As adorable as dogs are, they can be menace. Taking care of them can be harder than taking care of a baby but still just as important. They roll around and rattle in the ground in all the dirt they can find making themselves vulnerable to all kinds of harmful bacteria, viruses and funguses. Knowing what they might be affected by can be a real challenge.
Pinning them down to give them the treatment they need is a world of trouble in itself. As much as they might not like the treatment, they can be very uncooperative in the process of letting us administer the medicine to them. Sometimes they create havoc just for the thrill of all the chasing and running we do after them but the rest of the times they just simply are scared of the pain or discomfort caused by the medicine which still makes the process heart wrenchingly tough.
Ear infection is one of the most common health problems amongst dogs. It is the inflammation of the ear canal. It can be caused due to a multitude of reasons. The root of this problem can be ear mites, grass awns or wax plugs. Among others, allergies play a significant role for the infection as well.
Ear infection and inflammation is the beginning of the problems, it further on leads to bacteria and yeast festering in the damp and moist ear canals of dogs which forms the foundation for much worse medical conditions.
The infections or diseases that act as the root of ear condition in dogs can be “Otitis”, “Ear Vasculitis” et al. Due to these conditions, dogs have to endure significant amounts of pain and the medication can be just as elaborate and tedious.
Here are a couple of things you might want to consider to begin the process with a positive approach.
- Try to make the atmosphere a little optimistic and emotionally reassuring. Before, during and after administering the medicine, try to be as sympathetic as possible and make pleasant stroking and gently patting your dog an essential part of the whole duration. They need the assurance that they are in good hands and have an affectionate environment.
- Do not use their favourite places as bait to lure them in, to administer medicine. You might just end up making them simply resent that spot. It won’t help your cause.
- When the time arrives to administer the medicine, instead of calling out to them, approach them yourself. You don’t want them to fear being called out by you.
You might want to exercise the following precautions while the medicating process just for the sake of a more safe and secure procedure.
- Let the place of medication be a moderately small area to avert a passage for escape and if your dog is small, you can use his size as an advantage and place him on a raised platform for a better and convenient process.
- Remember to put your dog on a leash for the sake of a light restraint so you can gently control his movement and prevent unfortunate accidents during the procedure.
- If possible, get another set of hands to aid you to get a better grip over your dog and to hold him down still throughout the process.
- To prevent any further accidents or disorientation, it’s better that you restrain your dog with a properly fitted muzzle, even if he resists. But if his resistance is severe than usual or more than you can handle, it might be suggestive of an extreme and harsh effect of the medicine hence their rebel. In such cases it is wiser to consult the veterinarian.
- After you’re done give them a treat as an acknowledgment of his fears and rewarding him for being brave. It’ll be like a flicker of light at the end of a dark tunnel.
- At the time of administering the medication, it is recommended to have everything prepared beforehand, ready to use so that the procedure can go smoothly and swiftly.
Here’s a video, to assist you a little better in ways to administer medicine to your dog.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSb4HWqtB0k
The procedure of medication isn’t as simple as it might seem. It is necessary to exercise enough and proper precautions for the safekeeping of your dog.
- It is suggested to not use the over-the-counter cleaners in the infected ear of your dog, the possible alcohol content present there can cause an unwelcome discomfort for him making him resent and rebellious for his treatment even more.
- For a better experience, warm up the ear cleaners (lukewarm). It can be very comforting and have a calming effect. But make sure not to heat it up too much.
- Refrain from using cotton tipped applicators, you just might accidentally damage their ear canal.
- Usage of syringe with all the right and necessary safety measures, can be a quick and an easy way to administer medicine.
- Be gentle, as much as possible. As resistive as he might be, try to avoid pulling or poking. He’s already in great discomfort and all the man-handling just makes it worse.
- Ensure that the full course of medicine is completed and all the necessary tests are taken. Follow ups with the doctor are an essential part of the treatment as well.
Why is my Dog shaking his Head after I gave him Ear Drops?
There are only so many ways our dogs can communicate with us and all those gestures are easy to pick and very convenient to comprehend. We just have to train ourselves to catch those hints and then it becomes an easy ride. Dogs are intelligent creatures and are fully aware of how their actions are perceived. They feel free to express themselves the way they can and ensure that they come under our notice.
There are some mannerisms that seem to be ordinary, given, that it doesn’t follow a pattern, but if the frequency of those mannerisms increases prominently, it might be symbolic of an underlying issue. In dogs shaking their head severely falls into such a category.
Usually, dogs shake their head to dust themselves off, to get rid of all the stuff stuck to their bodies or insects crawling in on them and majorly when they are drenched. When given ear drops, the trickles of the medicine can cause slight irritation and since they obviously can’t use their paws to eliminate the trouble, they try to get rid of that effect by shaking their heads instead.
In general, the purpose is served. But under some conditions, shaking might just make the condition worse. In such cases it is wiser to consult the veterinarian.
Source:
https://www.texvetpets.org/article/giving-ear-medications-uncooperative-pets/