Three Important Safety Products for your Dog this SummerWritten by Nicole Martins
Keeping your dog safe is similar to keeping a child safe, you need to constantly be on alert. There are certain dangers a dog faces, especially in urban and suburban settings where risk of running away and getting hit by a car poses a serious threat. Keeping your pooch protected on your property even when you’re not there to supervise, or keeping your dog from running off and becoming injured when playing around off leash, is reason enough to look for practical solutions. Below are three products that can help you and your companion enjoy some freedom while being safe!Water Alarm This product is designed to alert you should your dog enter pool. Now I’m sure you’re thinking, my dog’s a great swimmer. And I’m sure he is. But reality is dogs drown in swimming pools, simply because they can’t find stairs. To keep your pooch safe this summer, look into Safety Turtle Water Safety Alarm, or a similar product. This particular product works by attaching Turtle to your pet’s collar: an alarm will sound at a base station in house moment he jumps in. Fencing There are numerous wireless pet fence manufacturers to choose from: Innotek and Petsafe are 2 very good brands. This form of containment makes it possible for you to create invisible boundaries on your property, so that your dog doesn’t run off. How does it work? A transmitter (usually housed in garage or basement) sends a radio signal through a concealed wire buried along perimeter of "fenced in" area. Your dog wears a special collar with a receiver that alerts him with a warning tone when he’s approaching edge of safe area, followed by a minor shock if he gets too close. Additional training, usually 7 – 14 days, is necessary to assist your dog in understanding and learning boundaries of fence. It is important to note that while invisible fences work well with most dogs, they are not 100 % effective, especially if your dog is older, stubborn and not well trained. If you think this might be case with your pet and you want to try this product, make sure you are on guard for a reasonable trial period to make sure your dog doesn’t figure out he can ‘jump’ fence and run off.
| | Care for your dog's ears.Written by Ruth Bird
Regular ear care for your dog Routine ear care is very important to health of your dog. Perform regular checks and cleaning between visits to your veterinarian, it will help keep your dog’s ears healthy and pain free. This is extremely important to do. I have had Goldens and Black Labs for many years, and they are well known for ear conditions. But remember, no matter how efficient you are in caring for your dog’s ears, serious conditions may still arise. Also, beware when your dog flaps its ears too much. This can cause a hematoma, which I will discuss a little further on. My Golden had to be operated for this. Regular inspection of your dog’s Ears By performing ear inspections you will be able to detect problems early. Use both your eyes and your nose. A small flashlight will assist you in seeing problems. I have “smelled out” more serious problems using my nose. This method can detect ear infections early. Normally a dog’s ears shouldn’t smell foul in any way. A dark waxy discharge this may be a sign of ear mites. A pus-like discharge along with a foul smell this is a sign of a bacterial infection. Allergies are also known to cause a foul smell in your dog’s ears. My Golden had very sensitive ears. If something feels wrong, make sure you have your Veterinarian check it right away. Have your Vet show you what to look for, and how to look for potential problems! My Vet is an amazing teacher and he is always willing to show me things. What dogs are more susceptible to ear problems? Dogs with floppy ears, like spaniels and bloodhounds, are very prone to ear infections because very little air flows into their ear canals. There are also breeds, like Lhasa Apso, that have a heavy growth of hair inside their ears. Dogs that frequently swim are more susceptible to ear problems. And, Goldens can be very susceptible to ear problems. If you suspect that excess ear hair is a problem, you may need to remove hair that grows inside your dog’s ears. This is not very difficult and if you have a problem, find a good groomer to do it for you. How to clean your dog’s ears: Your dog’s eardrum is better protected than a human’s, but you should still proceed with caution when cleaning ear canal. Do not insert anything into your dog’s ear. Use only small square cleaning pads, or cotton balls. Use anything that is very soft, but has no tips. Ask your groomer or Vet to show you best way to clean YOUR dog’s ears... Checking your dog’s ears only takes a few minutes so make it a part of your dog grooming routine. And when your dog’s ears need a cleaning don’t put it off. Remember regular cleanings can prevent many common ear problems. If you think a problem may be developing that is beyond scope of your home dog ear care routine, take your dog to vet for a check up immediately. An infection, if left untreated, can be very painful.
|
