Dog ear infection is one of the most common conditions seen by a veterinarian. In most cases the problem is otitis externa, or infection of the outer ear canal, which is caused by bacteria developing developing in a moist ear.

In humans, this condition is called swimmer’s ear because it often develops when water is trapped in the ear. In dogs, it tends to occur most frequently in breeds that have floppy ears or long, hairy ear canals where the hairs can easily trap moisture after a swim, a bath or even a walk in the rain. Bacteria breeds in this warm, damp environment causing infection.

It is also possible for a dog to develop a bacterial infection in the inner ear. Inflammation of the ear may also be caused by a yeast infection or by ear mites, which affect puppies in particular.

It is easy to spot a dog with an ear infection. The dog will be constantly trying to rub the ear, which will be very sensitive. It may shake its head a lot to try to shift the fluid that is collecting inside. You may see signs of redness and swelling if the dog allows you to look into the outer ear. A vet will examine this more closely with an instrument called an otoscope.

Canine otitis externa often causes a dark or yellow discharge that smells bad. For this reason, this infection is sometimes called stinky ear syndrome.

In most cases, a dog ear infection will be treated with antibiotic ear drops. The vet will usually show you how to administer the medication. As with antibiotics for humans, it is important to give the medication at regular intervals and to complete the full course.

When applying ear medication to a dog you normally have to hold the ear up straight and apply the medication with a dropper. Dogs’ ear canals are L shaped, and the infection is normally located in the horizontal section, so the medication must travel all the way down the vertical section to reach it. Once this is done, you can allow the dog to shake its head. This will help to distribute the medication and dislodge any blockage in the ear.

If a dog repeatedly gets ear infections, there may be an underlying cause that should be investigated. For example, the dog may have an allergy or hypothyroidism (low thyroid function). If an ear infection is treated without tackling an underlying problem like these, the infection will usually clear up during treatment with antibiotics but then reappear soon after the treatment stops.

Some dogs develop chronic ear infections. This usually happens when either the infection or an underlying cause goes untreated. In this situation, the ear canal may become almost completely closed, or the eardrum may be penetrated by the infection. Surgery is often required to correct these problems.

There are many different bacteria that can cause an ear infection in dogs. It is also possible for the same symptoms to be caused by some object being trapped in the ear, or even a tumor. Therefore it is best to see a veterinarian who will investigate the cause, analyze the discharge if any and prescribe the appropriate treatment for dog ear infection.

Do you have the problem of your dog not eating? It could be a health problem, or not, but needs to be explored. A dog who turns away from food could possibly have a health problem.  lets look at possible causes of a dog not eating and what you should do.

Like children, dogs often lose their appetite when they are sick.

This actually helps the body to recover because it can concentrate all of its resources on the illness without having to handle digestion of food at the same time.

Any kind of minor bacterial or viral infection may cause this to happen.

If the dog is also coughing, it may have infectious bronchitis, also known as kennel cough. This is a very common mixture of viral and bacterial infection that is easily passed from dog to dog.

The symptoms are a lot like flu in humans, including fever and lethargy or depression, but may last for up to a month.

There is no complete treatment for kennel cough and in most cases you just have to keep the dog home and let it rest.

However, you might want to have it checked by a vet. Sometimes antibiotics are necessary to prevent pneumonia.

As with flu in humans, kennel cough can sometimes be serious or fatal, especially in old dogs or those with impaired immune systems.

Lyme disease is a more serious infection that is passed on to dogs from ticks. A dog with Lyme disease will often have painful joints and may limp.

It will probably also have a fever and bad breath. Lyme disease must be treated as soon as possible to prevent serious complications from developing.

A puppy not eating may be suffering from red or demodectic mange. This is a parasite that lives on virtually all dogs and many humans, but only causes problems in puppies up to one year old or adult dogs with depressed immunity.

The skin becomes itchy, reddened or scaly and the puppy loses hair in circular patches.

Another possible cause of a dog not eating is that the dog has an abdominal obstruction. This means that they have swallowed something that is causing a blockage somewhere in the digestive system and will not pass out.

It could be a bone or anything that they swallowed that is indigestible. These obstructions can cause serious problems and you should see the vet with your dog to check this out. Surgery is sometimes required to remove the obstruction.

More rarely, loss of appetite in a dog may be caused by rabies, heart disease or heartworms. Of course, these are serious conditions that will have other symptoms too.

In summary, there may be many different reasons for your dog’s loss of appetite. It would not be possible to be sure what is wrong without seeing the dog. However, you can be sure there is something.

