Dog Ear Mites

Ear mites are a tiny spider like parasitic mite that infects the ears of dogs and cats. They usually live in the ear canals but can live on other parts of the dog or cat's body. Ear mites are the most common cause of ear infections seen by vets. They are more commonly found in cats than dogs but are a considerable cause of ear infection in dogs too. They cause pain and discomfort as they bite through a dog's skin to feed. This usually causes an allergic reaction in most dogs. Dog allergies can be as severe as in humans but with dog, symptoms show more because of the scratching that that may result in other dog health problems.

How are the mites transmitted?

Ear mites are extremely contagious. They can be passed from the mother animal to her offspring. Additionally, the mites are easily spread to other pets within the household including cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, mice, ferrets, etc. Humans are not affected.

Symptoms of Dog Ear Mites

Ear mites live inside the ear canal and they feed on earwax. As they stay for a longer time in the ears, their wastes are accumulated in the dog’s ears. It leads to irritation, swelling and accumulation of fluid inside the ear. When these mites bite the skin, it causes pain and discomfort. It gives rise to an allergic reaction in most dogs. There is an inflammatory reaction which swells up the area around dog’s ears. Some signs and symptoms of dog ear mites are frequent head shaking, rubbing the head and ears against objects, persistent scratching around the ears, loss of balance, increased earwax, vomiting, refusing to eat, sensitive ears and hurt when touched, foul-smelling odor coming from the ears and dark brown to black debris in the ears. Frequent scratching causes formation of sores around the ears.

A dog’s ear is generally dark, warm and moist. This environment is perfect for growth of yeast and bacteria. The open sores due to ear mite infestation can increase the risk of secondary bacterial or yeast infections, causing more pain. If left untreated, the ear mites can burst the eardrum. In such situation, the middle ear might be severely infected.

Diagnosing Ear Mites

Many pet owners mistake ear mite infestations for ear infections and embark on a lengthy treatment program using over-the-counter treatments to no avail.

It is therefore important to take your pet to the vet where a proper diagnosis can be made and yeast and bacterial infections can be ruled out. Other symptoms of ear mites include black or dark brown discharge from the ears (this may resemble ground coffee beans), sores or hair loss around the ear.

How Are Ear Mites Treated?

• Ear mites can be treated with products your veterinarian will prescribe that are applied directly in the ear or parasite medications that are applied right to the skin.

• If the ears have infections or build-up of debris, gentle cleaning may be required with cotton and a canine ear cleaner. (This may require sedation, depending on the dog's temperament and the severity of build-up.)

• Your veterinarian may also prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs or an antibiotic to resolve infections.

• A dog will start to feel relief soon after treatment begins, but please complete the full cycle of treatment and remember that all animals in a household need to be treated to ensure full eradication.

How Can I Prevent Ear Mites?

A routine ear cleaning once a month can inhibit the presence of ear mites. If your pet has recently recovered from ear mites, be sure to thoroughly clean his bedding and check your other pets for infection

How to Trim a Dog’s Nails

Nail trimming among dogs are very important because it brings comfort to your beloved pet. Nail trimming also reduce potential pet injuries and damage to your home. Ideally, your dog’s nails should be clipped at least once a month. They say that this is the hardest task the pet owner will do. For many pet owners, lax nail care results from fear of hurting their pet during trimming. Clipping your dog’s nails might be easier than you think, just keep these few easy tips in mind.

• First you need to have the proper equipment in trimming your dog’s nail. It is important to have a special nail clipper just for the dog. You can ask your vet an advice about what types of nail trimmers are best for your dog. Also make sure that the clippers are sharp.

• The mood also matters, it is better to start trimming your dog’s nail when your dog is in the mood. It’s very important that your dog associates the nail clipping with a pleasurable experience.

• After setting all things you can start the actual clipping. Start by asking for your dog’s paw a few times. Praise and treat her. Then take out the clippers and cut the tip of one nail at a 90 degree angle. When you start to see pale pink tissue near the top of the cut edge, stop. You can use a nail file to smooth the edges further. If the tip of the nail begins to bleed, apply pressure using styptic powder or a substitute such as baby powder or cotton. Avoid wiping the blood clot off the tip of the nail once the bleeding has stopped.

• If your dog gives positive reaction give him a treat and praise him a lot. If your dog gives negative reaction put away the clipper and start again when your dog calm down.

How to Prepare Your Dog before Visiting a Dog Park?

