Eye & Ear Care
EYE CARE
Daily, gently clean the "sleep" from the corner of the eyes with a dampened kleenex or cotton ball.This is usually a darkish brown material, and a small to moderate amount, but if it is green or yellow in colour, an eye infection is indicated and veterinary care is required. It has been generally agreed that dogs "see" in shades of gray. Some owners 'swear' that their dog sees colours, but it is believed that the dog sees the subtle change of a gray tone, and so he can pick out the red ball from the yellow one. New studies believe that dogs do indeed distinguish colours, but differently from normal human vision.Here is a report on vision - http://www.nahra.org/nahra/vision.htm
Some breeds of dogs are prone to 'Juvenile Cataracts'. If you notice that your young dog is having trouble seeing as well as you think he should, then take him to a Veterinarian for an examination. As dogs age, and get into their senior years, they do lose their "depth perception" and have problems with judging distances and heights.You may have to stop playing certain games - like catching a Frisbee or a ball,so that the dog doesn't get frustrated at being unable to make the catch as usual. It is also normal for them to develop small cataracts and/or cloudy looking eyes as they get older. As long as there is no abnormal coloured discharge, none of these conditions require any medical treatment.
Some breeds of dogs are prone to 'Juvenile Cataracts'. If you notice that your young dog is having trouble seeing as well as you think he should, then take him to a Veterinarian for an examination. As dogs age, and get into their senior years, they do lose their "depth perception" and have problems with judging distances and heights.You may have to stop playing certain games - like catching a Frisbee or a ball,so that the dog doesn't get frustrated at being unable to make the catch as usual. It is also normal for them to develop small cataracts and/or cloudy looking eyes as they get older. As long as there is no abnormal coloured discharge, none of these conditions require any medical treatment.
EAR CARE
Good healthy dog ears have no smell, so if you notice an odour coming from the ear, you need take the dog to see a Veterinarian. Dogs with "drop ears" - those ears that fall down and close off the opening- are prone to infections because of the lack of air circulation into the ear. If you notice a strong smell, or if the puppy/dog is shaking his head or scratching frequently, then you need to see the Veterinarian for medication. Another common problem are "ear mites". These are most often transmitted from infected cats, and the ears really smell badly.A dark brown, thick and profuse wax is present in the ear.Again, this condition requires medication from a Veterinarian. "Prick Ears" - those ears that stand up away from the head - do not have the air circulation problem of the "drop ear" dogs, but they are still prone to ear mites and infections, so smell them on a regular basis. You can clean the ears using a damp cotton ball to wipe the inner ear folds with.Many pet stores sell an ear cleaner solution that dissolves old wax and freshens the ears.I like a product called R7 ear cleaner. Be careful if you use a Q-tip, that you don't push a ball of wax down into the ear drum.If it comes to rest against the ear drum, the dog's hearing will be impaired and his balance may be affected. Swimming can cause problems if the dog doesn't shake all the water out, so watch out for tender ears. If he yelps when you scratch the ears, then a trip to the Vet is in order. When you bathe the dog, try to keep the water from entering the ear canal. I recommend that you start teaching the pup hand signals early - a signal for come, sit, down, stay etc.As a dog ages, the hearing ability decreases, and some dogs become totally deaf.You can help their confusion by using the hand signals that you taught and used along with your voice since puppyhood.