Dogs do not stop eating for no reason at all. Therefore, it is important to take your pet along to the vet’s office so that the problem can be investigated and the vet can discover the cause of the dog not eating.

Here are some ingredients and ideas for homemade dog food and dog biscuit recipes:

- Meat should be the primary ingredient in all dog foods. Beef, chicken, lamb, turkey and salmon are excellent choices.

- Brown rice is an excellent carbohydrate, offers many nutrients, and serves as a healthy filler to spread the meal out further.

- Brewers yeast and flour, flax seed and cod liver oil in small amounts all add nutrients to the meal.

- Garlic is a great addition to most food because it can help to fight infection and wards of tape worms and fleas. Garlic needs to be used in small amounts only.

- Some vegetables are healthy, including spinach, broccoli and carrots. Broccoli should not be used in large amounts. Vegetables should be mashed or processed to make them easier to digest.

Here are some food items that need to be left out of your homemade dog food and dog biscuit recipes:

- Chocolate, which can cause seizures.

- Tea and Coffee, which can cause seizures.

- Grapes and Raisins, which can cause kidney failure.

- Nutmeg, which can cause seizures.

- Raw eggs, which can contain salmonella.

- Onions, which can interfere with blood circulation and cause allergic reactions.

- Macadamia nuts, which lead to paralysis.

- Moldy foods or foods past their expiration date.

- Fruit pits, as many contain cyanide in small doses.

- Fish Dinner -

* What you need:
- 1 can of salmon with the bones removed,
- 1 beaten egg
- 3 Tbsp of cornmeal
- 1 Potato
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Celery Stick

* What to do:
- Combine the salmon, egg and cornmeal together and mix them well.
- Form the mixture into patties and lightly coat with additional cornmeal.
- Fry each patty in a small amount of canola oil until both sides are brown.
- Chop the patties into small bites.
- Chop vegetables into small pieces and boil until soft.
- Mix vegetables with small bites of salmon and egg patties.
- If moisture is desired, consider adding a spoon full of cottage cheese.

- Lamb Dinner -

* What you need:
- 1 lb of ground lamb (This same recipe can be made using beef if you desire.)
- 1 to 2 cups of brown rice.
- 2 stalks of broccoli.
- 2-3 medium potatoes.
- 3 medium carrots.
- 1 sheet of Kombi sea kelp, optional.

* What to do:
- Brown the lamb in a frying pan.
- Add between 4 and 5 cups of water to a crock pot.
- Cube potatoes and add to the frying pan.
- Slice broccoli and add to crock pot.
- Add everything else to the crock pot and add enough water to cover ingredients.
- Add brown rice to rest of ingredients in crock pot and mix together.
- Cook until vegetables and rice have softened thoroughly.

- Doggy Helper -

* What you need:
- 1 cup of ground beef
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 2 boiled eggs, chopped up
- 1 half cup cooked plain oatmeal
- 1 jar of baby food green beans
- 1 jar of baby food carrots
- 2 Tbsp of cottage cheese

* What to do:
- Cook the ground beef in the canola oil
- Combine all of the ingredients together
- Serve all of the ingredients at room temperature
- Consider adding a multi vitamin or a mineral supplement for additional nutrition
- Keep unused portions in a covered container and refrigerate

- Fido Casserole -

* What you need:
- 1 cup of poultry of your choice, boiled and chopped up
- 1 half cup brown rice
- 1 half cup of mixed vegetables
- 3 to 4 tablespoons of unsalted chicken or turkey broth
- Salmon as an optional replacement for the diced and boiled poultry

* What to do:
- Boil and chop up the poultry or salmon of your choosing
- Cook the half cup of brown rice
- Boil the mixed vegetables until they have softened
- Stir all ingredients together and serve them at room temperature
- Consider adding a multi vitamin or a mineral supplement for additional nutrition
- Keep unused portions in a covered container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

- Cheese and Garlic Bites -

* What you need:
- 1 cup wheat flour
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp soft margarine or butter
- 1 half cup of milk

* What to do:
- Mix the cheese and the flour together
- Add the softened butter and garlic powder
- Add milk slowly until a stiff dough is formed (Not all the milk will be needed)
- Knead the dough on a floured board for several minutes
- Roll dough out to ¼ inch thickness
- Cut bites into shapes, and place on cookie sheet
- Bake bites for 350 degrees for 15 minutes
- Allow to cool until both cold and firm
- Keep bites in refrigerator for freshness

Homemade dog food recipes can be switched around to so your canine pal does not get bored.

