Maltese Only News
October 2001
News on Eye Staining
Upon beginning showing our favored Maltese I, like all other owners was perplexed by the stain on the facial whiskers due to tearing. After trying many powders favored by other exhibitors I embarked on my own search to clear this problem and hoped and prayed for eventual success. I even rang the CSIRO for information on various powders, but knew even though some powder or combination of powders may work, the problem had to be cleared internally. I asked my vet for the reason of this staining and he explained to me due to lack of research not enough information was available on this subject. My vet had been taught it was due to enzymes within the body. After looking up the exact meaning of enzymes in the dictionary and finding it was a "chemical ferment", my thoughts then turned to the litmus paper test and I remembered that acids turn litmus paper red. This started me contacting various research companies for a natural product to reduce the acid within the body as antibiotics are not my scene unless essential. Lecithin had been suggested by a contact, the dosage was 1 teaspoon and was finally settled upon to mix with food and a changed result was noted. Lecithin has a detergent action within the body which is the simplest way of explaining its value. I was still not completey satisfied and felt more natural products were missing from the diet. After reading an article on the merits of a teaspoon per day for lactating mums of raw liver (or Lambs fry) to decrese the problem of fading pups, this was started with my mums. Low and behold as time went on I realized the mums facial hair was cleaner again than my "pet" Maltese as she was not having the raw lambs fry but otherwise their diets were the same. Liver contains many valuable vitamins , particularly the B group (past experiments I discovered Vitamin B1 also helped but administered on its own is dangerous) therfore the high B vitamin content of liver was another step in the right direction. I still felt there was yet another missing food.
I had read in a veterinay comment some success had been found in the adminstering of Vit C., but this is not a required vitamin of the dog. I had also tried foods naturally containing Vita C and had noticed a small response, so then figured pehaps a naturally acidic food that could be assimilated by the dog may neutralize unwanted acids within the body. Of course this, I'm told a chemical impossibility but never the less I headed in that direction, feeling personally convinced it had some merit. I felt with the lecithin and liver I had covered a wide range of food content and needed another property to balance out. I wrote to a very learned person on animal nutrition explaining my search and the pure apple cider vinegar as recommended as being perhaps the additive required. Yes, the pure apple cider vinegar would indeed turn litmus paper red, but for reasons not known to me it does neutralize the body in same way and give the desired result. This was my missing link, 1/2 teaspoon is ample but it must be pure apple cider vinegaras one of my fellow exhibitors to whom I had passed on this information bought Cornwells Cider and Vinegar and used it with awful results. Cornwells is not a pure product. I therefore give :
- "Norganic Apple Cider Vinegar" -- 1/2 teaspoon
- Lecithin granules -- 1 teaspoon
the above is available at the health shop
- Raw lambs fry -- 1 teaspoon (buy at butchers only)
mixed with their meals for 5 days each week and am thrilled with the results. Thease measurements are for an adult dog.
I would not write this article unless I had first proven this to myself and I may add it has taken 3 1/2 years of trial and error and continual seeking and pursuing all avenues until slowly the answers were found. I also feed a natural diet to my animals - no commercial dog food at all. Hoping you find this of interest , but please if you wish to try these 3 additives to your dog's diet, try it first on one of your "house" dogs for your own satisfaction and then a daily clean with the powder of your choice will change overnight and already stained face. Once this hair is stained it is stained and has to be cleaned up but with the new hair growing you will see results.
Robin Oliver
Australia
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