If you are like me and millions of other pet owners you want to make sure your pet is safe and healthy. One of the things we generally don’t think about with our pets is their ears. The most common health related issues among dogs and cats are their ears. If you were to ask your vet what they treat most often at their clinic, they would probably answer you the ears. When you have a dog or cat it can be difficult to see the true infection.

In fact most of the infected ears are deep in the inner ear canal. This doesn’t mean you should give up in checking their ear from issues though. A good policy when you own a dog is to check their body, ears, teeth, feet, and other sensitive locations after letting them play outside. They can get into danger when you aren’t looking or carry in some travelers. The ear infections usually start as a result of bacteria working its way into the ear canal.

If you are up on pet hygiene you may be able to see these little parasites before they decide to take up residence in the inner ear. Parasites, especially bacteria are very small. It is best to use a magnifying glass, and you may still miss them. Another leading cause of bacteria in the ear is water.

When you wash your pet either once a month or when they need it, you should take extra care not to get water in the ears. You can clean the ears out with a wash cloth to the exposed part, working at getting the dirt out. This is the safest and gentlest method. Some outer ear issues you could see with your pet are burst blood vessels or blood clots. This is usually seen with itchy ears, smelly, reddened, bloody, or crusty. They may also be inflamed. These are of course on the external ear. The smell, itch, or blood could also be an infection deep in the ear. It is best to clean out the ear to determine the origin. If it is from within the ear you should seek a vet right away.

They will offer three methods of fixing the issue. The first is a topical cream or ointment that is used on the outside of the ear. It is an antibiotic to kill the bacteria before it gets deeper in the ear. Sometimes the antibiotic is not too successful, so vets may offer an oral antibiotic. Combined with the topical cream this can be very successful in helping the ear heal.

Flushing the ear with water at a high pressure can work. The pressure is not high enough to hurt the ear, but to flush out puss and other build up. Humans have a similar procedure for removing ear wax. It is best that flushing the ear be done by a professional. Most pets need to be sedated in order to lie still for the procedure.

The last method of helping your pet is surgery. If the other options have not worked or your pet has seen a great deal of infections in their lives there could be an underlying cause that you don’t realize. Some dog or cat ears can grow with a defect or just have a small inner ear. This can cause a build up of debris like bacteria. The scar tissue which can result from multiple ear infections can also trap the bacteria to the point of causing severe pain for your pet. When this happens surgery to remove the scar tissue or to correct the imperfection in the ear canal is suggested.

Your vet should explain the entire procedure to you and the benefits you pet can gain. With most dogs or cats after the surgery and healing process you can see a significant change. First your dog or cat will no longer be in pain. They will be happier after the surgery. They may also have an improvement regarding their hearing. They may answer you more often or come when you call at a softer voice. Also, you will be protecting your pet from future dog Illness, dog sickness and your cat too.

Dog toys are things that provide entertainment and keep your dogs busy all day long. These are simple yet very efficient tools that help develop the ability of dogs in properly obeying the command of their masters.

Though it is not that necessary, dogs still need dog toys. It is important for it gives a lot of benefits for them. You may not immediately see the effect, but you will see its wonders when your dog continuously plays with it.


Dogs, specifically when they are still puppies, need the right nourishment and affection similar to raising a child. You’re probably aware how your dogs run and come close to you as soon as you arrive home. This only means that your dog also needs some of your affection.

It is a reality, however, that not all dog owners have that much time to focus on their pet’s needs because of busy schedule. To compensate on that, the best thing to do is to look for an alternative tool which can entertain and develop the abilities of your dog even while you’re away. And the simplest, most affordable yet very effective way to perform all your duties as a master is with the help of dog toys.

Dog toys can act as your furry friend’s best partner while you’re away and during a very lonesome day. Dog toys may keep him busy all day long. Your absence will be forgotten and a very cute dog toy will serve as their playmate. Dogs love to play at all times so this is definitely part of their need.

One aspect of a child’s growing up years is the effort of their parents to develop their kid’s mind by letting them play toys and do other activities for recreation. Just like human, dogs also need this kind of attention to help develop their own abilities to properly interact on the environment they are living in.

