Welcome to the World of Mack and Mercie

If you've had dogs, you've seen the dreaded shaking of their head and scratching at their ears.

When I had my brick and mortar store, Rolling T Stores, I sold drops for your dog's ears. However, I encouraged the pet owner to know what was going on in their dog's ears because my products were for different problems.

There are 3 different kind of ear infections which affect different areas of the dog's ear.

One affects the layer of cells lining the outer or external portion of the ear canal.

The other two refer to infections of the middle and inner ear canal which they can get when the infection starts on the outside and it spreads inward.

#2 and #3 called Otitis media and Interna are the most serious. Important reasons to prevent them and get early treatment.

Plus, knowledge is key here to getting the right treatment for your dog.

These are the visible signs your dog might have an ear infection:

* Head Shaking

* Odors

* Scaly Skin

* Whining and pawing at the problem ear

* Dark, Smelly Discharge

* Redness and Swelling

* Itchiness

Our last little fur baby, Meisha, who was a 10 lb. Shih Tzu, had so many allergies. Her ear infections were yeast/fungus which we had to give her a pill every other day. Plus, with Shih Tzu's, since they don't shed, and for dogs that don't, they need their ear hairs pulled out which is not painful to the dog, unless they have an ear infection!

Other common causes are:

*bacteria

*moisture which is the perfect camping site for bacteria and yeast

*viruses

*mites (more common in puppies than in adults)

*drug reactions

*allergies

*thyroid disorders

*autoimmune disease

*endocrine disorders

*wax buildup

*foreign bodies

*injury

*meningitis or encephalitis

Now can you see why it's important to know what is going on in your dog's ear? Keep up with how your dog is reacting and for how long to be able to give your vet as much information as possible.

You can help prevent ear infections by following some basic practices.

Make sure you dry your dog's ears if they have gone swimming or after bath time.

You can also do some ear cleaning periodically by filling the canal with a cleaning solution, a homemade one is 1 part white vinegar to 1 part water. Then massage the vertical ear canal from the outside. You will want to wipe it out with an absorbent gauze and not paper towels or cotton because they can leave fibers behind.

A healthy dog is a happy dog and you will be a happy dog owner!

Thank you for listening, thank you for loving dogs enough to give them a home and if you have a favorite charity for animals, remember they can always use donations. If nobody else tells you today, I care about you and you are important in your world. Take care!

For inspiration and videos go to: https://www.facebook.com/RollingTStoresArkansas