Crate training discourages indoor dog potty . It aids the dog throughout its lifetime and helps it is helpful tool for all concerned as well. One can remove the door of the crate also once the dog gets used to it. Vari-Kennel type If your puppy accepts the crate without hesitation, there is no need to use this technique. Otherwise you can remove the screws of the crate that would open the door and let the puppy go inside and outside at her/his free will. This would train your puppy against crate potty as well. Though it may take few days, your hard work would surely be beneficial in a long run.

Wire Mesh type Train your puppy by keeping open the doors of the crate by tying its door to the back. This would give enough space for the puppy to more freedom and would not give him a sense of seclusion and confinement.

Furnishing Crate to make it attractive for your puppy

Toys and Treats: Ensure that the toys and balls that you place in the crate are not too small that your pet could swallow them. In addition, one can put a marrow bone by sterilizing it and filling it with dog treats.

Water: A water dispenser is necessary in the crate and continuously refilled.

Bedding: Bedding is important to make your pet’s crate comfortable and cozy, so your puppy feels like she/he is in her/his den. It is furthermore important during winters to provide extra soft bedding.

Location of Crate Try and place the crate close where you are sitting. This will train your puppy to go automatically inside his/her crate without feeling lonely and isolated.

Introducing the Crate to Your Puppy Train a puppy to enjoy in his crate by: • Keep hiding dog biscuits in the crate to let him find edible treasures and enjoy. • Praising pet when it enters the crate is an important aspect to train your puppy and dogs. • Play educational games with it while training, make it fun • Crate your puppy/dog only when you are at home initially, so your puppy will feel comfortable. Then as your puppy/dog is enjoying his/her new crate you can try short period’s of times when you are outside, or close to home for your puppy/dog to be crated.?

Things to keep in mind while Crate training Collars: Remove the collar from your puppy prior to putting your puppy/dog going into the crate as it may get stuck in the mesh wired crate. Weather: When weather is not comfortable, avoid crating your puppy/dog.

For more information: Our Website: www.puppy-and-dog-obedience-training.com Our Blog: www.puppy-and-dog-obedience-training-blog.com

Shawn Almgren has been a dedicated dog trainer for years, and developed the website www.puppy-and-dog-obedience-training.com as a resource for many dog trainers and dog owners,so that they can understand their dogs and provide them with whats needed to have a strong dog/owner bond and have their needs as canines fulfilled

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