Looking to find the best family dog? A breed that fits with your life style? Consider the hunting dog breeds!  Their ability to love people and learn and have purpose are some reasons they thrive as family pets..

•    You can easily train your dog to hunt with you, but you can also train him to sit, stay, shake, and keep watch over the baby crawling on the floor when you go into another room.

•    Your hunting dog will make a good family dog because he will always be full of excitement.  He’ll have his extended puppy stage, where he’ll like to romp and play with the children, but he’ll never be too wild or callous with them. He’ll also grow into an adult who is calm and gentle with the kids and you, but who will always enjoy a good hunt, or a good romp in the grass with the family.  Having fun makes hunting dogs one of the best breeds for children of all ages!

•    Hunting dogs make great family pets because they can be easily trained to alert you to danger. If you train your hunting dog to hunt with you, he’ll help keep you safe while you are hunting, along with catching your kill. However, even if you don’t train your dog to hunt, he’ll still feel that it is his job to keep the family safe. You can put him in the yard when the kids are playing, and know that he’ll alert you to any danger. He is a great family watch dog  as well.

The temperament of a hunting dog is also one of the things that make him a good family dog. Temperament is very important in choosing dogs.

•    Hunting dogs are known to be very sweet and docile with all members of the family. You can feel safe allowing him to play with the children. He can be a family watch dog, as well as a great breed for children, because of how sweet he can be.

Lyme disease can be an illness that has the potential to be fatal. If your pet is in an area where ticks are present, there is always that possibility of contracting lyme disease. It is spread by ticks, especially deer ticks in the USA and sheep ticks in Europe.  It first identified in 1975 in Lyme, Connecticut USA, so it is a relatively new disease.

Symptoms of lyme disease in dogs is similar to rheumatoid arthritis.  Their joints can become inflamed, and feet and legs become sore. This means that the dog will start to limp and may have swelling around the joints or lymph nodes.

A fever usually develops, with the dog running a temperature a couple of degrees higher than normal. Normal body temperature for a dog is 101 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit (around 38 to 39.2 degrees Celsius). 103 or above indicates a fever.

A dog with Lyme disease will probably not eat at all and may throw up. His or her breath may smell bad, like ammonia, and the stomach may be bloated and tender to the touch.

In the later stages, dog Lyme disease symptoms include confusion and seizures. If untreated, the disease can eventually cause kidney failure, neurological disabilities and myocarditis, which is similar to a heart attack.

In most cases, the tick has to be on the dog’s body for at least 24 hours before it will transmit Lyme disease. So if you always remove ticks from your pet quickly, then he or she is not so likely to develop this illness. However, it can be hard to know how long a tick has been on your pet, so keep your eyes open for symptoms of canine Lyme disease any time that your dog has had a tick.

Note that Lyme disease may not develop until several months later. It can take 2-5 months for this illness to become apparent in your dog.

It is possible for humans to get Lyme disease too, but it is always caught directly from ticks. So you do not have to worry about catching it from your dog. You will only get it if you have had an infected tick settle on you.

There is a vaccination for Lyme disease which can be given to dogs. However, there is some controversy around its use. Some vets feel that the vaccination is not effective enough to be worthwhile, as it is still possible for a vaccinated dog to contract the illness. But if you live in an area where Lyme disease is common and your dog picks up a lot of ticks, vaccination might be something to consider. You can discuss this with your veterinarian.

If you think you recognize the symptoms of lyme disease in your dog, take him to the veterinarian immediately for treatment. It is usually treated with antibiotics.

Some Home Remedies For Constipation

At home dog constipation treatment can be done, but you need to monitor your pet closely. This  can be painful and uncomfortable just like in humans.  Once constipation has been identified, it is can be simple to treat.  Always consult your Veterinarian!

There are both medications and natural remedies for dog constipation.

Does Your Dog Have Constipation?

If your dog is constipated, you will probably notice that he or she has difficulty passing feces. The feces are small and very dry. You may also notice blood in the feces or bleeding from the rectum.

Dog Constipation Treatment

Mild constipation can be treated at home. The usual way is to give the dog more fiber in food, just as you would with a human.

Canned pumpkin is very effective in treating dog constipation. Be sure to get the unsweetened kind.

Most dogs will like the taste if you serve it along with their regular food and they don’t need much.

1 tablespoon twice a day is enough for a small dog (under 25 pounds), 2 tablespoons for a dog weighing 25-50 pounds and 3 tablespoons for a large dog (over 50 pounds).

