Tag Archives: dog

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Dog ear infections and causes

Dog ear infections are commonly seen in many breeds but why is this ?

ear anatomy

Certain breeds such as those with long floppy ears may be more susceptible, but we do see ear infections in all breeds with all types of ears.

The main causes are

  • Bacterial or fungal infection– if the ear becomes full of wax, it blocks the air flow into the ear, and it becomes hot and sticky. The normal bacteria or fungi that live on all skin can then grow rapidly and cause an infection. This often causes the ear to give off a pungent smell.

Treatment involves a visit to your vet to confirm the infection and then usually a course of  antibiotic containing ear drops, possibly with an ear cleaner and  oral antibiotic tablets.

Prevention- keeping the ear free from a build up of wax is the most important way to prevent ear infections. You can use an ear cleaner which helps dissolve and move the wax out of the ear once or twice weekly.

ear cleaning solutions

  • Allergies–  unfortunately allergies are common in dogs to a variety of indoor and outdoor allergens. The commonest  allergen is the house dust mite,  however other allergens such as  pollens and grasses can occur.  Food allergies are rarer but do sometimes occur.  All of these allergens can cause inflammation and redness of the outer ear and ear canal lining. This causes increased secretion of wax and a secondary infection often follows.

Treatment involves investigation of underlying allergies with possibly exclusion diets, or blood tests. The allergy will need to be treated as well as the ear infection, to prevent recurrences of the ear infection.

  • Ear mites can be the cause of an infection, but as they are passed on by close contact between dogs such as grooming each other, they are much more common in young puppies. If your puppy has noticeably waxy ears you should ask your vet to check him for ear mites.

Treatment may involve ear drops for some weeks and a spot on treatment such as stronghold.

  • Grass seeds can lodge in the ear canal and cause acute onset head shaking as well as secondary ear infections. They are mainly a problem in the summer months.

Treatment usually requires either heavy sedation or anaesthetic to remove the grass seed as it often passes deep down to the level of the ear drum.

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Dog nail clipping

Dog nail clipping is possible at home  but you need some knowledge of how to do it correctly.

  • What type of clippers should i use ?

dog nail clippers

These are the type that i use most commonly in practice, which have a scissor action. There are larger and smaller ones depending on the size of dog, generally use the small type if your dog is less than 10kg, and the large ones if they are more than 10kg.

I would not recommend the “guillotine” type of clippers as dogs seem to resent the crushing action that occurs with this type, and it is more difficult to see exactly what you are cutting.

  • How do i cut the nails?

There is a lot of variation in the pigmentation in dogs’ nails, from completely black nails, to the whiter type through which it is possible to see the pink colouration associated with the blood vessels and the quick. The quick is the sensitive part of the nail that contains the blood vessels and MUST be avoided.

dog nail

The dotted line shows the level to cut the nail approximately parallel with the bottom of the pad. If in doubt just cut the sharp tips off the ends of the nails to avoid the quick.

  • what if i cut the quick?

Dogs generally have a very good blood supply to the quick, and if cut can bleed profusely. I would suggest applying pressure to the cut surface of the nail with cotton wool or a pad of kitchen roll for 3-5 minutes. You can also use  silver nitrate or a styptic pen if available. You may have to use a light bandage to apply pressure on the cut end of the nail and bandage the whole foot, if it is still bleeding after applying pressure.  If the nail is  bleeding after 10 -15 minutes, you’ll need to call your vet.

  • How often should i cut my dog’s’ nails?

If your dog walks on concrete or other hard ground regularly, this should wear the nails down naturally, and they may never need clipping. Other dogs may need them cutting more frequently if walked only on soft ground, every few months.

  • Can i just clip my dogs dew claws?

Yes you can, as these may not wear down as quickly as the other claws, and may need trimming every 3 months.

  • Do the back paws need trimming as much as the front paws?

No, the nails on the back paws often wear down more than the nails on the front paws, and so usually don’t require as much to be clipped off.

Don’t forget clipping dog’s nails, can be tricky, so if in doubt then take your dog into your vet.