Eyewwww.   One would think you could go your entire life without discussing dog snot at length.  Welcome to Unbecoming Levity…

My elder pup, Tumblin' Tina, has developed blocked tearducts in her old age.  As a result her eyes get very icky with mucous because she can't generate tears to clean them.  So once a day (or so) I get the inestimable joy of taking a warm wet tissue or washcloth, and cleaning what is essentially globs of congealed dog snot out of her eyes.  Yes that's every bit as disgusting as it sounds.  After clearing away the mucous, I then have to put eyedrops in her eyes (artificial tears) to help clear them out and reduce the irritation.  And then I go straight to the nearest sink and wash my hands like fifty times.

Tina has more problems with the coming of Spring (just like many humans do) because of all the pollen in the air, so these days it is grosser than ever.  She's usually pretty trembly during the cleaning, but after the eye drops, she seems very happy and playful… so I think although she doesn't like the process of having her eyes cleaned, she likes it much better when they're clean.  Poor mutt.

But despite it all, she's basically a good natured pooch in her old age.  A little bit more temper to her, stone deaf (y'know, a deaf dog doesn't come when you call it), and mostly blind, but she'll still tousle about on the floor with her little ball and do a dance when she's happy (we call it the “Happy Tina Dance”–it involves scampering in a circle, rubbing her head on the floor, and then rolling on her back and kicking her legs in the air while bending side to side at her 'waist', then it's back on her feet, a snort, and a wag of her stubby tail.)  I hope she sticks around for awhile yet…