Barking Wednesday - Healthy Dog Ears

Thanks for joining me for my Barking Wednesday post.  
Each week I post stuff about my favorite guy...Kingers and his friends.  

All kinds of stuff....products - homemade treat recipes - info I have learned over the years, etc.  Info I think is helpful in making sure that every dog lives a fantastic life. 

Labs are prone to ear infections.  Kingers is pretty good except when he does a lot of swimming.  If Kingers is swimming he will get a ear infection.  Here are a few tips I have learned over the years to ensure his ears

are healthy.  I always contact my vet whenever I think he has a infection.  His tale tale sign of a ear infection is when he starts shaking his head.  If he shakes his head side to side...odds are he has some type of issue with his ears.  Getting medication quickly can make a huge difference.

The earlier I start the medication the faster his ears heal.

Here are a few natural tips I have learned to help reduce and improve Kingers ears.

• Lightly apply Aloe Vera Oil or Vitamin E oil to your dogs red areas in his ear 
• By gently cleaning your dogs ears with a cotton swab or gauze dipped into vegetable oil can help to remove a buildup of wax and dirt.

Check out this pic of your dogs ear canals. Much different that humans.  Always be VERY careful when treating your dogs ears.

A update on Kingers seizures. Since he started taking his medication he has not had any seizures.  Last week he went to the vet for his blood work to ensure that he is receiving the proper dose of medication.  He is..his levels were right where they should be.

I am also happy to say that after one month on the medication - Kingers is back to acting like himself. At 1st when he started the Phenobarbital he acted a little goofy. Walking was not steady and he kind of acted drunk - but now he is back to normal! :) There is a few side effects to the medicine that he has. Number 1 is weight gain. He gained 2 pounds in one month! Not good! So we have started him on a healthy weight control plan. Number 2 is the amount of water he wants. He has NEVER been a toilet drinker. Since he started on the medicine we have had to increase the water we keep in his bowl. If not he will seek out a open toilet! ICKY!!!  When I told the vet about these issues the vet told me that these are two of the most popular side effects of Phenobarbital.