Cattle

Archive for July 17th, 2009

If you consider yourself to be a loving and responsible pet owner, then you’re always looking out for your dog’s health. Nothing could be more painful for your dog then to have an unnoticed or untreated medical ailment. Ear infections in particular, are a common health condition that can easily be overlooked, even by the some of the most mindful and caring owners. It’s important that you are aware of the signs and symptoms, so that you can avoid common mistakes and get your dog treatment when they need it the most.

Ear infections can and do occur with any dog breed, however, Cocker Spaniels and Poodles are affected the most frequently. So these dog owners should be extra aware. The most common sign to keep an eye out for is a preoccupation with itching and scratching of ears. Dogs will often rub up against furniture or carpet and scratch their ears with their paws. As far as symptoms, you should be on the lookout for irritated, red inner ears and an odorous blackish yellowish discharge. If left untreated for a long period of time, symptoms may move from the outer ear to the inner ear, causing your dog to have poor overall hearing. At this point, if left untreated you dog may even experience permanent deafness, so speedy treatment is essential.

If you notice any of these signs or symptoms, then you should take your dog to your local veterinarian as soon as possible. In most cases, he or she will diagnose your dog’s ear infection utilizing an otoscope, which will magnify and lighten the inside of the ear. A small sample will also be taken and sent to the lab to determine what type of infection your dog has. Proper action will be taken after your vet determines that your dog does in fact have an ear infection. Sometimes more than one infection may be found in your dog’s ear, so several medications could be needed for proper treatment. In addition to proper medication, you will also need to make sure that your dog gets plenty of rest in a comfortable dog bed.

As long as your dog’s ear infection is treated quickly and properly, then he or she will most likely recover without much trouble. As a responsible pet owner, you need to make sure that you always fully aware of the signs and symptoms so that your dog can get to the vet early and avoid any unnecessary pain and suffering as a result of this common and incredibly uncomfortable medical condition.