Ma & Paws
Pet Supply & Grooming –
What’s up for March
2021
25% off all Dogswell - is made in small batches in the Midwest
Cats in the Kitchen cans – 15% off
We had to make some room for new styles – 25% off any select
collar, leash, or harness.
Or 35%
off any set. Check out our sale section.
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Ear
Infection? Or Not?
We have
had quite a few questions this past month on ear infections.
First
of all, make sure that it is an ear infection.
If your dog has an ear infection you will see:
·
Head tilting towards the side with the infection
·
Head shaking
·
Scratching or pawing at ears
·
Rubbing ears
·
Hot ears
·
Smelly ears
·
Waxy discharge
·
Crusty, scabby or red, irritated skin inside the ear flap
Extreme cases may cause
·
Hearing loss
·
Loss of balance
·
Walking in circles
Finding the cause of your dog’s ear problem is
the key to ridding them of it once and for all. Treating them will only treat the problem
but not solve it.
Identifying the problem:
Yeast overgrowth –
yeast exists naturally in healthy ears but can easily get out of balance. If there is a yeast problem, your dog’s ears
will smaell “yeasty” with a dark brown discharge. That is a sign of yeast overgrowth. Yeasty ears will be itchy but are not usually
painful.
Bacterial Infection – The
sign of a bacterial infection is a bad-smelling yellow or greenish discharge.
Ear Mites – are
a parasite infection and a type of mange.
Dogs with ear mites will often shake their head and scratch at their
ears. Young dogs often get ear mites and
they’re very contagious so you’ll want to treat them quickly. You can often identify mites by the “coffee
ground” discharge they leave in the ear – the outer ear may also have reddish
crustiness.
There are a few others – you can look up ear
infections in Dogs Naturally Magazine.
But the above are usually the main culprits.
An ear infection is rarely just an ear
infection and usually a sign of other conditions. Like a skin infection, there is usually a
main cause.
Things to look at:
Diet: If your dog eats processed kibble, kibble is
high in refined carbohydrates, preservatives, and processed ingredients. Unfortunately carbs feed yeast. Yeast will tend to grow in the gut leading
to food allergies or intolerances.
Anatomic: Long eared dogs are more prone to ear
infections. Long ears trap more moisture
and have less air flow. Keeping those
long ears clean are paramount to healthy ears.
So what can you do?
·
Feed your dog a raw, whole food diet if possible. If feeding kibble, try to make sure the food
is low in carbs and high in protein.
·
Use caution when vaccinating.
Over vaccinating can affect the immune system. Check out Dr. Jean Dodds at Hemopet for a
good protocol for vaccinating your pet.
·
Use caution with pharmaceutical drugs
·
Avoid exposure to pesticides and chemicals
There are natural ways to help your dog with her ear infection –
coconut oil is good for ear mites, it not only promotes healthy skin in your
dog’s ear, but the coconut oil can smother and kill any ear mites that may have
found their way inside.
Apple cider vinegar mixed with water equal parts will help with
any yeast infections and diluted hydrogen peroxide (3%) can be helpful for
bacterial infections. Do not use either
apple cider or hydrogen peroxide if your dog has open sores as it will be very
painful.
We also carry several options to help you with your dog’s
ears. Please see a Ma & Paws Pet
Consultant to help guide you on your options, as sometimes this can be
overwhelming.
If you are concerned – please see your vet.
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Great way to make food time fun and healthy –
try our Primal Goat Milk …
comes in 4 varieties made from our Original Goat
Milk, plus functional ingredients known to support vitality, digestion, urinary
tract health, or immunity! Try Pumpkin Spice,
Green Goodness, Blueberry Pom Burst, or Cranberry Blast. Chock-full of
probiotics to keep your pet’s gut healthy.
