Old Dog Treats & Rawhide Header

Reoccurring Dog Ear Problems And Possible Causes

Finding The Source Of ReOccurring Dog Ear Problems
Is Important In Determining How To Correct It!

dogs-ears

First, learn what to look for and familiarize yourself with your dogs ears. This is the first step to treating and avoiding continuous problems in the future.

Healthy ears should be light pink and have no odor. Many dogs have A small amount of wax which is a yellow/brown color is perfectly normal. Now, if the dog's ears are red, have an odor, contain a thick dark brown greasy substance (yeast) and the dog is pawing and scratching at the ears, then a visit to the Veterinarian for an antibiotic is necessary. Although antibiotics usually clear up the infection; often times the yeast problem returns time and time again.

The bottom line is that the symptom is treated, but not the problem.

What's Causing The Dog Ear Problem

Unfortunately, many dog owners don't associate their dogs ear problem with allergies. Some signs of allergies and sensitivity are:
  •  Sliding on behind due to anal sacs not properly emptying on their own.
  •  Constant scratching, chewing or licking.
  •  Pawing at ears and whining.
  •  Returning dog ear infections.

Keep in mind that just like humans, dogs can be allergic to many things:

  •  Believe it or not, but one flea bite can cause a reaction including an ear infection in a dog.
  •  Environmental factors such as trees, grass, pollen, mold and even dust can trigger an allergy for a dog.
  •  Like people, dogs can also be sensitive to certain drugs.
  •  Dog Ear Mites are not real common in dogs, but certainly not unheard of. Usually puppies pick up ear mites more than adult dogs and they can be passed from dog to cat and cat to dog. When a dog has ear mites, you'll notice what looks like coffee grounds in the ears. This is actually dried blood due to scratching. Ear infections also trigger excessive scratching and can cause the ear canals to bleed.
  •  Excessive amounts of hair in the ear.
  •  Swimming
  •  Last but cerainty not least, Food. More often than not, this is the problem for most continuous dog ear problems.

While humans usually react with respiratory problems, dogs react to allergies through skin problems such as inflammation and itchiness.

Treating The Problem Not Just The Symptom

  •  For pet owners struggling with reoccuring dog ear problems, DIET must be considered and should be the first plan of attack. Read More On Diet And Dog Food Here.
  •  Routine maintenance should always be part of your dog's care. Check the ears for foreign objects; thorns, grass seed and foxtails can easily get lodged in the ear canal.
  •  Hygiene and keeping the ears clean is critical for dogs that are prone to ear infections. Many breeds such as Retrievers have a large concentration of ceruminous glands in the lining of the ear canal. The secretion from these glands makes for a moist environment in the ear and is very inviting to yeast and other infections.

Cleaning Dogs Ears

A gentle ear cleaner that dries and acidifies is recommended to clean your dogs ears weekly/bi-weekly.

Most dogs prefer if you pour the cleaner onto a large cotton ball and gently wipe out their ear vs pouring the solution directly into their ear. This is o.k. to do if you clean your dogs ears regularly, if you don't and your dogs ears are very dirty, follow the instructions on the bottle of cleaner.

  •  For dogs with healthy ears, cleaning weekly is recommended.
  •  For dog ear problems associated with allergies and returning infections, clean twice weekly.

Dog ear problems can be very painful and uncomfortable. Uncover what is causing the problem in your dogs ears and always follow up with routine cleanings for your best friend.

THE FOLLOWING ALL NATURAL REMEDY
PREVENTS EAR INFECTIONS!

Keep in mind that it "will not" cure an existing ear infection.

Once you get your dog's ears to a healthy state with the help of an antibiotic from your veterinarian, start using the following remedy weekly to prevent future infections. This works by raising the Ph level
in the dogs ears.

Purchase an eye dropper bottle and the following ingredients
from your local pharmacy.

2 Tablespoons of Boric Acid
4 ounces of Rubbing Alcohol
1 Tablespoon of Glycerine

Shake the bottle before each use to thoroughly mix. Place a small eyedropper full into each ear. Cup the dog's ear and massage gently. Allow the dog to shake his head and gently blot dry any excess on the outside of the ear.
Do this weekly.


Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape

Dogs
The complete guide to dogs, with breed information, a breeder guide, free dog classifieds section and more.

Google
 


ADD TO YOUR SOCIAL BOOKMARKS:
add to Blink   add to Del.icio.us   add to Digg   add to Furl   add to Google   add to Simpy   add to Spurl   Bookmark at Technorati   add to Yahoo  

Subscribe Below To
Our Newsletter
"The Family Dog"
& Receive A
FREE e-Book!

Email

Name

Then

dog-newsletter

Your Free Bonus
"10 Simple Dog Care Tips That Deliver Quick Results"

ONLY Available To You
As A Subscriber!

We value your privacy and your e-mail address is totally secure. We promise to use it to only send you "The Family Dog Newsletter"

Join our free newsletter!
Email

Name


Your privacy & e-mail address are safe. We promise to only use it to send you our newsletter. Subscribe free to
The Family Dog!


XML RSS
What is this?
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Add to Google
Copyright  © 2009 - 2010 - old-dog-treats-and-rawhide.com - All Rights Reserved.
No reproduction permitted without permission. Our information is not intended to replace the advice or treatment of your veterinarian.