The decision to have your dogs ears cropped is a matter of preference. Some pet owners believe that a boxer looks much better with cropped ears and therefore opt for a surgical alteration in the structure. Others feel that the soft floppy ears give a soft look to their pet.

Many who are sensitive to animal suffering explicitly voice their dissent about this cruelty that is being meted out to some breeds of dogs. I personally feel that the boxer has been provided by the floppy ears by nature to actually cushion the otherwise gloomy expression that the breed has.

But there are people who prefer to crop the ears of their boxer pets to allow easy cleaning of the ear and prevent dog ear mites. They normally want to do this because drooping ears aid in creating a favorable environment for ear mites to breed. Let me explain how it happens.

Although an uncommon occurrence, ear polyps can severely damage the ear drum of your cat if they are not treated in time. Ear polyps are neither breed nor sex specific but they usually occur in cats between the ages of 1 to 4 years. Ear polyps in cats produce symptoms that are almost similar to those caused by parasites like cat ear mites or other ear infections.

In addition to the normal symptoms associated with the ear mites infection like scratching and pain on palpating the ear, some of the symptoms specific to or indicative of ear polyps include:

* Inability to walk in a straight line.
* A tilted head.
* Droopy eyelid/s.
* Partial covering of the eye by the third eyelid.

Ear polyps are usually located in the horizontal passage of the ear canal and difficult to see without an otoscope, a medical instrument with a magnifying glass and light used for examining the tympanic membrane. The veterinarian might need to sedate your cat for the examination.

A polyp is actually a small vascular growth on the surface of a mucous membrane that appears almost similar to a squamous cell tumor. The first step in diagnosis is to get a biopsy of the polyp and remove doubts regarding a cancerous growth.

If your dog shakes his head too often, don’t just shirk it off as a funny habit. Dogs do not shake their heads without reason. If your dog shakes his head too often, you have every reason to suspect an infection in the ears.

Ear infection is common in pets. One of the most prevalent causes of ear infections is allergies. These allergies are caused by wet ears that become damp, hot and humid due to the fact that most dogs have ear flaps that cover the ear canal. Dog ears should be kept dry and should be cleaned regularly to avoid wax build up and excessive hair growth. Ear mites are another major reason for ear infections.

The natural appearance of the cartilaginous structure of the external ear is pink and feels flat when touched. Any thickening indicates presence of an infection. You should be able to see the ear canal clearly. While a small amount of discharge and wax is natural, any abnormal accumulation of debris or a foul odor indicates an infection. A yellow discharge points towards yeast infection and a black debris indicates dog ear mites.

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.

Drooping ears and hair in the ears lead to a typical situation that is mostly responsible for stinky ears. Dog’s ears should be clean and dry. But among the drooping ear breeds whatever goes inside the ear is not likely to come out.

Ear mites are a constant problem for all pets. The presence of ear mites can cause considerable anguish to the pet and the owner alike. Cat ear mites are contagious and pass on to other pets in the household. They can spread to other cats, dogs or other animals too.

The manner in which a cat reacts to ear mites can vary among cats. Some cats do not react or exhibit external symptoms even when they are infected with a large number of mites. But some cats may show extreme symptoms at the presence of a small number of ear mites. It is therefore, hypothesized that different breeds of cats show different levels of sensitivity towards this condition.

The first symptom that surfaces among cats when they have ear mites is the presence of excessive wax in the ears. Mites often stimulate wax producing glands in the ear and this in turn can lead to inflammation and further complications. Other symptoms that your feline friend can exhibit if she is infected with ear mites is itching and scratching. Excessive scratching can tear open tiny blood vessels in the outer ear and cause the ear to swell causing a condition that is known as hematoma.

Timely and proper cleaning of your dog’s ears has many long term benefits. It helps in maintaining good overall health. If your dog is healthy, it impacts the general behavior and demeanor of your pet and he is likely to be more calm, amiable and friendly.

Dog ear grooming, therefore, goes a long way in your relationship with your dog. It is one aspect that cannot be ignored.