If you are fortunate to live near the dog park and you have a dog, it is a best place for both of you to take healthy exercise and socialization. You can bring your dog at the dog park every weekend and let him play with other dogs. But before going to the park you should be prepared to make your visits safe and fun. First, know the rules of the park and follow guidance on how to use the park. Your dogs must be properly inoculated. He is license, wearing a dog collar with ID and rabies tags, and free of viral infections. Your dogs must be leashed until they are inside the fenced, off leash area.

You should recognize risks associated with interactions with other dogs and take protection to minimize these risks. The common risk is the spread of infectious disease. To avoid this kind of risk make sure all your dog vaccinations are up to date.

At Dog Park dog fight can’t be avoided and it happens sometime. To lessen this situation you need to train your dog well. Make sure your dog always comes when called and is well-behaved when interacting with other dogs, new people, and children.

When playing in the hot sun, your dog may not notice that it is getting overheated. Make sure your dog takes breaks in the shade, gets plenty of water, and does not play for long periods in the hot mid-day sun. Remember these tips when you go to a dog park for you to have a happy visit.

Canine Diabetes

Like humans, dogs can acquire diabetes too. Dogs with diabetes need utmost care and support because it is a life-threatening disease that every pet owner should be very concerned about.

Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which the beta cells of the endocrine pancreas either stop producing insulin or can no longer produce it in enough quantity for the body's needs. The body's energy "fuel" is glucose; without insulin, cells are not able to use the glucose for its intended purpose, so glucose begins building up in the blood where it can be seen as hyperglycemia or high blood glucose levels. This most common form of diabetes (There is another form not covered here, Diabetes insipidus.) strikes 1 in 500 dogs. The condition is treatable, and need not shorten the animal's life span or interfere with quality of life. If left untreated, the condition can lead to cataracts, increasing weakness in the legs (neuropathy), malnutrition, ketoacidosis and/or dehydration, and death. Diabetes mainly affects middle-aged and older dogs, but there have also been juvenile cases. The typical canine diabetes patient is middle-aged, female and overweight at diagnosis.

There are two types of diabetes, and dogs may acquire either of these types if they’re not cared for properly. The two types are diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus. Diabetes is an endocrine disease that is brought about by the malfunction of the endocrine glands.

Diabetes insipidus is characterized by the lack of vasopressin. Vasopressin is an anti-diuretic hormone whose job is to control the kidney’s absorption of water.

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by insulin deficiency. It is a condition where the dog’s body can’t metabolize sugar well. This is the more common and more dangerous type of diabetes that dogs can possibly acquire.

Generally there's a gradual onset of the disease over a few weeks, and it may escape notice for a while. The main symptoms are:

* excessive water consumption-- Polydipsia
* frequent and/or excessive urination-- Polyuria --possible house "accidents"
* greater than average appetite-- Polyphagia --with either weight loss or maintenance of current weight
* cloudy eyes-- Cataracts

Early diagnosis and interventive treatment can mean reduced incidence of complications such as cataracts and neuropathy. Since dogs are insulin-dependent, oral drugs are not effective for them,[9][15][16] and must instead be placed on insulin replacement therapy. Approved oral diabetes drugs can be helpful to sufferers of Type 2 diabetes because they work in one of three ways-by inducing the pancreas to produce more insulin, to allow the bodies to more effectively utilize the insulin it produces, or by slowing the glucose absorption rate from the GI tract. Unapproved and so-called "natural" remedies make similar claims for their products. All of this is based on the premise of having an endocrine pancreas which has beta cells capable of producing insulin. Those with type 1, or insulin-dependent diabetes, have beta cells which are permanently damaged, thus unable to produce insulin. This is the form diabetes takes in dogs-insulin-dependency-and the reason why nothing except using insulin by injections, insulin pump, or islet transplants can be considered real and effective treatment.

The most common form of this treatment is an intermediate-acting basal insulin (NPH/isophane, Caninsulin/Vetsulin), with a regimen of food and insulin every 12 hours, insulin following the meal. With Lantus (insulin glargine) being unreliable in dogs, it is rarely used to treat canine diabetes. Most dogs don't require basal/bolus insulin injections.

The management of dog diabetes starts with a proper diet. There are foods that your dog should eat in order to help this condition. On the other hand, there are certain foods that can possibly make your dog's diabetes become worse. When your dog is suffering from diabetes, regular visits to the vet are essential. You may also be required to start using prepared meals instead of giving your dog its regular food.