JacarandaAnimalHospital Blog: Care For Pets Animal Hospital

Let’s start off this entry by saying the most often used cliché about our canine pets, “Dogs are a man’s best friend”, which can be found quoted in the walls of every animal clinic.  Probably one of the most common household animal companions, being very intelligent, loyal and highly protective of its human counterparts. Dog owners in the United States pay pretty close attention to how they treat their pets, but even if they take good care of them, they are still susceptible to all sorts of diseases. Even if a dog stays indoors and eats a healthy diet, it will still be vulnerable to the multitude of microorganisms and parasites that may cause extreme pain and discomfort. As a responsible dog owner, it is your responsibility to know about these problems and look for ways on how to prevent them:

Ear Infections

A dog’s ears are one of the hard to reach areas in a dog’s body, which is why the chances of it being infected are sky high. Given that fact, it is a pretty common problem which can be caused by bacteria, yeast, mites and hair growth in the ear canal. This is characterized by a number of symptoms:

All of these signs point to an ear infection. As of now, there are no known home remedies that can prevent or cure it. The best thing you can do is to have your dog checked by a vet at an animal clinic. Through a checkup, it can be cleaned and given the necessary medication. In severe cases, an invasive surgical procedure may be necessary, because the infection may have crept deep inside the ear canal. The best you can do is prevent your pooch from scratching the area, which can be done by using the “cone of shame.”

Ticks and fleas

These bugs are probably one of the most disgusting organisms underneath the dog’s fur. Ticks are arachnids that just love to suck blood and detach themselves and reproduce by the thousands after which.  Fleas are pretty easy to pick up and are generally easy to treat, but if left untreated, they may have horrible consequences. Some symptoms include:

These parasites may also cause your dogs to have allergic reactions, skin infections and in extreme cases, anemia. The best way to prevent them from festering is of course to give a regular bath (at least once or twice a week) using soap and shampoo with anti-parasitic and antibacterial properties. One household remedy is to rub citrus fruit peels like those belonging oranges and grapefruit. This has been proven to repel the parasites, since they find the smell of the fruits revolting, therefore, they avoid it. 

These problems may seem to be the least of worries, but it will highly determine the health of your pooch in the long run. Aside from treating the said diseases, make sure to be proactive and have them vaccinated.