Natural Pet Health

Otitis Externa is a medical term for a chronic or recurrent ear infection of the external ear and the ear canal. It is the result of a vicious circle of cause and effect. Poor grooming and unclean ears often act as an invitation for bacterial and fungal infections. Treatment is difficult as the anatomy of the dog ear does not allow the medication to reach the inner ear easily. Infection causes the skin lining of the external ear to thicken, which further inhibits exit of infectious fluid and entry of medications for treating the infection.

I absolutely love rubbing my dog’s ears! Regardless of the shape and size, dog ears are adorable and most dogs melt with ecstasy when they get their ears rubbed. However, ear massages alone will not be enough to keep your dog or puppy’s ears healthy.

Ears are one of the central breeding areas for yeast infections, mites, fleas, etc. and it is your responsibility to take good care of that area to prevent the buildup of microscopic dangers. You will need to keep your dog’s ears free of moisture and build up of wax because parasites grow best in that type of environment.

Different Ears Mean Different Cleaning Needs

Dog ear infections mostly involve pathogenic organisms that are sensitive to antibiotics and are easily treatable. After an antibiotic treatment regime, most of the bacteria are killed but in certain cases the residual infection is of a resistant and literally immortal bacterium called pseudomonas.

Pseudomonas is a special species of rod-shaped Gram-negative bacteria, resistant to every antibiotic known to the medical world. Gram-negative relates to bacteria that do not retain the violet stain used in Gram’s Method.

Dog ear infections are a common occurrence and there are certain factors that combine to cause infections in a dog’s ear. These are:

We tend to take our bodies for granted until the time they start to trouble us. The same is the case with the health of our dogs, at times. But any issue with health leaves us a bit unnerved since we have practically no clue about structure, pathology and treatments.

When one sees some fluid running down the ear of your beloved dog, it is likely to create a bit of a panic. But you need to understand the causes behind the problem and the treatments that you can opt for.

Your dog’s ears comprises of three segments.

The oldest dog breed in America, the Chihuahua is also the smallest of all breeds. Descendants of a much stronger breed, the Chihuahua now has a sleek and muscular body. Some of the major characteristics of the Chihuahua breed are:

* The coat may be long or smooth. The two different coats have different qualities.
* The color can be a solid one or streaked with one or two colors.
* The breed is energetic and graceful with expressions that match those of humans.
* They are devoted and loyal to the owner, as most dogs are.
* They have the longest lifespan as compared to any other breed.
* They need a lot of patience for training.
* The delicate neck and weak bones require special care.

Pets are a major responsibility and once you have decided to own a pet it is your responsibility to ensure that they are healthy and active. Though there are many issues, medical and otherwise, that you will have to reckon with, the hygiene and cleanliness of your pet is one aspect that you will need to maintain constantly.

Dog ears are often neglected while giving your dog a bath or ensuring overall grooming. Your dog may be squeaky clean from the outside and may have an extremely shiny coat, but if you have not ensured that his ears are cleaned every week, there is a high probability that your dog is slowly becoming a breeding ground for ear mites and bacteria.

Pet health issues plague everyone who has a pet at some time or another. Among other areas of concern, the one that can area that can pose a fair number of problems are ear infections.

Ear mites, and ear infections are some of the major problems that can discomfort your pets and can lead to many a sleepless nights for you too. A dog with ear mites is a less common phenomenon than a cat ear with mites but if contracted, it can cause high levels of stress for the dog and the owner.

The one way in which you can ensure that you never have to face issues related to dog ear infections is to adopt good hygiene practices. Once these practices are made into a regular habit, the chances of your dog contracting any kind of ear infection reduce considerably.

Most dogs love to ride in cars.� On any given day, while on the road, you may notice dog ears flapping in the wind. They just love it!� Traveling with your pet does take a certain amount of preparation, however.

Here are tips to help your pet enjoy the trip.

Dogs have a keen auditory faculty. To help retain this extraordinary attribute, a dog’s ear canal is L-shaped to protect the tympanic membrane (ear drum) from any kind of injury. The typical structure of a dog’s ear means that a foreign substance that enters the ear or wax or debris that accumulates due to infections, has to work its way upwards rather than straight out, as is the case in the human ear. This makes it difficult for any thing going in to come out easily.

Common ear infections like dog ear mites and yeast infection lead to an increased production of wax, which has to be removed manually. Breeding of dogs has added to the problem in as far as drooping eared breeds are concerned. The drooping ears do not let the ears dry easily. Moist ears are a sure invitation for infections to establish roots.

Shih-Tzu is a rare breed of dogs that has a coat that resembles human hair. In fact it is the hair that gives the breed its beauty and unique appearance. Although somewhat similar to a Pekinese, Shih-Tzu is a class apart in the “toy” group of dog breeds.

Like all other dogs a Shih-Tzu also demands great attention. The “living toy” is prone to infections, and diseases like the ones caused by dog ear mites. A cat may become immune to cat ear mites with age but a Shih-Tzu will need proper treatment before the condition can be treated.