Ear Problems

People frequently tell me that their pets have selective hearing.  Mine definitely do!  They don't hear you call them, but they come running if they hear something drop, the rattle of food in the dish, or a package being opened.  Dogs and cats possess an acute sense of hearing, but how do you know if your pet has a problem with its ears?

Quite often ear problems are easy to spot.  You should look into your pet's ears on a regular basis, at least once a week.  The ear canal is lined with skin which should be pale pink in color and smooth in texture.  There shouldn't be any odor coming from the ear and there should be virtually no ear wax visible.  When a bacterial or parasitic infection is present, the skin around and in the ear canal may be red and look inflamed or rough.  There may or may not be a lot of yellow, black or brown ear wax present.  Sometimes pus will drain from the ear canal, or you may notice ulcers on the skin of the ear.  If your pet has chronic ear problems, the skin will have a leather-like appearance and become pigmented.  Usually your pet will alert you to the problem by repeatedly shaking its head, scratching at its ears, or will even tilting its head to one side (as if you just asked it a question).  More often than not, there will be an odor coming from the ear.  Your pet will be quieter than normal because it is uncomfortable.  If you've ever had an ear infection, you'll know just how uncomfortable your pet can be.

How do ear infections occur?  The ear canal is the perfect breeding ground for yeast, bacteria, and parasites because it is a warm, dark, moist environment.  And when any of those are present, the body responds by producing wax to help flush them out. I tend to see ear infections more frequently in dogs with hairy or floppy ears or a lot of skin around their face because air flow through the ear canal is reduced. Some breeds are predisposed to ear problems, such as Westies, St. Bernards, Labradors, Shih Tzus, and Cocker Spaniels. Dogs that swim also have a tendency to develop ear infections.  Recurrent ear infections can also be a sign of allergies. 

Ear infections of the external ear canal can lead to hearing loss if left untreated.  The infection can extend into the middle and internal ear.  If this happens, your pet will not only have a head tilt, but may walk in circles and lose its balance.  Ear infections can also cause hearing loss due to excess wax or inflamed skin physically closing off the ear canal.

In addition to looking into your pet's ears regularly, you can help to reduce the incidence of ear infections by cleaning the ears anywhere from once a week to once a month using a pet ear cleaner.  Do not use cotton buds deep in the ear canal.  Instead, put some cotton wool on your finger and wipe away any debris.  You can, however, use a cotton bud to clean the debris that you can see.   Clipping the hair around the ear, or plucking hair that is actually growing in the ear canal, will also help by increasing air flow within the ear canal.  If you have a dog that swims, be sure to wipe the ear with cotton wool to help absorb excess moisture afterwards.

If you think that your pet has an ear infection, bring it to your vet, who will treat it appropriately.  With recurrent ear infections, your vet will take an ear swab that will be sent to a lab to see what organisms grow and what antibiotics they are sensitive to.  Allergy testing can also be performed.  Occasionally, pets with chronic ear problems require surgery.  

My dog ate.....

"My dog ate my homework!"  was a great excuse when you were in school and didn't have an assignment done.  The truth is that dogs will eat just about anything!  I have removed countless objects (or foreign bodies) from the canine digestive tract.  These objects include underwear (swallowed whole), bottle caps, balls, corn cobs, bones, more bones, toys, towels, whole potatoes, rocks, a string of popcorn (needle still attached), and there are many more!  In addition to unusual objects, dogs will eat medications, plants, and virtually any type of food (including chili peppers).  Plants and foods that dogs should not eat are blogs in themselves!

The chewing and swallowing phase begins very early on in the development of your dog.  Some dogs never grow out of this.  What happens if your dog eats something that it shouldn't?  Quite often the object will pass out of the front or back end, sometimes with great difficulty!  If your dog eats medication, rat poison, or anything else that is potentially toxic, you must induce vomiting immediately and contact your vet.  If your dog eats something solid, such as jewelry, bones, socks, and rocks, the best thing to do is wait for it to pass through.

If your dog starts vomiting or is constipated, the object has probably lodged in the digestive tract, causing an obstruction.  Some dogs will get a partial obstruction, which allows some food to pass through.  These dogs may vomit occasionally and defecate normally.  They may also lose weight.  Some dogs with foreign objects become very lethargic and have a painful abdomen.  Symptoms may take a few days to develop.  Regardless of what your dog has eaten, and whether or not it is showing signs of illness, you should always ring your vet!

Remember, a 2-euro toy, can turn into an 800-euro vet bill!!  To help prevent harm to your dog and your wallet, be sure to dog-proof your home and garden, and get pet insurance!

