Dogs can get pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis. If the conjunctivitis is caused by an upper respiratory tract infection, it can be contagious to other dogs but is usually not contagious to people. There are different types of conjunctivitis: allergic, viral, and bacterial. But the main thing is that it's just inflammation of the pink part or the fleshy part of the eye.

Cataracts are where the lens becomes super thickened, and it's almost mineralized. No light can get to the back of the eye. I cannot see to the back of the retina when I'm looking with my scope, and they cannot see out. Cataracts can be diagnosed through a physical exam. They appear like a bright white starburst in the eye. The only 100% effective treatment for cataracts is cataract surgery, in which the diseased lens is liquefied and replaced with an artificial one. It's actually amazing because these animals wake up and they can see. There was a case I saw in vet school, it was an older diabetic dog. She was about eight or nine, and she's been blind for two years. She was my patient, and when she woke up, I was right there with her. I got to take her outside for the first time, and she hadn't been able to see for two years. Just seeing the joy on this dog's face is amazing. There are veterinary ophthalmologists that can perform cataract surgery, but it's a highly rewarding surgery and it is a fix.

Yes, breeds with smooshed faces, also known as brachycephalic, such as Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsas, Pekingese, and in some cases Pomeranians, are more prone to eye issues. This is due to their shallow orbits. However, eye issues can occur in any breed.

The best way to determine if your dog's eye is injured is by visually examining the eye. Look for abnormalities such as redness, discharge, excessive tearing, or squinting. Other signs may include the dog refusing to open its eye, swollen eyelids, or the presence of a cyst or growth on the eye. These are indicators that something is wrong and needs to be checked out.

You don't but you can. It's not really necessary unless you've noticed that your dog's coat is super rough. You want to use one that's specific for dogs. I actually really like the Burt's Bees brand. You can get it from Amazon. They have a really good cool little oatmeal shampoo that I love for soothing skin along with the cream rinse.

Yes, there are some medicated shampoos that can help. Itching is usually a symptom of another problem like allergies of some sort so that's a question that we probably need to sit down in an exam room and have a talk about.

We want to start when they're puppies, getting them used to water. That's a good time to do it in the kitchen sink. You want to use warm water. That way it's not a shock to their system. Just start gradually. You can also have someone else in your household feeding treats to do this when they're hungry and that creates more of a positive experience. So we're working on positive reinforcement. If they are puppies, you do want to make sure you're using a tearless shampoo or a puppy shampoo and really avoid the eyes if at all possible. If you do need to bathe the head, then make sure you're using human baby tearless that will work really well. That way it doesn't hurt their eyes if it gets in the eyes.

We want to make sure that we're not drying out their skin. So sometimes if you're bathing your dog when it's not medically necessary, more than once a week or once every two weeks, you can start to notice that their skin gets a little dry. That's because we're drying out the top oil layer of the skin. I would recommend no more than once a week if not every two weeks and it's going to be dependent on what your dog needs and what you're seeing.

Environmental enrichment involves stimulating your dog's senses - smell, hearing, etc. This can be achieved by activities like being outside, playing fetch or ball, and even simple walks. Providing an outlet for the brain helps prevent unwanted behaviors. There are also many tools available like snuffle mats, puzzle balls, and lick mats that can provide additional stimulation. A happy and tired dog tends to be a well-behaved dog. A tired puppy is a well-behaved puppy. Tire your puppies out. Play with them, and then they won't do things that they're not supposed to do, like eat things and make bad life choices.

Let's talk about punishment. Punishment can mean a bunch of different things. When someone says punishment to me, I'm thinking it is like when I got spanked for going out in the parking lot when I was little without looking, because that happened, and I do have that core memory. We have to look at the spectrum. I believe in levels of punishment, but I don't like that word. I almost want to use, like, correction or redirection. We don't necessarily need to punish, but we need to redirect the situation, and they need to know that they haven't done something right, but we don't have to hurt them to let this happen. You can use negative reinforcement.

For instance, my husband's cat is kind of a turd. He's been like us since he was a kitten. He bites, and I could not train him out of this. He knows that if he tries to bite me, he’s going to get flicked in the nose. Am I trying to hurt him? No. Am I trying to get him to stop and he knows not to do it? Yes. He knows exactly what that means. If I go up to him like this because he's gnawing on me, he knows that's not good. So punishment can be if they potty in the house and you do something surprising and you put them outside. That's not really a punishment. You're redirecting the behavior because most dogs don't have a long attention span, so there's also the possibility that they're not going to know why they're in trouble. If you catch them in the act, I usually like a big exclamation to startle them, and you pick them up and go outside, and when they make potties outside, you reward them.

Crate training is also great. I would say if they're doing things that are not allowed, like if they are growling at a child, friends, or family that are coming over, then they get put up in their crate. That's negative reinforcement. If they're jumping on you and won't stop jumping and they're clawing you up, ignore them until they have four paws on the floor. If they have four on the floor, they get rewarded. So it's not really a punishment. We have to be careful with that terminology.

Working with a trainer also can really be beneficial. I'm not a big fan of punishment unless it's something super bad and it's a knee jerk reaction. You might be able to handle it better. I've been guilty of this. I know my husband's dog is not aware of his body all the time, and he clawed me in the face the other day. Without thinking, I just shoved him off me and he fell off the couch. It was a gut reaction. So give yourself some grace if something does happen, but definitely reach out to a trainer if you're struggling.