An unhealthy dog ear is responsible for more medical conditions than one can imagine. Chronic ear problems can occur due to various allergies or ear mites. An excess of thyroid hormones can make the condition worse than it already is. Using a wrong product to clean the dog ear mites can also lead to complications of the case.

Although less common in cats, ear mites present the same complications in cats as well.

Before the start of any treatment for ear infection, the dog’s ears should be cleaned in order to get a proper diagnosis. Vinegar diluted in water has been used for this purpose for a long time as part of home remedies for dog ear mites. This solution is good for cleaning purposes and also has curative properties.

Nature has provided man and animal alike with an immune system that can fight back diseases in many cases. But there are many ailments that the domesticated dog faces today due to the fact that it has been kept in an unnatural environment and bred for years. The breeding has given rise to changes that are not very conducive to dog’s health. One example is development of breeds with dropping ears.

The L-shapes ear canal protects the ear drum from foreign substances reaching the sensitive organ. However, this also means that whatever goes in the ear cannot come out on its own. Long droopy ears restrict easy flow of air. Large amount of hair that grows in the ear canal of Terriers, Poodles and some other breeds also inhibits air circulation. Water that enters the inner ear takes a long time to dry on its own.

Sometimes weeds and other organic substances enter the ear and result in ear canker. Canker is primarily a fungal disease of woody plants. In dogs it may cause a localized ulceration. Canker infection often results in a foul smell and a darkish discharge that emanates from the ear. Some weeds and organic matter can work their way into the inner canal and cause irreparable harm to the dog’s ear. It severe conditions it may also prove to fatal.

Pet health is one of the primary concerns of pet owners. Any pet that you may have is likely to present some medical conditions at some point in time and will demand your attention. One aspect of pet health that is often missed out by many pet owners is in the area of dog ear health.

The inside of an ear of a dog is an extremely sensitive area and can pose many challenges for the pet owner. This is especially true since there are many ear related infections and issues that your dog can contract. Another reason why dog ears provide a significant challenge is due to the fact that many dogs have ears that droop over the ear canal and can therefore provide an unhealthy environment for the ear mites and bacteria to breed.

Ear infections, especially dog ear mites and cat ear mites, can be extremely unnerving for the pet owner and the pet and are best avoided.

The medical reasons behind the infections and ailments may at times sound daunting to a layman but anyone can understand that if the inner ear is left neglected and not groomed properly, there is a high probability of ear infections. Ear problems in pets can be categorized based on the ease of diagnosis:

The non prescription drug industry is a booming industry today. And this is as true for veterinarian drugs as for human ones. Manufacturers are trying to attract the attention of pet owners by making tall claims about age-old tested ingredients that their remedies contain. The potential of the market has attracted many fly-by-night operators. This has affected the reputation of some genuine marketers also.

The only way a pet can express his discomfort is through his behavior. The pet owner then has to get involved in the possible reasons for odd behavior.

The problem of ear mites and ear infections is an external one. But even though it affects the external ear, it still goes undetected for a long time. This happens mainly due to the inherent negligence on the part of the pet owner. This negligence can cause a lot of harm since a dog who has ear mites is more likely to get other major infections. Cats ear mites cause lesser problems since adult cats somehow seem to adapt to the condition.

There a quite a few non prescription home remedies dog ear mites that can go a long way to keep your pet healthy. They can be very useful for minor ailments and routine daily care.

We tend to take our bodies for granted until the time they start to trouble us. The same is the case with the health of our dogs, at times. But any issue with health leaves us a bit unnerved since we have practically no clue about structure, pathology and treatments.

When one sees some fluid running down the ear of your beloved dog, it is likely to create a bit of a panic. But you need to understand the causes behind the problem and the treatments that you can opt for.

Your dog’s ears comprises of three segments.

* Pinna is the externally visible cartilaginous structure of the external ear. This ends at the ear drum.
* The middle ear constitutes of a small bone and an air filled chamber lined with a mucus membrane.
* The inner ear is responsible for receiving sound and is situated near the cerebrum and the cerebellum in the brain.

All parts of the ear are delicate. Though the external ear may appear strong it is made of cartilage and not bone. Tampering with the middle and inner ear should be avoided at all costs. If there any need for an examination of the internal or middle ear, it should be done by a specialist.