Smelly Dogs

A lot of owners complain that their dog smells.  Dogs do have a natural odor -- in fact, each  dog has a distinctive odor, which is how they distinguish one another.  Many owners try to mask the normal 'doggy smell' because they, or someone in the household, does not find it very appealing.  But sometimes a dog gives off a particularly unpleasant odor, which can have a number of causes.  On the least offensive end of the scale, your dog may give off the typical 'wet dog' smell when it comes in from the rain (and that is quite often in Ireland).  On the other end of the scale are the odors that come from rolling in dead things or droppings from other species of animals.  In some cases, though, your dog may have a problem that needs medical treatment.

You have to determine what part of the dog the smell is coming from.  As a vet, I don't find this a pleasant task!  Start smelling your dog starting at the head and mouth, then sniff your way towards the back end.  Don't worry, you don't have to get too close!

Bad breath, or halitosis, is very common, and sometimes it is so bad that you are reluctant to be in the same room with your faithful companion.  Bad breath can be caused by dental disease, a stick or bone stuck in the mouth, an abcess in the mouth, dermatitis around the mouth, or an oral tumor.  Internal problems can also cause bad breath.  A diabetic dog can actually smell like it had been out drinking all night.  There will be a distinct sweet, alcohol-like smell off of the dog's breath.  A dog with kidney disease or gastritis can also have very bad breath.

Ear infections can be very smelly, not to mention uncomfortable for the dog.  Signs of an ear infection are scratching the ears and shaking the head.  Some dogs may even tilt their head to the side.  You may notice that the ear canal is red and full of ear wax.

The largest organ of the body is the skin.  If your dog has a skin problem it will be smelly.  The skin and coat may be greasy to touch.  Your dog may also be itchy and shed excessively. Your vet can help you make your dog more comfortable -- and less odoriferous.

Everyone who owns a dog has been subject to flatulence, or gas.  Your dog may sit and look at you lovingly, then emit the most noxious odor that will make your eyes water.  If your dog has a problem with flatulence, it could indicate a dietary or intestinal problem.

The anal sacs or glands can also create a room-clearing smell.  These paired sacs are hidden away just inside the anal sphincter and contain a foul-smelling, oily secretion.  This secretion is normally released when the dog has a bowel movement or is frightened.  The anal sacs are what give each dog their individual scent, and are the reason dogs sniff each other's behinds first when they greet each other.  Unfortunately, these glands frequently cause problems because they are not always emptied when the dog defecates.  If your dog has a problem with its glands, it may 'scoot,' or drag its bottom along the floor.  It may also lick its rear end more often than normal, which, in turn, gives bad breath.

If you are unable to get rid of that 'doggy smell,' it may be time to bring your dog to the vet to find the cause of the odor.

Rabbits Need Dental Care Too!

Did you know that a rabbit's teeth grow continuously throughout its life?  The front teeth are aligned so that all of the teeth are worn down as the rabbit chews.  The chisel-shaped incisors cut food into short pieces, while the flat surface of the molars grind it into pieces fine enough to be swallowed.   

One common problem that we see in rabbits is overgrown teeth, a condition caused by misalignment of the upper and lower jaw, inadequate fiber in the diet, or old age. 

If your rabbit has a tooth problem, you may notice one or more of the following:

• Weight loss
• Runny eyes
• Drooling and wet chin
• Inability or refusal to eat
• Bad breath
• Face rubbing
• Tooth grinding

When a rabbit has a misalignment, the incisors grow into 'tusks' that will either protrude from the mouth or curl back into the mouth.  The rabbit will have great difficulty eating and grooming.  Some vets will clip or file the teeth regularly, but this can be stressful to the rabbit if done while the rabbit is conscious.  Clipping the teeth can also cause micro-fractures that travel down the tooth below the gum line and can lead to bacterial infection.  The better choice is to give the rabbit a general anaesthetic and remove the incisors completely.  The rabbit will still be able to grasp food with its lips and tongue and grind food with its molars.  You will have to chop up fresh food into small pieces, but you can feed hay and pellets as normal.

Another problem that rabbits encounter are molar spurs.  Molar spurs can occur in any rabbit (with or without malocclusion of the incisors).  They form when uneven wear leaves sharp points on the molars, which cut the tongue and cheeks.  The spurs are very painful and the rabbit will stop eating.  Lack of food intake can in turn lead to a life-threatening condition in which the intestines stop working.  To remove molar spurs, the rabbit will need a general anaesthetic so that the teeth can be filed down.  This procedure will have to be repeated every few months.

What can you do to help to keep your rabbit's teeth in good shape?  Take your rabbit to the vet every 12 months for a health and weight check.  Offer a varied diet, such as pellets, vegetables, unlimited hay, and fresh grass.  Avoid pellet-only and meusli-type diets because rabbits will just pick out the bits that they like and leave the rest, thus predisposing it to tooth and intestinal problems.  You should also provide your rabbit with branches and twigs to chew on.  Apple, willow, and maple branches are safe to use, but they have to be dried for 3 months before you give them to your rabbit.  Old telephone books and cardboard are also fun for a rabbit to shred.