September 17, 2017

Dog’s have pretty acute hearing and therefore any ear infection can be a cause of great discomfort. Your Malamute, which is prone to develop Keratinisation disorders, are also therefore more prone to these ear infections also called Canine Otitis excessively secreting Cerumen.

Does He Have Canine Otitis?

If you observe your Malamute spending too much time scratching his ears or if he exhibit signs of discomfort or pain or if you find that there is more than the usual amount of secretion of ear wax in his ears, you might want to be careful. There can also be signs of hearing loss and formation of yellowish or brown-black secretion or pus formation or secretion of cerumen in the Malamute’s ears. The foul smell from your Malamute’s ear can also alert you to a possible Canine Otitis infection.

More about Canine Otitis

Canine Otitis can occur in the non-visible inner ear or the visible middle ear or the epithelial layer, also called the external ear. Of all these possibilities, the most likely infection happens to the external ear, which becomes inflamed and painful. There are some home remedies for dog ear infections, but sometimes you do need to bring them to your veterinarian. Here is more information on canine otitis.

What Causes Canine Otitis?

Your Malamute being more prone to Keratinisation disorders can develop Canine Otitis as a result. Bacteria that affect ear canals, allergy to dog food, infestation of vermin like mites in the ears, foreign bodies that might come into contact with your Malamute’s ear in the outside environment or excessive scratching by the Malamute can all lead to Canine Otitis in your Malamute.

Can I Prevent Canine Otitis?

You can prevent Canine Otitis in your Malamute by giving close attention to ear hygiene. You can do at least a monthly once, routine ear canal cleaning to reduce the risk of Canine Otitis.Use a wash towel to gently clean the outer ear with soap that you generally use for the dog’s bath. For the inner visible part, you can use gauze wrapped around your fingers which you can carefully insert into your Malamute’s ears and wipe out the secretions.
For the innermost ear, which is inaccessible, there are dry cleaners you can purchase, which are ideal.

Treating Canine Otitis at the Vet’s

If your Malamute is suffering from the ear infection, your veterinarian will make your dog undergo some specialized cleaning to sterilize his ears of the foreign bodies or bacteria that has caused the infection in the first place.The cleaning process is dependent on the severity of the infection and the cause. Discuss with your vet for the best medicines for the procedure. Ask your wet for a solution or the dry cleaners that you will use to clean and massage your Malamute’s ears with every day, before you apply medicines to the infected ears.

The next stage of treatment of the ear infection will be to use ear drops that are specifically chosen for the pathogen or the cause, which you can apply on your dog’s ears for the complete duration of the course. In severe cases of infection systemic route antibiotics might be in order.

Prevention or Cure!

Of course, prevention is better than cure. But if that didn’t work, do not waste time in consulting your Vet for immediate treatment! Learn more about the types of medicinal products that can help.

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September 12, 2017

Alaskan Malamutes: 5 Things You May Not Know

No one could ever deny that Alaskan Malamutes are among the most adorable canine breeds in the planet. With their wolf-like features and fluffy coat that makes just about anyone coo in delight at their presence, they can easily beat any competition just with their huge, dorky grins alone. But there is always much more than meets the eye, and aside from their always-perky ears and their very lively attitude, there are still a few things which you might not know about one of our most favorite dog breeds. Here are a few to easily take note on:

1. Alaskan Malamutes go a long way back in history. Originally regarded as sled dogs by Alaskan tribes that originally domesticated them because of their strength, they were considered highly as they are one of the quickest and efficient methods of transportation in the early days. Also, it may be endearing to note that Alaskan Malamutes got their names from their ancestors; they were originally known as Mahlemuts, based from the name of the tribe that brought them up.

2. Malamutes might seem cute, but proper handling should be noted. As they still have the genes of outdoor dogs, they have to be trained for obedience because even their smallest of movements might cause havoc around a house, especially if it is a rather cramped one.

3. Because of their thick coat, Malamutes are probably the biggest shedders, so any owner should be vigilant in keeping those stray furs cleaned up. Their fur can resemble huge wads of cotton when piled up, and once or twice a year, these adorable creatures also undergo a process called “blowing”, which is really just them shedding their entire coats off to allow new ones to grow.

4. In relation to this, constant baths actually induce more shedding in Alaskan Malamutes. Which is why to avoid excessive shedding which might even lead to baldness once neglected, it is recommended that these types of dogs should only be bathed once every six to eight weeks. The appropriate shampoo should also be used so as to not further induce unnecessary shedding, and as soon as they are done, their fur must be blown dry as damp hairs are easier to fall.

5. Because of their build, it is recommended that Alaskan Malamutes should be given constant exercises for their muscles to not deteriorate. Cooping them up in small spaces wouldn’t help either. Alaskan Malamutes get bored easily, so daily walks to the park with the additional running would most definitely help both their bodies and their sanity.

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