Rescue Dog

Some people like having pets, others don’t. Then there are people who don’t know that they are pet people because they simply have never experienced the joy that having a pet in your home can bring.

Dogs are known as ‘Mans best friend’, with good reason. They can quite simply be the most loyal friend you could ever have. Of course they won’t be able to give you any words of wisdom or go training at the gym with you but there are many other quality things you can do together. From a personal point of view my own dogs have given me so much in my life, these are just a few examples:

Companionship

Before I got a dog I struggled to find a reason to go out for a stroll or to get someone to come with me. My dog comes with me every time now. I have always enjoyed my walks out with my dog.

Motivation

Most people have those days when it’s difficult to motivate yourself. If you have a dog you have to. Every morning, my dog will make his way upstairs at around the same time and nuzzle his head under the covers to greet me. Sound like a nightmare? I can’t get annoyed with him. How can you when they are clearly so happy to see you and always appear to be in a good mood?

Safety Outdoors

Referring back to my walks, there are places I enjoy visiting that I would never have gone to by myself now, having my wonderful loyal canine companion with me provides that element of security. I know that even though he quite happily licks everyone to death, if presented with a situation where he senses danger he will turn into a protector. Although I think that I would also become a protector of him too! Well, that’s what friends are for, right?

Safety at Home

In this day and age when few people feel completely safe in their own home, having a dog can be excellent deterrant. Even dogs not trained as a guard dog will bark if they hear a noise they aren’t expecting or see a person too close to the house that they don’t know when you are not in the room. Mine does and he wasn’t trained to do it; it’s instinct. As long as the ‘would be robber’ doesn’t catch on that my dog would simply jump at him and except some kind of praise, we’ll be ok!

Entertainment

I am never bored at home I have to say. You know those days when you want to do something but don’t know what. Nothing to read, nothing on television, don’t want to do housework. Well, your four legged canine friend will only too happily provide entertainement for as long as necessary. Play catch, teach him some tricks or take him for a long walk in the countryside. Boredom eliminated!

And I got all this for the price of an adoption fee from the local dogs home and a bag of dog food every month. I wouldn’t trade my four legged best buddy for anything.

Just remember that while they aren’t human, having a dog is almost like having a child. You do need to take good care of him. He needs his medical check ups, he needs to be fed a healthy diet and he needs to be given lots of attention and guidance to make sure he grows into a good adult dog. So find a good local vet, a good pet supplies shop and read up on a few books too because there are plenty out there.

ear video

The most common ear problem that plagues or pets is the inflammation or infection of the outer ear canal, technically called otitis externa. The area between the outside opening and the eardrum can be irritated by infections, parasites, allergies and foreign objects.

Signs of Ear Problems
Signs of irritation include scratching, shaking the head, and reacting painfully when the ears are touched. There may also be a discharge coming from the ear canal. Ear hematomas, (a rupturing of the blood vessels in the ear flap causing the ear flap to swell) are common if irritation goes untreated. Depending on what caused the ear problem, one or both of the ears may be affected.

How Ear Problems are Diagnosed
Your veterinarian will use an otoscope to look into the ears. She will also take a sample of ear discharge and examine it microscopically to check for signs of infection or ear mites. If infection is present, the sample may be sent to a lab for culture. Culturing the ear can give the veterinarian information about the kinds of bacteria and what type of antibiotics will best treat the ear.  During the ear exam, the veterinarian may find foreign objects such as fox-tails or ticks in the ear canal. If your dogs ears are very painful, sedation or anesthesia may be required to fully examine and treat the ears.

Common Causes of Ear Problems
Some pets are simply more prone to getting ear problems, either due to their ear structure, allergies or skin conditions. Air ventilation to the ears is poor in dogs with long, floppy ears which results in a warm, moist environment which is perfect for the bacteria and yeast to grow. Certain breeds of dogs are more prone to allergic skin disease and skin problems such as seborrhea. These skin problems affect the ears too, causing chronic inflammation and susceptibility to infection.

The inside lining of the ear canal, like the rest of the skin, is normally inhabited by bacteria and yeast. These organisms at normal levels are harmless and only cause problems when they multiply out of control. Overgrowth of these organisms causes irritation, inflammation, foul odor and discharge. Long standing infections can lead to damage of the tissues surrounding the ear and can cause the ear drum to rupture. If the ear drum is ruptured, the infection can gain access to the middle ear, causing serious problems like head tilt, loss of balance, and inability to walk normally. Chronic ear infections may require surgery to remove the diseased ear canal (ear ablation) or to improve air flow to the ear (lateral ear canal resection)

Parasites in the ear include ear mites and ticks. Ear mites are tiny creatures that are just barely visible with the naked eye. You can view the ear video to observe the mites magnified. They are quite contagious between animals. They cause severe itching and produce large amounts of black, waxy discharge. Pets with ear mites scratch their ears incessantly. This can lead to ear or skin infections as well as damage to deeper ear structures. Sometimes ticks will attach themselves inside the ear. They may irritate the ears or obstruct the canal, preventing normal ventilation and interfering with hearing.

The most common foreign bodies in the ears are fox-tails or grass awns. These pointy seeds get caught in pets fur and gradually work their way into the skin, nose, ears, and paws where they can cause major damage. Fox-tails and grass burs are very irritating to your dog’s ears. If they are not removed from the ear canal, they may actually puncture the ear drum.

Treatment for Ear Problems
The first step in treating ear problems is a thorough cleaning of the ears. This may require sedation or anesthesia. Once all the debris is cleaned from the ear, specific medications are then prescribed. Antibiotics are used for bacterial infections, anti-fungals for yeast, anti-inflammatories for irritation and allergies, and insecticides for ear mites. Most of the medications are administered directly into your dogs ears proper administration is crucial for effective treatment. You must follow the ear medication instructions exactly and treat for the full duration prescribed, even if the ears seem better sooner. If the ears were particularly full of debris, weekly flushing may be needed to get all the debris out of the ear.

The final step is to minimize the factors that can put pets at higher risk for ear problems. Skin problems and allergies may respond to dietary supplements, antihistamines, or anti-inflammatories. Routine ear cleaning with a product recommended by your veterinarian can also help. It is vital that the ears stay clean and the pH of the ear corrected to minimize the return of the yeast or bacteria. Avoid allowing pets in areas that contain fox-tails and check for fox-tails when they return from outdoors. If signs of ear problems recur, seek prompt medical attention before the condition worsens.

For routine cleansing of your pet’s ears, we commonly use T8 Ear Solution.

If your pet has a discharge, pain or itching of his ears, please take your pet to your veterinarian for a proper diagnosis and treatment. Using the improper medication will only prolong your pet’s problem and take longer for the ear to heal.

For pet supplies, tips and more health care articles, visit LuvUrDog.com