If your dog is prone to constipation, you should probably add fiber to the diet all of the time, not only when constipation appears.

Some grated vegetables or canned pumpkin can be added to the main meal of the day.

Another source of fiber is psyllium husks which are sold in health food stores and can be used for treating constipation in humans too.

You may find it under the brand name Metamucil (R). Do not use sweetened or flavored varieties.

To give psyllium, sprinkle a little on the dog’s food either once or twice a day, from a quarter teaspoon for a very small dog to 1 whole teaspoon for a large dog.

Be sure that water is freely available to a dog who is taking psyllium because it absorbs a lot of water in the stomach.

Milk gives many dogs diarrhea and therefore some owners give milk to constipated dogs. In most cases, this is not an ideal solution. The dog may be allergic to lactose, causing not only diarrhea but perhaps other symptoms too.

If you do want to try milk, give it one time only, just a quarter cup to half cup depending on the size of the dog.

Mineral oil is frequently used to lubricate the digestive system, although it can deplete the dog’s stores of vitamin A and other essential nutrients so it should not be used for more than 7 days and some vets do not recommend it at all.

Mineral oil is almost tasteless so you can just mix it with a little food and the dog will eat it. The dosage is from 1 teaspoon for a very small dog, to 4 teaspoons for a large dog, twice daily.

If your dog is not eating, or if your dog’s constipation continues despite treatment or recurs after treatment stops, it is important to see a vet to rule out other problems.

Constipation can sometimes be a symptom of a more serious underlying condition, such as hernia or intestinal obstruction. In some cases these require surgery.

Do not assume that dog constipation is always a minor condition. Always consult your Vet for professional advice!

Dog health allergies can be the same as humans.  Dogs allergic reactions can produce the same symptoms.  Itchy skin is a common reaction that will leada dog to constantly scratch.

Respiratory problems such as coughing or sneezing, or digestive symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea can also be an allergic reaction.

An allergy is simply a hypersensitive reaction to a substance that is usually considered harmless. It happens when something that most animals would not have a problem with, triggers an immune system response in a particular dog.

Sometimes a pet can become allergic to something that never gave him a problem in the past. Often this is because he has been over exposed to it for a while. This happens in humans too.

Some things that can cause dog allergies:

1. Flea allergies

While of course fleas always cause discomfort and scratching, sometimes a dog will develop an allergy to the saliva of the flea. This makes the bites intensely itchy and can cause the dog to start chewing his skin.

The remedy for this is to get rid of the fleas and protect your dog from these parasites in the future. It is not possible to stop your pet from encountering fleas because they can be found in all the places he likes to go when you take him walking, as well as when he meets other dogs.

So do not wait for the fleas to become a problem, but treat him every couple months whether he seems to be scratching or not.

2. Food allergies

Dog food allergies are very common, especially as a result of built up intolerance to ingredients used in most dog foods including dairy products, soy, corn or even beef or chicken.  You will need to change the dog’s regular food.

You may need to try several different brands until you identify one that does not cause a problem. The allergy may disappear after around 6 months and at that point you can rotate foods every few months to prevent another intolerance from building up.

3. Contact allergies

Just like many children, dogs can become allergic to household products that come in contact with their skin. This could be the detergent that is used to wash their bedding, a spray that you use in the house, something they come into contact with in the yard, or plants that you have in the house or garden.

The symptoms of contact dog allergies are often a lot like eczema in humans. The dog will usually develop dry, red, itchy patches of skin. The skin may form blisters or become cracked.

If you can identify what is causing the problem, you may be able to remove the irritant from the dog’s life. If not, your pet can be treated for contact dog allergies with oral steroids or shampoos prescribed by your vet.

Don’t forget the dog training treats when working with your dog.

Most dogs perform well when there is a reward involved and a treat is all he /she will need.

It can be anything, from a piece of cheese or hot dog to a fancier treat you buy at a pet store.

Training your dogs involves patience and decipline on your part. It is easy to become discouraged if your buddy does not get your commands on  the first or second attempt.

It is important that you repeat the training process, in a calm and orderly fashion.

Never yell or hit your dog. Your dog really wants to please you, and he just does not understand all your training commands.
So it is at times better to train using a little bribery.

Anything that motivates him/her to listen and obey, will work as a dog training treat.

Mold is bad for your dog.Molds  are small fungi which grow on plants and fibers, particularly in warm humid environments.

