It’s not uncommon for bird dogs to get an ear infection in fact it’s a result of the size and depth of their ears. Because hunting dogs (gun dogs) spend so much time outdoors and have large, floppy ears, they are actually more prone to getting an ear infection. Infections in the ear are a result of yeast or bacteria which can grow in your dogs’ ear and eventually may wind up in the ear canal.

Symptoms of Otitis
Not only are ear infections painful, in extreme cases they may actually lead to your dog becoming deaf. There are some symptoms that you can be on the lookout for – some are basic behaviors of dogs that have ear infections while others are clinical symptoms. You should be aware if:

Your dog has any discharge from their ears which is heavily colored
Your dogs; ears begin to emit a strong, foul odor
Your dog begins to scratch his ears or shake his head excessively

These early signs can get worse and becoming a serious infection. Once the infection begins to creep deeper into your dog’s ear, it will get into the inner ear and begin affecting your dog’s ability to keep his balance and to hear:

Disorientation
Falling down or an awkward “drunken” gate
Loss of hearing
Unusual eye movements or “crazy eye”

As soon as you’ve noticed something wrong, take your dog to a veterinarian. The faster you treat the infection, the easier it will be to care for it and the less it will cost you in money and your dog in pain.

Your veterinarian can find the problem by utilizing a special scope to observe the infection, and sometimes, a cotton swab may be use to get a sample. Ear mites and other diseases can have the same symptoms of otitis, so they must be ruled out before treatment can begin.

Treating Ostitis
Usually the infection is treated with a medication. Sometimes it’s as simple as hydrogen peroxide poured into the ear regularly or it will involve a prescription medication for more serious infections. Sometimes antibiotics are also prescribed to lessen the other affects of the infection. A thorough ear cleaning will be done at the vet’s office and then your regular treatments with medication will be done at home.

The treatment for most ear infections will mean that you’ll have to place the medication in your dogs’ ear and that is most likely going to mean that you’re going to need a second set of hands. The dog isn’t going to be particularly happy with any treatment, but it’s critical that the treatment be completed per your veterinarians’ instructions. Don’t forget to talk soothingly to your dog during treatments, it will help him relax.

Watch your dog carefully. Even after the infection is “cured,” it can come back again and dogs never become immune to it. Remember: the earlier you catch it, the easier it will be to take care of it.

Keep in mind that not only is health issues important with your hunting dog, but the type of hunting dog supplies you get from your dogs are just as important. Make sure to do your research and take your time when you decide to purchase something such as a dog training collar.

We all understand the importance of carrying a first aid kit when we’re hunting to protect ourselves from possible injury. But, don’t overlook a first aid kit for your hunting dog while you’re preparing your own! It’s better to be prepared for a possible problem and be able to deal with a minor injury than wait until you get back home and discover you have a real problem.

Your dog is depending on you to care for him at home and out on the field. After all, this is your responsibility. In the event that your dog becomes hurt, will you be prepared to treat his wound with sanitary medical dressing? That’s the difference between being prepared and using an old shirt or rag, which can actually lead to deadly infections and make the injuries worse. It’s worth the couple extra dollars to have a first aid kit for dogs on hand.

Here is what to look for in a good bird dogs first aid kit:

A First Aid Guide
This guide should cover the basics of first aid for dogs. It should show how to bandage wounds, do mouth-to-snout resuscitation, and use the other items contained in the first aid kit to help your dog. This is for emergencies and doesn’t replace normal veterinary care, of course. Read the guide before you go out so you are familiar with the information in it and will either know it or be better able to find it quickly.

Don’t Forget The Tweezers
Small and often forgotten, these little pincers are a Godsend when you have slivers to remove. Just like in humans, a splinter that enters a dog’s foot pad or another part of the body can bury itself in the skin and work its way deeper, eventually becoming an abscess. This abscess will become infected and could spread its infection throughout the body.

Hydrogen Peroxide
Easy and cheap, this liquid is a must-have in any decent first pad kit. Because they are good for sterilizing, it’s a good idea to use them on your dog as a prep. It won’t cause any discomfort or pain. If it comes as liquid versus a sterile pad, make sure to use a sterile gauze pad to properly clean the affected area, before and after treatment.

Iodine
A small bottle of iodine is the next step up from peroxide and can be used to more thoroughly clean a wound or cut before bandaging. Even better is to use the peroxide and then the iodine on the wound before bandaging. Iodine can make a wound heal much faster.

Antibiotic Ointment
These are off-the-shelf ointments that can be used to help with bee or wasp stings, abrasions, or other small injuries.

Eyewash
Like their adult companions, dogs often get things in their eyes that no amount of trying will dislodge. You can find a simple saline solution that can be safely used to wash out your dogs’ eyes and in some cases, even prevent issues with their vision. Just spray some into the dogs’ eye and as a rule of thumb the rest will take care of itself.

Trauma Pad
A trauma pad is crucial if your dog is seriously injured; it will help minimize bleeding and help keep the wound bound as well as providing assistance in transporting your dog to emergency help. When shopping for a trauma pad watch out that the sizing is correct for your dogs needs.

Gauze, Tape, and Scissors
Simple, basic, and self-explanatory, these tools are indispensable for your dog’s injuries. It’s useful for cuts and scratches. To properly treat these minor injuries, bandage and gauze the area, then tape it to protect the area from further damage.

A dog first aid kit can really make your hunting trip a good time. Lack of one can make it traumatic. Be sure you have a good kit with lots of hunting dog supplies and that you carry it with you at all times while in the field. It’s not a bad idea to have it easily accessible at home too.

