Recent Fox Attacks in Maine May Be Due to New Rabies Strain
Dog Ear Swelling: Causes And Treatment
From dog bites to ear mites, there's a lot that can cause ear swelling in your dog.
To keep your canine companion healthy, it helps to know the signs of a dog's ear problems, what to do when they happen, and how you can prevent them.
Swelling is just one sign of ear problems in dogs. Other symptoms include scratching or wiping the ear against things, head shaking or tilting, odor, discharge, redness, scabs or crust, balance problems, walking in circles, odd eye movements, and hair loss around the ear.
The most common causes of ear swelling in dogs include:
Ear mites. Microscopic parasites that feed on the wax and oils inside your dog's ear, mites are behind most ear problems in puppies and young dogs, though they can happen to any dog, regardless of age.
A serious mite infestation can completely block your dog's ear canal with the coffee-grounds-like debris of the mites. Complications may include ear hematomas -- in which blood vessels in the ear flap rupture from intense scratching and head shaking -- or serious infection.
To treat ear mites, your dog may need a gentle ear cleaning, prescription medication, or insecticidal ear drops. Since ear mites are contagious between cats and dogs, all the pets in your household should be treated. Follow your vet's instructions about how long to treat and when to recheck.
Ear hematomas. These are firm, swollen masses on the inside of your dog's ear flap. They occur when a blood vessel within the ear flap ruptures and bleeding occurs between the tissue layers. Sometimes caused by head shaking or scratching because of ear mites or an infection, hematomas can also be the result of something foreign stuck inside your dog's ear.
Treatment for an ear hematoma includes a veterinary exam to find out the cause of the hematoma. Many cases of hematomas can be medically managed. However, in some cases the blood may need to be drained and surgery might be necessary to prevent the ear flap from filling up with blood again.
Inner or outer ear infections. These can also cause ear swelling in dogs, as well as discharge, odor, and discomfort. Infections can be the result of a dog bite, a foreign object in your dog's ear, polyps, allergies, water in the ear, and other problems.
Left untreated, an outer ear infection (otitis externa) can progress to an inner ear infection (otitis interna), which is painful enough to prevent a dog from willingly opening its mouth and may result in hearing loss or difficulties with balance. Treating ear infections may require oral or topical antibiotics or antifungals, flushing the ear, ear cleaning, or an ear-drying solution. If the problem is chronic, surgery could be necessary.
Avoid the temptation to diagnose your dog's ear swelling yourself. Because the symptoms of one ear problem can sometimes mimic another, it's important to bring your dog to the veterinarian to get the correct diagnosis -- and the right treatment.
If treating your dog's ear swelling requires ear drops, you can make their application a little easier with these quick tips:
Any dog can get an ear infection, something stuck in their ear canal, or ear mites, but dogs with drooping ears (poodles, cocker spaniels, and basset hounds, for example) can be especially prone.
To prevent ear problems in your dog before they start, it helps if you get to know how your dog's ears look when they're healthy. The insides of a healthy ear should be pink, clean, and also odor-free. If your dog's ears are swollen, red, smelly, or have any kind of discharge, something's wrong and it's time to talk to your vet.
Routine care to keep your dog's ears healthy includes:
Mum Dies Just Weeks After Being Bitten By Puppy She Was Looking After For Friend
A mum-of-two has died just weeks after being bitten by a puppy.
Tracy Ridout, 53, from Perth, Australia, suffered the 'tiny' injury while looking a young German Shepherd for her friend last month.
At first she "didn't think anything of it", but after a few days began to feel agonising pain.
She headed to Rockingham General Hospital early on August 18, where doctors found she had a Capnocytophaga canimorsus infection that was affecting her kidneys, liver and blood.
Her condition rapidly deteriorated, until eventually she was put in an induced coma and died, 11 days after the bite.
Writing on the family's fundraiser page, her daughter Sophie said: "Unfortunately today Tracy has sadly passed away.
"She will be missed by all her friends and family."
Tracy did not notice any symptoms after the bite initially.
Sophie told PerthNow: "It was not vicious or anything, she was playing with the dog and accidentally bit her finger instead of the toy.
"She didn't think anything of it, just bandaged it up."
Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a bacteria found in the mouths of dogs and cats, with infections in humans known to be very rare, with just 56 cases reported in England and Wales last year.
While most people do not get ill with the infection, it can be deadly for anyone with a weaker immune system - such as those on medication for cancer, or with HIV.
Symptoms include blisters near the wound, redness, swelling, pain and fever.
After being diagnosed with the infection, Tracy was transferred to the Fiona Stanley Hospital, where doctors told the family there was nothing more they could do to save her.
Sophie said: "All of her organs pretty much shut down."
She was taken off dialysis. Doctors told the family they were ready "just to let her go" on August 25, four days before she died.
The family is now running a GoFundMe to raise funds for Tracy's funeral costs, as well as to raise awareness of the dangers of even the smallest of dog bites.
Bradenton Police K9 Liberty Recovers After Snake Bite During Training
Bradenton police dog recovering from snake biteKimberly Kuizon reports
BRADENTON,Fla. - K9 Liberty is a born tracker. And as a K9 with the Bradenton Police Department, she and Detective Lixa Moyett work to track down the scent of missing persons.
During annual training in Tallahassee, K9 Liberty waded in shallow water and suddenly let out a yelp, signaling she needed help.
"It was scary. It was very noticeable and distinct to the snake bites," said Detective Moyett.
Within minutes, she was at a local veterinarian's office where the doctor said she was bitten by a Cotton Mouth snake.
RELATED: Bradenton police K9 bitten by snake during search-and-rescue training
Liberty's paw swelled, but a prior vaccine to protect her against snake bites did its job.
"It minimizes the impacts of the venom, and it helps with the swelling and the coagulation of the blood after the bite," said Detective Moyett.
Liberty was back to training before the week was up.
"I was not going to let her do that, but she was eager to do that," said Detective Moyett. "She got out of the car and just positioned herself for me to put that vest on her, and she did absolutely great."
READ: Snake slithers into Bradenton home and hides under dresser, police say
Crotalus Atrox Toxoid, known as the "rattlesnake vaccine," lessens the severity of effects and pain from the bite. It also protects dogs against various North American venomous snake bites.
"It does protect against rattlesnakes, moccasins, cotton mouth being the big ones. Certain areas of the country will be more prone to it than others. We see a lot here in Florida," said Dr. Pamela Wright, a veterinarian with Fur Ever Friends Animal Hospital in Arcadia.
Wright said the vaccine is vital for many dogs – not just police K9's.
"All the dogs that these law enforcement agencies are putting on training on time and money into it makes a lot of sense for those dogs and here in Florida, hog hunters and all the people who go out hunting with their dogs," said Dr. Wright.
K9 Liberty qualified and passed her training, including the K9 Good Citizen test. Detective Moyett said she is thankful to have her partner by her side.
Comments
Post a Comment