Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Tips On Curing Your Dog's Ear Infections

One of the simple things to do to keep you dog's ears healthy is to clean out the debris or ear wax. Yes, our doggies get that too and it is really a good time to check for ear mites especially if your dog is scratching its ears.

When is bath time or if your sending your dog to a groomer make sure that the ears are protected during bath time and also cleaned carefully by an experienced and licensed professional groomer. It should be part of their cleaning regime to also trim the hairs around your pets ears and clean and dry the ear areas.

If your dog is a swimmer and water gets into the ear canal it can lead to infection or further problems. A dog's ear canal is shaped differently like an L shape to protect the inner ear and ear drum from damage. That being said it also leads to infection if not cleared out properly from time to time.

If you go the conventional medicine route a veterinarian will prescribe anti-biotic or anti fungus medications which will lessen your dog's immune functions.

There are home remedies that can handle the mites and infection without harming your dog's immune function which most people want to keep intact and healthy.

What Causes Ear Infections:

Dogs and cats have a higher hearing ability than humans and we want to protect that asset as much as we can with preventative pet care. Most often and about 80 percent of ear infections are caused by parasites, debris, allergies, and ear mites especially in cats.

Yeast Infections In Dogs:

It makes sense to me to treat ear infection in a natural and helpful way than to give antibiotics which can cause other problems with their side effects and damage to the immune system. If you see a brown or pink wax this is usually an indication of a yeast infection. If you want to treat this yourself, you can dilute a small amount of apple cider vinegar and equal parts water, and keep it in a small glass bottle. Put a few drops in each day and massage the ear and jaw area mildly, then remove with a cotton swab or cotton ball. Do not do this if your dog has an open sore or wound in its ear.

Adrenal Glands:

Your dog's adrenal glands plan an important part of keeping ear infections to a minimum which can be assisted by giving your dog a daily dose of Vitamin C especially as stated previously if your dog is a swimmer it may get ear infections on a regular basis. Of course a natural and healthy diet will maintain your dog's ability to fight infections and avoid the substances that cause lowered immune function.

The capability of your dog automatic immune system should be kept at a higher level to offset the toxins, and ear wax build up which lead to infected ears.

Some dog breeds have naturally droopy ears such as Basset Hounds or Cocker Spaniels will be more susceptible to ear mites its just the way they are built.

If you can tie your dog's ears up with a bandanna or a hat this will allow the air to circulate into the ear canal and dry up any moisture. It may look funny but it works wonders to prevent moisture build up in the ears.

You can trim the hair around the opening of the ear canal also to keep the air circulating and perhaps your dog may even hear you when you call. After a bath dry the ear as much as possible with a towel or carefully use a cotton swab to absorb excess moisture in the ear area.

When to Bring in The Vet:

If your dog is smelling near the ears and there is vigorous scratching, the ear can be infected as big as a balloon inside that leads to a Hematoma, which has to be drained by a veterinarian.

If your dog is also tilting, or walking crooked or in circles its time to call in the reserves. These are severe cases that have been left untreated for a period of time and may require immediate antibiotic medicines to get it knocked out in a hurry before further permanent damage to your dog's ears.

If your wondering why you dog is not coming to you when you call, check inside its ears.

Written by: Teri Salvador

Teri Salvador is a freelance writer with a site concentrating primarily on dog health issues that offers frequently updated articles on natural remedies, pet product reviews and current articles on pet foods. Also added sections on Horses, Cats and Reptiles. Visit:
http://www.DogHealth1.com

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Teri_Salvador

Saturday, October 27, 2007

What To Do When Your Dog Whines Like A Child - By John Edwards

Whining is one of the earliest vocal behaviorisms of puppies. Its first significance appears to be related to the stress of social isolation, cold and hunger. When whining becomes a problem in a pet under 6 months of age, the cause is usually easily determined by defining when and where it occurs.

Why does your dog whine?

A pup whines to gain some objective. For example, the pup that is isolated in the kitchen on its first nights in a new home finds that sufficient whining gains the sympathy of the owners, who may then carry the pet into bed with them. This puppy often generalizes its whining to many other of life's frustrating stresses, and whines for relief. Another cause may be a genuine internal physical discomfort, such as gastritis or internal parasitism. If a problem whiner has not been thoroughly checked by its veterinarian for health problems, this should be done before any remedial behavioral steps are undertaken.

