posted by Tess on Oct 17
Being the largest and the most exposed organ of the body, pet skin is likely to be affected with mild to severe conditions. One of the major dog skin problems arise from allergies. Allergies can cause canine or feline acne. Allergies may arise from contact with an allergen or from food that does not suit your pet.
Before starting treatment for any type of allergy it is of paramount importance that you establish the cause of allergy. It is erroneous to assume that only new foods cause allergies and consequent itching. The truth is that any food can cause an allergic reaction in dogs - new or old. The commonly known skin condition of ‘hot spots’ can develop if your dog becomes allergic to his routine diet that he is no longer able to digest.
Food allergy often forms a typical distribution pattern and your veterinarian is the best guide in this matter. You can suspect food allergy in your dog in conditions where:
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posted by Tess on Oct 16
A yeast infection is a typical example of a beneficial organism revolting and causing harm if other systems of the body are not functioning properly. Yeast, a single-celled fungus that reproduces asexually by budding or division is present in the body and intestinal tracts of a dog. In a healthy dog, yeast identifies and destroys harmful bacteria and is controlled by the immune system.
A weakened immune system drastically reduces the number of friendly bacteria in the body. Without the active support of these friendly bacteria, yeast undergoes a dramatic change from a non-invasive and sugar fermenting organism to an invasive and mucus damaging organism. This is the start of a primary yeast infection. Secondary yeast infection occurs when yeast penetrate skin that has already been damaged by scratching or injury.
Skin problems in dogs and other pets produce symptoms that can bring about significant changes to the look of your pet. Conditions like canine and feline acne, dog and cat dandruff, dog ear mites, pet intestinal parasites, imbalanced diet and eczema can cause an itchy skin. The resultant scratching can lead to skin damage and this increases the risk of penetration by yeast. Yeast infection mostly affects moist parts but can prevail in almost any part of the skin.
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posted by Tess on Oct 15
Of all the organs in the body of a cat, skin and ears are the most vulnerable. While skin conditions are more visible, an infection in the ear requires keen observation and can be detected only if you are regular and observant while grooming your pet cat or dog.
Ear mites live by tunneling into the ear canal of cats. The automatic response of the cat’s body is to produce more wax to combat the invasion by cat ear mites. Severe infections give rise to an offensive smell. If not attended to in time ear mites can lead to secondary infections in cats.
Cat and dog ear mites cause intense itching compelling the pet to shake its head vigorously. This can cause abscesses or cuts. Treating ear mites at the first sign of their prevalence can save a lot of discomfort to the cat as well as owners.
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posted by Tess on Oct 13
Aural hematomas (swollen ear flaps) are a moderately common condition in dogs but less prevalent in cats. The cause behind aematomas is not exactly known but it is linked to excessive flapping of the ears. This makes breeds that have long ears more susceptible to the condition.
A hematoma is a swelling caused by a ruptured blood vessel after bleeding has occurred inside a tissue. Aural haematoma occurs when a blood vessel within the ear flap breaks and the ear flap swells with blood. The swelling can be partial or complete and in severe conditions may even block the ear canal totally. The ear flap can fluctuate, appear like a balloon and result in a significant change in the carriage of the ear.
Untreated aematomas may heal without any treatment over a period of time. However, this option is preferred only in cases where the dog cannot be given an anesthesia. Left alone, an aural hematoma can disfigure the ears giving them a shape that is commonly known as ‘cauliflower’ ears.
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posted by Tess on Oct 12
A dog’s ears were not meant to stink but they still do. Nature made all provisions necessary for maintaining health of all organisms, whether in the plant or animal kingdoms. If organisms are vulnerable to attack from external elements they were provided with external and internal systems to combat them.
A close look at the coat of a dog will make you realize its need to protect the dog from the vagaries of the climate. Had the human species not evolved the way it has, there would still be a hairy coat on us. A comparison between the ears of a dog in your house and those of a fox or wolf will let you understand the problems that man has created by interfering with nature by breeding and domesticating the wild dog. A wild fox’s ears are always upright because they were meant to be like that for proper ventilation. Breeding gave rise to breeds with drooping ears and excessive hair growth in ears, which brought in its wake dog ear problems.