You’ll no doubt have seen mold on foodstuffs such as bread and fruit; you can also find mold growing on the damp walls of your home.

There are thousands of species of molds in the world. Not all molds are dangerous; in fact the antibiotic penicillin is derived from a species of mold called Penicillium.

Molds produce chemicals called mycotoxins, and it is these mycotoxins which are responsible for poisoning in your dog.

Stachybotrys is the species of mold which grows on your walls after a hurricane or flood. Mycotoxins produced by Stachybotrys can cause a general ill health in your dog, but they can also specifically affect the lungs.

If a dog breathes in mold while living in a damp home, there is damage to the walls of the tiny blood vessels in the lungs.

When your dog’s breathing is stressed, such as when exercising or when under a general anesthesia, these tiny blood vessels break down, resulting in bleeding into the lungs.

Treatment of lung bleeding is the use of medication to stabilize the blood vessel walls and stop the bleeding, and antibiotics to prevent bacterial infection in the lung.

Bacteria grow very well in blood. However, your dog may not recover.

The second source of mycotoxins that can poison your dog is moldy food. The main species of mold which grows on foods your dog may eat is Aspergillus, and the toxin is called aflatoxin.

Aflatoxin is one of the most poisonous substances found in nature. A sudden high dose of aflatoxin causes severe liver damage, with depression, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, yellowing of the gums and death within 3 days of eating the moldy food.  Mold is bad for your dog, so you wil need to seek the advice of your Vet. as soon as possible.

Often though, if Aspergillus is growing on the grains in your dog food, for example, your dog will be eating a little aflatoxin every day.

Your dog will be depressed, off his food, weak and he may drink a lot of water. This can also be fatal.

Some veterinarians believe that this slow poisoning by low doses of aflatoxin is under diagnosed, and occurs more frequently than we think.

Prevention of illness due to Stachybotrys involves preventing the growth of black molds on your home after flooding or thunderstorms.

This isn’t always easy so it can only take a couple of days after your home is damp for the mold to grow.

Controlling aflatoxicosis may be more difficult. While we can avoid giving our dog moldy food, we don’t have a lot of control over commercial pet foods.

There have been cases of aflatoxicosis reported in dogs after eating moldy dry food.

So you can see, mold is bad for your dog,  and should be avolded at all costs.

Dogs and antifreeze poisoning is a common poison for dogs because it tastes sweet and they like the taste.

This Toxin contains ethylene glycol which  is not that poisonous. But in the body, it  changes to a very toxic chemical which destroys the kidneys.

A dose of around 5ml per kilo in dogs is usually fatal. Antifreeze poisoning usually occurs in colder climates, however some decorative snow globes contain a small amount of antifreeze.

If they break and the dog licks up some of the liquid, that may be enough to poison him.

The early signs of antifreeze poisoning are due to the ethylene glycol itself, and include depression, head tremors, vomiting, excessive drinking and staggering.

These appear within a matter of hours, and may not be very severe. Sometimes owners don’t notice there is anything wrong in the early stages of poisoning.

Run, don’t walk to the closest veterinarian! This can be a big dog health problem

Your dog may appear to recover, but in the body the antifreeze is being converted to the more poisonous chemical.

This will cause kidney failure within 1-3 days, with symptoms of a sick dog,…vomiting, mouth ulcers, coma and reduced or no urine production.

Diagnosis is difficult; your dog can have blood tests to check for ethylene glycol but these are only useful within 48 hours after your dog has drunk the antifreeze.

Blood tests can suggest antifreeze poisoning, but are not specific. .If you can tell your vet that your dog has been exposed to antifreeze, he is able to start aggressive treatment straight away and hopefully prevent worsening of your dog’s condition

To give your dog the best chance of survival, treatment needs to start within a few hours of your dog drinking the antifreeze, before symptoms of kidney failure occur.

Your vet will make your dog vomit, to remove any antifreeze from the gastrointestinal tract and stop any more absorption.

Intravenous fluids are essential to flush the kidneys, and your dog can be given medication to slow the conversion of ethylene glycol to the more toxic chemicals.

Dogs and antifreeze poisoning usually have a poor survival rate. By the time kidney failure occurs, it’s unlikely your dog will survive.

To prevent antifreeze poisoning, you need to be meticulous about wiping up any leaked or spilled antifreeze.

The liquid can persist in the environment; if an area has been cleaned of antifreeze and is then dampened at a later date; the antifreeze residue can rehydrate.

Always see your closest veterinarian!!!!!!