Dog toys provide a major role in sustaining dog’s agility while slowly training them and boost their conference. Dog toys also have the power to emphasize the needs of your dog and also the things your pet hates the most.

Along with this, another good reason why your dog needs dog toys is that it encourages him to positively play with or without a companion. Dog toys also help stave off boredom which is very usual for domesticated pets like dog.

Keeping out dog’s misbehavior is also one of the major reasons why your pet needs dog toys. Moreover, dog toys allow your dog to have the most suitable item to chew so you no longer need to worry what other things inside the house your dog will mess up the next time.

So if you want to simply train your dog while not spending too much, dog toys are the best solution. It comes in various styles, colors, shapes and sizes depending on what your dog prefers the most. Don’t let your dog suffer anxiety, boredom and other unwanted behavior. Simply give them the dog toys of their choice and you will no longer have to worry about their situation especially when you’re away.

With the recent recall in pet food, most dog owners are doing just that – making dog food on their own! Though most experts will argue that there is nothing better than a homemade diet for your pet dog, it is best you do this temporarily until and unless you consult with you local vet, as most dogs have certain nutritional requirements. If there are going to be any dietary changes, then it should be done very slowly so as to avoid digestive upsets. Ingredients and recipes should be rotated to make sure there is nutritional variety in your pups diet.

Never feed your pet dog bones, especially if the bones are cooked. Fragments of the bone can break loose and get lodged in the dog’s digestive tract. Wild dogs and stray dogs who eat bones can do so because they also tend to consume a lot of hide and hair, which act as a ‘padding’ for the bone fragments and help them pass through without getting lodged anywhere. Other dangerous foods to avoid are avocados, macadamia nuts, raisins, garlic, chocolate, mushrooms, grapes and onions.

Dog Food Recipes: Doggy Hamburgers

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of hamburger meat (stir fried in a tablespoon of canola oil).
• 1 boiled and chopped eggs.
• ½ a cup of cooked oatmeal.
• 1 jar of baby food green beans.
• 1 jar of baby food carrots.
• 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese.

Mix all these ingredients well and serve at room temperature. You could also add a good puppy mineral/multivitamin supplement for good measure. Make sure you store the unused portions in an airtight container in the fridge and throw away any remains after three days.

Doggy Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of boiled and chopped chicken.
• ½ a cup of brown rice, cooked.
• ½ a cup of mixed vegetables, boiled.
• Three to four tablespoons of chicken broth, unsalted

(Point to be noted: Salmon can be substituted occasionally for broiled poultry, but chicken broth has to be omitted.)

Stir the contents together and serve the mixture at room temperature.

Basic Dog Food Recipe
This recipe combines rice with meat and veggies for a well-balanced dog food.

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce of ground beef, preferably hormone and antibiotic free.
• 2 cups of brown rice, cooked.
• 1 ounce of mixed vegetables.
• 1 or 2 ounces of plain yogurt.

Fry the ground beef in a frying pan till it turns brown and then set the dish aside. Steam the vegetables until they are soft and tender. Remove the veggies from the steamer and allow it to cool slightly. Add the veggies to the beaker of a food processor and pulse them till they are chopped coarsely. Mix these chopped vegetables with the ground beef and rice.

Multi-Grain Kibble

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of whole-wheat flour.
• One and a half cups of unbleached, all-purpose flour.
• ½ a cup of soy flour.
• 1 cup of corn meal.
• 1 cup of dry powdered, non-fat milk.
• 1 cup of rolled oats.
• ½ a cup of wheat germ.
• 1 tablespoon of salt.
• ½ a cup of brewers yeast.
• 1 egg.
• 3 cups of water.
• 5 tablespoons of corn oil.

Heat the oven to about 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix the corn oil and egg. Stir water into all the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture and mix all the contents well. The batter should be thin. Pour the batter on baking sheets and spread it evenly like you would for a pizza base. Bake the sheets for about 45 minutes.

Cool this kibble and then break it into smaller pieces. Store the pieces in an airtight container and refrigerate.