Ear infections are very common in dogs. Among all dog breeds, Poodles and Cocker Spaniels are the ones most prone to this type of health concern. Yeasts or bacteria are the common causes of these infections. And this condition could make your pets uncomfortable and very irritable.

Symptoms of Ear Infection in Dogs

You’ll know if your dog is suffering from ear infections if its ear canals seem to be very sensitive.
Normally, your dog will shake his head frequently in the attempt to get rid of the fluid or debris present in its ear. You will also see your dog scratching his ears habitually or tilting it to one side. As a result, its ears would get red and even seem swollen. You may also notice that your pet’s ears are slowly developing a foul odor. Yellowish or black discharge could also appear from time to time.

Causes of Ear Infection in Dogs

Ear mites can possibly cause ear infection in dogs. However, mites are more common to puppies than adult dogs. Adult dogs would only develop ear mites if it gets associated to puppies that have them. Ear mites could trigger the infection because they become carriers of fungi and bacteria.

Aside from ear mites, the accumulation of wax in the dog’s ear could also be the reason why dogs develop ear infection. This only goes to show that regular cleaning of the dog’s ear is very important. Proper hygiene is still the best way to preventing ear infections.

Aside from these two causes, a foreign body finding its way into the dog’s ear may also be the culprit. Any debris in the dog’s ear, such as matted hair or tumor, could possibly lead to this health concern. Impaired ear drainage is also one reason why dogs develop ear infections.

Diagnosis for Ear Infection in Dogs

Diagnosing the severity of the disease and the reasons why your dog had developed ear infection is very important so that the veterinarian can administer the right cure. To check the dog’s ears, an otoscope is used. The otoscope is a medical instrument equipped with both light and magnification powers for proper viewing of the ear canals. With the otoscope, the vet can easily see if there’s any foreign object or debris present in the dog’s ear. Some dogs would find this procedure painful. For them, sedation may be required.

The vet could also get a sample taken from the ear canal to check what it is made of. He would analyze it using a microscope, following the basic cytology process. Here, the vet tries to determine which organism had caused the infection. It could help him prescribe the right medicines to counter the disease-causing elements. Further lab tests and x-rays may also be required, depending upon the severity of the infection.

Treatment of Ear Infection in Dogs

To treat ear infection in dogs, the vet may prescribe medicines designed to counter attack bacteria or fungi, depending upon which organism triggered the infection. If one or more of them are present, several drugs may be given. Regular cleaning of the ears will also be advised. If your pet’s ears are infected, it should be cleaned everyday for two weeks. If you can’t clean the dog’s ear yourself, you can ask the veterinarian to do it for you. However, for more severe cases of ear infection, surgery might be required.

Prevention of Ear Infection in Dogs

Proper hygiene is your first step to keeping your pet healthy. If your dog has pendulous ears or if they tend to grow too much hair in these areas, you have to be specifically observant of their ear’s hygiene. Make sure that you inspect them everyday after their baths. Clean them as per your vet’s instructions. Have your pet’s hairs cut and plucked regularly, especially on the ear part.

Dogs that have allergies and those with other health problems could also be prone to ear infections. Try to take your pet to the vet weekly for ear cleaning. You might also need to apply some ear cleaning solution so that infections would be prevented.

1. Good management skills: Puppies can get into trouble very quickly. A new puppy owner needs watch her puppy all of the time. When you can not keep an eye on your puppy, it is a good idea to use some type of confinement. I like to use crates. A crate is a great way to manage your puppy’s behavior when you are not home. As a former animal control officer,

I have seen many young dogs that have been injured when left on their own. Almost all dogs at some point in their lives will be exposed to a crate. An overnight stay at the Vet’s office, a grooming appointment, or if you have to travel will all require your dog to go into a crate. It is much better to teach your new puppy to love her crate than it is an adult dog.

2. Start training early: For many years dog owners have been told that they could not start training their puppies until they were six months old. This is just simply untrue. A good reward based puppy class is the most important thing that you can do for your young puppy. Your puppy will become well socialized and many behavior problems can be prevented before they ever start.

3. Socialization: You can never over-socialize your puppy. The first four months of your puppy’s life are the most impressionable. To become a confident and stable dog, a young puppy needs to be exposed to many different people, dogs, places, sounds and scents. Bringing your puppy in for grooming is a great way to introduce him/her to new environments, sounds, smells and people.

4. Puppy proof the house: Anything that you value should be put away until after the puppy stage. Also, keep a close eye on you puppy around electrical wires. Puppies love to chew on wires. A crate is a great way to keep your puppy safe when you can’t be right there to watch her.

5. Going to the vet’s office: Drop by the vet’s office when you don’t have an appointment. Most veterinarians will allow this but give them a quick call before you come by. When you get to the vets, give your puppy some treats and have the office staff give some treats also. For the rest of your dog’s life going to the vet will not be a chore. You can also do this at a grooming shop.

6. Consistency: Have a game plan for everyone in the house to follow. Bad habits develop and many dogs become confused when half the family allows the puppy onto the furniture and the other half scolds the puppy for being on the furniture. Consistency is very important in training your young puppy or dog.

7. Take lots of pictures: You will be amazed at how fast your puppy grows and changes. You will be thankful down the road for those pictures.

Decide why you want to breed your horse. What will be the intended use of the foal? Do you want a trail, pleasure or performance horse? You may want to breed your horse with a stud that excels in one specific area.

Determine your horse’s breeding. Is she bred to work cattle? Is she a western pleasure horse? If you want to pass on your horse’s natural abilities, breed her to a horse that does the same type of work.

Consider size. Do you want a foal that is bigger or smaller than your mare? Breed your mare to a stud that has a chance of giving you the size of foal you want.

Consider height. Is your mare a good height for the activities you plan to pursue? A horse that is too short or too tall will not be good for certain activities. Consider a stud that will offset the size of your mare. If she’s short and you want a taller foal, breed her to a taller stud.

Consider your mare’s traits. Does she have a back that is too long or a neck that is too short? Find a stud with the ideal or opposite traits to offset those of your mare.

Understand your mare’s personality. Is she hot, sensitive and spooky, or is she calm and laid back? If you like the personality traits she has, breed her to a stud with the same characteristics; otherwise, find a stud that has the personality traits you’re seeking.

Decide if you want to show or compete. If so, will the horse have to be registered as a specific breed, or can you have an unregistered horse? The breeding, bloodlines and registration of the stud may be very important. Otherwise, you may want to consider breeding to a horse of a different breed to give you the qualities you desire.

Determine how the horse will be bred. Will she stay at the stud’s barn for a certain amount of time, during which she’ll be impregnated and foaled out? Or will she come home directly after the breeding?

Determine if you want a live coverage - that is, will the stud actually mount the mare, or will the mare be artificially inseminated?

Determine payment for the stud fee if the mare does not conceive or slips the foal during pregnancy.

Determine where the foal will be born. Do you have protection for the mare in bad or cold weather? A foaling stall is best for mare and foal.