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posted by Tess on Oct 11
Dog ear canals are L-shaped to protect the sharp hearing capabilities of dogs. This unusual shape is nature’s way of protecting the ear drum. But this shape is also the major reason why an ear infection is common in dogs. This is mainly due to the fact that the structure allows the ear mites moisture, ear wax and debris to accumulate.
When moisture and excessive wax accumulates in the ear, it can lead to severe infection of the ear, especially if there is also a prevalence of dog ear mites. Conventional medications that include antibiotics and antifungal drugs tend to weaken the immune system. Home remedies for dog ear mites, on the other hand, attempt to focus on the underlying cause without harming other functions of the body.
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posted by Tess on Oct 10
The treatment that is most effective for ear infections in dogs depends upon the severity of the condition. Home remedies for dog ear mites and regular grooming are effective methods to treat and prevent mild ear infections. Chronic and recurrent ear infections that do not respond to treatment may even require surgery. Vertical Canal Ablation and Lateral Wall Resection are designed to modify the anatomy of the dog’s ear to facilitate easy exit of fluids, much like as it is done in the human ear.
Total Ear Canal Ablation involves removal of the vertical and horizontal ear canal, the ear drum and part of the middle ear. It is the ultimate treatment when nothing else works. It removes the infected ear and allows fluid to be drained from the middle ear. The process involves removing the entire amplification system of the body and if this surgery is performed on both ears, the dog becomes deaf. To understand ear ablation, it is necessary to know the significant role that the structure of a dog ear plays in ear infections.
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posted by Tess on Oct 9
Dog skin problems seldom give rise to emergent situations. If you are regular in pet care and look for changes in skin and coat for dog or cat dandruff, canine or feline acnel, skin lumps and lesions there is every reason to believe that you will have enough time at hand to consult your veterinarian about it.
Emergency situations like noisy breathing, panting or gasping for breath, excessive bleeding, a blue tongue, ingesting poison, cessation of urination and labor contractions for a long period without actual delivery of puppies are not associated with skin problems. They are also almost never caused by skin related issues.
But that does not mean that caring for your pet’s skin is not a requirement. On the contrary, the skin and coat of a pet is the best indicator of any underlying menace that may be brewing inside. And given that your dog cannot communicate minor discomfort to you, the skin proves to be the best indicator and an early warning for things to come.
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posted by Tess on Oct 8
The coat of long-haired breeds like the Pekingese and Shih Tzu get tangled to such an extent that sometimes there is no alternative but to strip the coat down to the skin with clippers. Even while grooming other breeds you are likely to notice that some hair becomes damaged, tangled and matted. These may be some damaged hair, burrs that are difficult to pull off and dandruff or mats that become difficult to get rid of. Some homemade recipes for coat conditioners can help solve these problems and can save you some expense or a trip to the veterinarian.
To treat dry or damaged coat, whisk the yolk of an egg vigorously and add a little bit of water till it becomes creamy. Mix the white of the egg. Wet dog’s coat with warm water and remove excess water. Apply the mixture to the coat, gently till the froth reaches deep into the skin. Rinse thoroughly and wash away all the mixture with water.
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posted by Tess on Oct 6
Dog ear infections mostly involve pathogenic organisms that are sensitive to antibiotics and are easily treatable. After an antibiotic treatment regime, most of the bacteria are killed but in certain cases the residual infection is of a resistant and literally immortal bacterium called pseudomonas. Pseudomonas is a special species of rod-shaped Gram-negative bacteria, resistant to every antibiotic known to the medical world. Gram-negative relates to bacteria that do not retain the violet stain used in Gram’s Method.
Dog ear infections are a common occurrence and there are certain factors that combine to cause infections in a dog’s ear. These are:
* The dog ear anatomy that does not facilitate easy expulsion of parasites, debris, wax or foreign substance that once enters the ear.
* The L-shaped structure of the dog that provides a moist and humid environment for bacteria and fungus to thrive upon.
* Long floppy ears that prevent air circulation for easy drying of ears.
* Allergic reactions.
* Thyroid dysfunction.
* Parasites like dog ear mites.
* Side effects of drugs.
* Unclean ears.
* Immune mediated and other medical conditions.
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