Socializing is a necessary part of owning a puppy. Puppies who don’t receive proper social training can bite out of fear. Here are some helpful hints for properly socializing your gun dog puppy.

Puppy School
Puppy training classes can be a great asset to you and your puppy. You’ll learn commands that will teach your puppy control himself, like sit, stay and quiet. You’ll also receive advice on socialization questions. Check with local pet stores or search online to find a puppy class near you.

If your dog is especially shy, a group class may not be the best situation for him. It can be very scary for a dog that’s shy to be immediately thrust into this situation without developing a level of trust first.

Dealing with a Shy Dog
What do you do when your puppy is shy to the point of being afraid? Never force a fearful dog to accept petting. This increases his anxiety and could lead to fear biting. To help a shy puppy come out of his shell, you’ll need to do a “greeting circle”. Here’s how:

To do the greeting circle, ask friends for some help. Everyone should sit in a circle with delicious treats on hand. Have them sit on a sideways angle, since this is non-threatening. Instruct everyone to avoid eye contact, sudden movements, or leaning or dominating behaviors which can scare the puppy.

The way to make this circle work is to have each person sitting in the circle put a treat in their hand and close their hand and extend it into the circle. Once this is done you can each open up your hands and call to the puppy, and try to urge him to come to take the treat from your hand. You should make sure that you’re using soft voices and offering encouraging words during this process, but don’t try to pet the dog until he comes to you for attention.

One by one, each person will have a turn trying to bring puppy to the treat in hand. Start by making it simple for the dog. As he learns the nature of the game and freely walks up to the next hand in line, switch up the pace and randomize the process so that he’s going in a more random direction for his treat.

In time he’ll be running to each person for his treat. When this happens, it’s time to arrange a meet and greet with a very laid back puppy.

The Play Date
All dogs love to play and because of that it’s sometimes very easy to introduce a new puppy or person to your dog and help him overcome his shyness and fears. Try to make sure that you keep an eye on what’s happening and if your puppy appears to be intimidated, take him to another area.

Be sure to set up play dates with familiar and trustworthy dogs. For instance, if your friend has an adult Labrador who loves everyone and everything, you should try and setting up a playtime with him.

You can do a meet and greet at the pet store, too. There is usually no fee for this, so check with your local pet store for days and times. When you do go, watch and take the puppy from the area if he’s uncomfortable or if another dog is pestering him.

If your heading out, take your puppy along. This helps him get used to different smells and sights. Keep some tasty treats close by so that you can reward friendly behavior. If you take him to the pet store, give him a treat as soon as you walk in the door. Let him explore at his own pace.
When strangers ask to pet your puppy, let them know that your puppy is “in training”. Hand them a treat to give to your puppy.

Most of us are aware that when our dog has pups they take care of most of the work all by themselves. For almost all bird dogs, having the pups and expelling the placenta is a natural process and when followed by sufficient rest your momma dog will be back on her feet and happy and healthy as she ever was. Most dogs that are healthy have absolutely no problems giving birth. There are some complications that as a responsible pet parent you should be aware of (especially if you are a breeder).

Once mom has successfully given birth it’s usually a good idea to take her to the vet just to verify that everything is fine. You should try to do this within a day of birthing and you might want to check with your vet to see if they think it’s a good idea to check out the puppies at the same time. For mom, you want to verify that she has no puppies remaining in her womb and that she has fully expelled the placenta. If mom isn’t checked out thoroughly and a baby or a part of the placenta is left in the womb mom could get a serious infection and if left unchecked she could become ill enough to succumb to infection. Often your vet will recommend a shot that will help make sure the uterus is clear and will also help mom let her milk down.

Carefully watch the bitch for several days after giving birth to make sure that there is no high fever, lack of appetite, or diarrhea, as these are signs of bacterial infection. Without antibiotics, she can die or develop serious problems. And since puppies should never be away from the mother dog, they should also have the benefit of vet care. The vet will check temperature and examine them to make sure that everything appears normal. If anything seems unusual, you should take her to the vet immediately, especially during the first week after whelping.

Watch mother carefully for the first few days to be sure nothing unusual is happening. If she is to get sick after whelping, it will be during the first week after the puppies have come.

There are some things you can do as a responsible pup parent to make sure that mom has everything she needs to make sure all stays well. First and foremost make sure that the area where mom and babies are resting is kept very clean – wash all bedding daily and clean up any messes you see immediately. Do not use any harsh cleaning products that can cause irritation to the eyes and noses if the newborn puppies.

Eclampsia is another problem to watch for in the new mother. This is often called “milk fever” and is a condition where her body does not produce enough calcium for lactation. This will occur three weeks or so after lactation begins and is a serious problem. If it is caught early, supplements can be added to her food to give her what she needs to make up for it. Symptoms will include stiffness, pain, and a fever with possible seizures. Take her to a vet as soon as you see any symptom.

Your dog may develop an infection of her mammary glands which can be common and you should be aware of. This is especially true as your mom pup nurses her babies and they start cutting teeth. Mastasis can also happen shortly after birth and is distinguished by purplish spots on the teats accompanied by a fever. This is relatively easy to treat with a topical cream.

Sometimes, agalactia can set in. This is a condition where the bitch can only produce little milk, or sometimes, not at all. The vet will be able to see if this is a problem during the first examination and take effective measures to treat the problems.

Although the conditions and problems above are serious, you’ll find that whelping is a very natural and healthy process, with little care required from you. Most dogs produce healthy puppies and will be fine after birth.