One big health advantage all but the littlest human babies have over puppies is that they are able to talk. That indicates that when they don't feel well, young children can tell their parents that they are ill, how the illness feels, and where it really is centered in their body. Puppies can indicate by their behavior that they're not within the very best of spirits, however it is up to the puppy owner to have the awareness to notice certain symptoms and the information to realize what those symptoms may well mean.
For instance, you may notice that your puppy is vigorously shaking his head or scratching and rubbing his ears. Checking him out much more closely, you may see that he reacts with pain if you touch his ears, that the part of the ear canal you can see looks swollen and red, and perhaps there is certainly even an unusual smell or discharge. All these are signs of "otitis externa," or what we additional commonly refer to as an ear infection.
Ear infections spare no breed of dog and can occur at any age, but some dogs are a lot more susceptible than others. The long floppy ears of puppies like cocker spaniels are part of what makes them adorable, however it also makes them extremely prone to otitis externa. Other puppies whose owners must be on the alert for signs of ear infection include English bulldogs and breeds with similarly unusual ear canals and puppies with hair inside their ears, including poodles and terriers. Any puppy that spends a great deal of time outdoors is also a target for this doggie illness.
You can find things you can do to prevent ear infections, including keeping your puppy nicely groomed, in particular if he falls into any of the above categories. But you need to regularly check for the symptoms of the condition, along with the moment they appear you need to take your puppy to his veterinarian. Expecting your puppy's otitis externa to basically "run its course" risks letting it get worse, in particular if the infection has spread to the middle or inner parts of the ear (and only the vet can know for certain if that has happened).
Fortunately, ear infections are effortlessly cured once you seek help. The vet will prescribe antibiotics or perhaps ear drops that you simply can administer at home (don't use over the counter remedies). Follow the instructions, and fairly soon those cute puppy ears will once much more be an object of admiration rather than a source of be concerned.
For instance, you may notice that your puppy is vigorously shaking his head or scratching and rubbing his ears. Checking him out much more closely, you may see that he reacts with pain if you touch his ears, that the part of the ear canal you can see looks swollen and red, and perhaps there is certainly even an unusual smell or discharge. All these are signs of "otitis externa," or what we additional commonly refer to as an ear infection.
Ear infections spare no breed of dog and can occur at any age, but some dogs are a lot more susceptible than others. The long floppy ears of puppies like cocker spaniels are part of what makes them adorable, however it also makes them extremely prone to otitis externa. Other puppies whose owners must be on the alert for signs of ear infection include English bulldogs and breeds with similarly unusual ear canals and puppies with hair inside their ears, including poodles and terriers. Any puppy that spends a great deal of time outdoors is also a target for this doggie illness.
You can find things you can do to prevent ear infections, including keeping your puppy nicely groomed, in particular if he falls into any of the above categories. But you need to regularly check for the symptoms of the condition, along with the moment they appear you need to take your puppy to his veterinarian. Expecting your puppy's otitis externa to basically "run its course" risks letting it get worse, in particular if the infection has spread to the middle or inner parts of the ear (and only the vet can know for certain if that has happened).
Fortunately, ear infections are effortlessly cured once you seek help. The vet will prescribe antibiotics or perhaps ear drops that you simply can administer at home (don't use over the counter remedies). Follow the instructions, and fairly soon those cute puppy ears will once much more be an object of admiration rather than a source of be concerned.
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Pet Places provides resources on how you can choose which puppy to buy and how to take care of puppies.
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