In this article, "How To Avoid A Dog Ear Infection Or Other Canine Ear Problems", we investigate the some causes of ear infections and other related ear problems as well as providing some pratical advice on how to keep your dog’s ear in good working order.

Regular examination of your dogs ears should be another integral part of your grooming routine. Your examination should not only be checking for dirt, excessive wax, offensive odors, but also for tears and swellings. There are three main parts to a dogs ears: the outer flap (the pinna), the ear canal, and the middle or inner ear.

The pinna can either be pendulous (floppy) or erect. It can be covered in long hair in breeds such as spaniels and setters or with short hair in breeds such as shepherds and terriers. The ear canal is L-shaped. It starts of at a vertical angle and then makes a horizontal turn. Because of this shape we can only make a cursory examination. A veterinarian can make a complete examination using a device called an otoscope. Using the otoscope the veterinarian can also check the inner ear.

A dog which shakes its head, scratches or rubs it head against the floor or furniture is indicative of a dog with a possible ear problem. Offensive odors could also be indicative of an ear infection. These as well as tears and swellings on the outer ear should be checked and treated by a veterinarian.

Cleaning of the ear canal can be accomplished by using various solutions. There are cleansing solutions, ear-wax loosening and removal solutions and ear drying solutions available through your veterinarian and pet stores. Before putting anything in your dogs ears, consult with your veterinarian.

If the ear flap is dirty, it can be cleaned with a soft moist cloth or gauze wrapped around a finger tip. Q-tips can be used inside the small outer crevices. Gentleness is essential so as not to cause trauma to the outer ear or cause wax or dirt to be forced down the ear canal. Dogs with excessive hair such as spaniels should have the hair on the underside of the flap removed by trimming it, thus causing adequate ventilation and drainage. A build-up of dirty waxy hair can seal off the ear canal creating an environment suitable for bacterial growth such as yeast infections, or a breeding ground for parasites such as ear mites.

Another good time to check your dogs ears is when you come home from exercising in open fields or in the forest (hunting or tracking). Check for bugs such as ticks and for tears. A good brushing and bathing can remove dirt, bugs and allergens, which can also affect the ears.

Because of the shape of the dogs ears damage to the ear drum is rare but caution should be exercised when cleaning the ears. Again, never put anything in your dogs ears unless advised by your veterinarian and use extreme gentleness when cleaning the ears. Consult your veterinarian immediately if you have any concerns. An ounce of prevention is always worth a pound of cure.

Terrie Simpson has been involved in the dog world for over 28 years and has achieved numerous awards with her Springer Spaniels in tracking and obedience. Over that time, she has amassed a good amount of knowledge about how to keep a dog healthy. Terrie brings her years of experience to the K9 KlearUp team. K9 KlearUp is an organic dog balm that helps clear up the 17 most common canine skin and coat problems. Visit www.k9klearup.com for more information…

Article Source: Dog Health Care Article: How To Avoid A Dog Ear Infection Or Other Canine Ear Problems – ArticleSpan.com

Prostatic Hypertrophy or, in simple terms, enlarged prostate glands is a condition caused by the male or female hormones in the dog’s body and even though it is not as painful for the dog as prostatitis it is still something which should be looked into with care as it may be a cause for concern. Read on through this article to find out more about this condition.

The symptoms for dog Prostatic Hypertrophy include the following:

1. The dog may walk differently. Look out for an arched back and stiff legs and the dog taking shorter strides.

2. The dog may have difficulty urinating

3. The dog may not have any fever and unlike prostatitis it will have normal temperature.

A dog’s prostate glands swelling up without a reason is what causes Prostatitis hypertrophy. The swelling is due to sex hormones which affect the prostate glands.

Two different types of sex hormones are responsible for the swelling and disturbance. The first is testosterone. Testosterone is a male sex hormone which is produced within the testicles. When this hormone over stimulates the prostate gland and causes it to swell it can cause a lot of pain and discomfort.

The second is oestrogen, a female hormone which is also found in male dogs but in very small amounts. Too much of this will cause the prostate to swell and the structure of the prostate gland cells will possibly change as well through a process called squamous metaplasia.

If the cause of this condition is traced back to a female hormone then this may be as a result of a sertoli cell tumour and thus should be checked appropriately.

Initally, the vet may look for possible symptoms such as arched back and stuff back legs in order to make sure that the dog has this condition. This will be followed by the vet taking the temperature of the dog in order to make sure that it has no fever. A normal temperature will rule out prostatitis and thus leave us with Prostatic Hypertrophy.

The vet may want to feel for the swollen prostate gland through the anus using his fingers in order to make sure that the dog feels no pain in the area and rule out prostatitis even further.

If your dog is showing signs of too much male testosterone the vet may suggest using injections to lower this and to bring it down to the appropriate level. If this fails then the only option left is to get the dog castrated which will remove the area where the hormone is produced.

Castration is also the solution if the problem results from the female hormone. This will help remove the tumor in the affected testicle. There are cases here the hormone causing the problem may be hard to find and thus further tests such as blood tests, ultrasound and even biopsy may be needed to confirm.

For more information on dog enlarged prostate glands or Dog Health take a look at this Dog Training website.

Article Source: Dog Enlarged Prostate Glands – Dog Health Best Tips – ArticleSpan.com