Certain Arctic breeds (Malamutes and Huskies) and some strains of German Shepherds are apt to emit an excruciatingly piercing whine whenever they are anxious. This type of anxiety whining is more complex and requires careful attention to the relationship between the owners and the pet involved than the simpler forms usually shown by young puppies.

How can you stop your dog from whining?

In the simplest type of whining, that which is goal oriented, correction is straightforward: satisfy the need. However, if isolation is the cause, the problem must be solved with the same steps applied in barking.

The owner should stop isolating the pup, or, if this is impossible, gain a strong leadership position with the pup and use some distracting stimulus to interrupt the first signs of anxiety when the pet is isolated. This type of correction requires some play acting. The owner must pretend to be going off to work even on the weekends, and start the workday an hour earlier than usual to allow enough time for the correction procedure.

When whining results from generalized anxiety, the pup involved is typically a "bossy" type. These pups whine when the owner's attentions are withdrawn. They seem generally discontent in any situation they cannot control, such as car rides, when the owners have company and try to ignore the pup, or when the owner tries to make a telephone call. In other words, these pets become the canine counterparts of human children best described as spoiled brats.

Correction in these pups involves the owner's gaining response to simple commands, such as "Come," "Sit" and "Stay." The puppy must be ignored at all other times insofar as praise, petting or other unearned social (or food) rewards are concerned. If the pup pesters for attention, it is immediately given one of the commands taught and then petted briefly. This teaches the puppy that the owners are in control of the relationship and avoids physical punishment, a step that is usually unsuccessful.

For information and tips on enema for dogs, visit http://www.dogcaretraining.com, a website that specializes in providing tips, advice and resources on dog care, training and health.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Edwards






Thursday, October 25, 2007

Taking Your Pet on Holiday -

Can I take my Pet on Holiday with me?
These days it’s easier than you might think to take your pet on holiday with you. Since the introduction of the PETS passport scheme, flying with animals has become much easier.

Which Airlines allow Pets?
When flying internationally you've got a reasonable choice of airlines. British Airway will allow cats and dogs travel as hand luggage or in the hold. Virgin Atlantic allows cats, dogs to travel as cargo in the hold. Dutch Airline KLM will carry pets as hand luggage, checked luggage or as freight. Lufthansa carries pets as hand luggage or cargo, American Airlines carries cats and dogs in the cabin or in the hold and many of the other large international airlines also transport animals. All airlines will require you to reserve your pet's travel before you go. Each airline has slightly different regulations about what and how they will carry animals. While some airlines allow pets in the cabin, others do not and there is always an administrative charge for transportation of animals.

Low-cost airlines
None of the UK based low-cost carriers will allow pets to travel in the cabin. Only Flybe will allow pets to travel in the hold as cargo. Some European discount airlines have different rules:
• Germanwings allows cats and dogs to travel as hand luggage, travelling in a waterproof box, as long as the total weight is less than 8kg and the total dimensions less than 45 x 29 x 22cm.The Scandinavian low-cost carrier Sterling.dk allows cats and dogs to travel in the cabin instead of a hand luggage baggage as long as the dimensions do not exceed 50x40x25cm and the weight does not exceed 10kg. Pets can also be carried in the hold for a cost of €6 per kilo.

How to carry your pet?
You can book your pet to fly two different ways: accompanied or unaccompanied. Accompanied flying does not necessarily mean that your pet will be able to sit with you. If the animal is traveling with you, the travel cage will have to be small enough to fit under the seat in front of you and the standard maximum allowable weight is normally 8-10kg. Normally, only one pet is allowed per basket (and only one basket per passenger) though some airlines will permit very small animals to travel together, usually with a maximum of two per Cage, so two young puppies, under the age of six months, might be allowed to travel together. But note that no airline will transport animals that have not yet been weaned.

If your pet is traveling in the hold, you must provide enough food and drink for it for the journey and you must have fed it within four hours of the departure time. The hold is usually left dark so that the animals can settle down to a good sleep and the temperature is controlled. Be careful if flying in the summertime as pets will not be carried on planes if the temperature is expected to exceed 85F at any point in the journey. Snub-nosed dogs and some breeds of cats (such as Siamese) have even stricter travel procedures, because they find it harder to breathe than other anima. Some airlines refuse to carry them in the hold at all and none will permit them to travel if the temperature is expected to be above 75F at any point in the journey. Cargo departments of most airports are separate to the passenger terminals, so make sure you know where you need to go to pick them up.

