Posted by Keith Scherberger on April 29, 1998 at 20:22:29:
In Reply to: Re: Eye problems posted by Todd Biske on January 19, 1998 at 06:48:16:
> > I am concerned about my Pekingnese's eyes. When she was about a year old a vet in Chapel Hill, NC told me to go to the vet school at N.C. State University and have the folds clipped under her eyes to help keep her eyes healthy. Well, being a poor law student I couldn't afford the $1000.00 it would cost. Campy is now ten and has developed these large freckles over her eyes from the irritation of the hair in the folds rubbing against her eyes. Campy's current vet says that there is nothing that we can do. Basically she is almost blinded by these freckles and has to turn her head completey sideways to see.
> > Would appreciate any imput from anyone else with this type of problem. She is a very hearty and healthy dog and I do not want her to go completely blind. I feel so badly that I didn't have the surgery years ago.
> This is a common problem for pekes that can be easily taken care of
> WITHOUT surgery. It's a shame the vet school didn't tell you of this
> years ago. Buy a pair of blunt-tip baby scissors, and trim the hair
> on the skin fold so it doesn't rub the eyes. It must be done often,
> because as it comes back in, it will be more stiff. Once a week is
> usually enough, but it depends on the dog. You can usually see where
> the hair is rubbing and how short it must be. I would recommend you
> start doing this immediately.
After bathing my peke I take a small toothed comb and comb the hair on the fold away fro the eyes, also when I'm holding one of them I put my thumb behind the fold and push the hair forward in a petting motion. I have found that both of these methods train the hair to grow away from the eye.