You are probably most familiar with these parts of your puppy because — admit it — you spend a lot of time looking at and petting his adorable face. Your puppy also does a lot activities face-first, exposing these sensitive areas to things that can lead to tearing, sneezing, coughing, itching, and so on.

Eyes and Ears

Eyes and their surrounding tissues are susceptible to a number of problems.

Dogs have three eyelids: top and bottom, and a third eyelid called the nictitating membrane, an extra layer of protection against the elements. The eyelids and the nictitating membrane all produce tears to lubricate the eye.

If one or both of your puppy's eyes is tearing excessively, suspect a problem. It could be that a speck of dust or dirt or a grass seed has lodged between the eyelid and the eyeball. If you can see the particle, you can try to remove it with blunt tweezers or a moistened paper towel or cotton ball. To help the eye heal, apply some antibiotic ophthalmic ointment such as Neosporin just inside the lower lid.

Likewise, if an eye appears red or swollen, the dog may have an infection caused by a foreign body. It is best to consult your veterinarian if such a condition exists.

Sometimes eye irritation in puppies or dog is caused by the eyelashes rubbing against the eye. If the eyelid rolls inward, causing the eyelashes to aggravate the eye, the condition is called entropion. When the eyelid rolls outward the condition is known as ectropion. Dogs with ectropion have exposed eyelid tissue that's particularly prone to damage and infection. Entropion and ectropion are both common congenital defects that may require surgical repair.

The membrane that lines the inner sides of the eyeball up to the cornea is called the conjunctiva. If it becomes infected, you'll notice a discharge from the corner of the dog's eye. The discharge may be clear and watery or opaque and thick. Typically this is the result of a bacterial infection. Your veterinarian can give you the best diagnosis.

Puppies' ears come in all shapes and sizes, from small and erect to long and pendulous. The most common problems they're susceptible to are cuts, hematomas, and infections. Many breeds' ears are cropped to both enhance appearance and to reduce the incidence of ear infection.

The skin of a healthy inner ear should be pink with some waxy lightbrown secretion in the ear canal. If you notice your puppy scratching at his ears, excessively rubbing the side of his face against the floor or other surfaces, or whining with discomfort when you stroke around his ears, suspect an infection or other problem. The skin that lines the ear canal is the perfect host to bacteria, which thrive in warm, moist environments. Puppies who swim regularly, who live in humid environments, who have long, hairy ears, or whose ears are not regularly inspected for excessive dirty wax build-up can easily develop an infection. Your veterinarian will diagnose it and give you instructions for treatment.

Ear mites can be another source of itchy, inflamed inner ears. These microscopic parasites also like warm, moist environments, where they feed on skin flakes. A scraping at the vet's office will confirm this diagnosis.

Ear flaps are most prone to cuts, bites, and hematomas. Often dogs involved in a fight will get their ears bitten. If the bite is deep, take the dog to the veterinarian; otherwise, wash it thoroughly, apply antibiotic ointment, and monitor it for infection.

Hematomas are the result of a pooling of blood in the ear flap. This can happen after a dog shakes his ears violently, scratches them excessively, or knocks them against a sharp object. Consult your veterinarian about the best way to deal with a hematoma.

Nose and Mouth

First of all, forget the folk remedy that says a puppy with a warm, dry nose is sick. Yes, a puppy's nose should typically be cool and moist, and if it's not the puppy may have a fever. But some sick puppies will have cool, runny noses. Regardless, the nose is an all-important organ to the puppy. Smell is his most acute sense; through it he learns the most about his environment and the other creatures in it.

Because the nose itself doesn't have any sweat glands, when a puppy is excited or sick, the nasal mucous membrane will secrete water. Only secretions that persist for several hours indicate a problem.

This indicates an irritation to the front of the nasal cavity (coughing or gagging means the irritation is further back). It could be the inhalation of dust or dirt, which would cause the dog to sneeze several times and then stop, or it could indicate a fever or infection if it persists. If the sneezing is accompanied by discharge from the nose and/or eyes, see your veterinarian.

The dog's mouth is made up of the lips, teeth, gums, and tongue, and is the passageway to the esophagus. While the lips and tongue can be injured by cuts or burns, injury and disease most commonly affect the teeth and gums, and it is on these that we will concentrate.

The average adult dog has forty-two teeth in his mouth (this can vary by breed, with shorter-faced breeds having fewer teeth). With improper oral hygiene, the teeth can become encrusted with plaque and tartar, leading to smelly (dog) breath, inflamed or infected gums, tooth loss, and general deterioration of the mouth.

Because of the high incidence of dogs suffering from periodontal disease, veterinarians and others in the pet industry have gone out of their way to educate owners and provide them with materials that make taking care of their dog's teeth easy.

Healthy puppies and young dogs have bright white teeth and pink gums. It is possible to keep your dog's teeth looking almost as good as they did when he was a pup. This requires regular brushing, proper feeding and chew toys, and inspection for problems.

Get your puppy used to having his mouth handled by regularly lifting his lips and gently opening his mouth. Look at his teeth and gums. Is the gum line red or swollen? Are the teeth white all the way to the gums? Do you see any chipped teeth? Brushing your pup's teeth regularly will keep you abreast of what's happening in his mouth.

During your annual checkups at the veterinarian's office, the doctor can advise you whether your puppy's teeth need to be surgically scraped to have any lingering or stubborn tartar removed. Since this procedure requires anesthesia, discuss it with your vet at length before subjecting your puppy to it.

As previously stated, healthy gums are pink and should be firm. Red, swollen, painful gums are a sign of gingivitis and require immediate attention. Your veterinarian will probably need to scrape your dog's teeth to remove offending tartar, after which you'll need to aggressively brush and inspect your dog's teeth. Severe gingivitis can lead to infection and tooth decay.