Rules for travel
The following are standard rules for travel, but do check with the individual airline as variations occur.
• Documentation must be ready in advance of travel. Some countries require import licenses and records of vaccinations will always be needed. A certificate is required from a vet stating that the animal is in good health and it must have been issued within 14 days before travel.
• Baskets or Cages must be big enough for the pet to sit, stand and move around in and must be well ventilated on all four sides. The animal must not be able to fit its nose or paws outside the mesh or ventilation holes. They must be locked and secured Water and food containers must be accessible from the outside. The container must be marked "live animals" on the side, in letters at least an inch high.

Pet's passport: The DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) Pet Travel Scheme (commonly known as pet's passport) lets animals from certain countries enter the UK without undergoing the six month quarantine period. This means that you can bring your pet back into the UK as well, without them having to undergo quarantine. To meet the rules of the scheme, your pet needs to be fitted with a microchip, vaccinated against rabies and then blood-tested. You then have to wait for six months after the animal has been blood-tested to check that the vaccine was successful to get the documentation from the vet that will allow it to travel and your pet will be issued with an EU passport. The scheme applies to dogs, cats and ferrets. Other domestic animals such as birds, rabbits, rodents and fish can also be transported under the scheme, though, obviously, they do not have to be micro chipped or given rabies vaccinations. The scheme is excellent for providing easy transportation of animals from the UK, but it does take time to follow the procedures, so make sure you start at least seven months before you're due to fly.

Air miles for Pets??
Virgin Atlantic and United Airlines have launched frequent flyer programmes for pets. Virgin's Flying Paws reward scheme lets animals win gifts for themselves and air miles for their owner. On their first flight, the animals will receive a "welcome on board pet pack" complete with doggy t-shirts, toy mouse or, for the ferrets, a flying jacket and collar tag. All pets will receive their own passport, which lets them collect paw prints that they can redeem for gifts. United program, United Pet Pass, lets owners earn an extra 1,200 air miles when their pets travel with them.

Terry King runs Parcel Pets, a leading UK pet supplies web site and has had pets all his life. He lives with his wife Louise, dog Sam, Cat Sabrina and 5 fish!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_King

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Dog Haloween Costumes

At Halloween, kids aren't the only ones who get to dress up and enjoy treats. Hundreds of dog lovers get their pets into the act with dog Halloween costumes. The following are the top 10 costumes for dogs this Halloween.


1. Jailbird

The jailbird outfit with the classic black & white stripes will bring a smile to any dog lover's face. Make sure you get a funny hat to complete the look.

2. Angel

How cute would your little pooch be with a halo and a pair of silk wings? After all, aren't they all little angels?

3. Devil

Okay, maybe they're not all little angels. The bright red color of most devil costume is really eye-catching. Add a red cape or bow tie and a pair of horns and you've got the perfect little devil.

4. Superman

Or should that be Superdog? Put him in the red & blue tights with the big "S" on the chest and you'll have a dog of steel. Top it off with red boots or footies.

5. Bride & Groom

If you've got two dogs, bride and groom costumes are a great way to include them both. The groom costume is especially effective with a breed such as the Bulldog, which often looks a little unsettled anyway.

6. Pirate

Pirate costumes are popular right now with the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and your dog can help you complete your outfit. A bandana and an eye patch will give your dog the necessary look, and he can replace the parrot as your trusty sidekick.

7. Clown

If you're lucky enough to have a dog that will accept a clown nose for more than two seconds, this is the perfect costume for you. Even without the nose, you can get a pretty good looking clown with a crazy wig and some bright, colorful duds.

8. King or Queen

Your dog probably already gets treated like royalty, so why not complete the effect? Velvet robes, crowns and jewel-studded collars will make your pet into a regal figure.

9. Animals

Maybe your dog would like to spend a day in your cat's shoes? Why not try dressing him up as a different animal even - pigs, cows, bunny rabbits and frogs are just a few of your options.

10. Flowers

If your dog is willing to put up with a hat for the night, there are lots of cute flower costumes you can get. Even if they won't go for the hat, you can get some costumes that have neck pieces made to look like petals or leaves.

Whatever costume you decide on, just make sure you try it on a few times before Halloween night so your dog gets used to it. The last thing you want is having the costume torn up when he's thrashing around trying to get out of it!

Are you looking for ideas for dog Halloween costumes? Check out the Get In Costume website for lots of fun & creative costume ideas. Plus, get a free copy of my special report "The Family Guide To Halloween Safety" at http://www.getincostume.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phil_Sikes

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