One of the questions we get asked quite often is our clients want to know how to clean a dogs ears. Typically they're uncomfortable with sticking something in their dogs ears and I don't blame them. If you aren't careful, you can perforate a dog (or cats) eardrum and cause some damage. So I put together a video which is helpful (I think) because it demystifies the process and shows you how easy it really is to clean your dogs ears. And you really don't need much. I recommend using Zymox as your ear cleaning solution and you'll need gauze and Q-Tips. If you're as uncomfortable as my husband is about sticking a Q-Tip in your dog or cats ear, don't do it. Use the gauze to wipe out as much gunk, then flush again with the Zymox.

Oh, and when you see a dog scratching their ears or face? Check their ears because many times that is want they're reacting to. Allergies, infections, there is no shortage what can cause this problem. And certain breeds are more susceptible to ear problems.

Enjoy and if you have any questions, please contact me!

Monique
NosePrints.net

Great Blue Heron and Tilapia

I know this has absolutely nothing to do with dogs or cats but I have to share with you because it simply isn't something one see's everyday. My husband and I were on the west coast of Florida hiking and we came across a Great Blue Heron struggling with his catch - a sizable Tilapia ( or at least we believe it was a Tilapia. We watched for over 15 minutes as he struggled to position the fish but it was the size that proved to be insurmountable - or not. Watch and find out if this majestic bird actually was able to swallow what looks like a week's worth of food!

We've also got a couple of very cool video's coming up that are going to show you how to properly and safely clean your dogs ears and we're going to address a specific diet issue for dogs!

Have a great day and Keep Wagging!

Monique
NosePrints.net

Kenyan Beaded Dog Collars

From time to time, noseprints.net sells pretty unique stuff - and in this case, I wanted to share with you these very unique dog collars. Handcrafted in Kenya, these dog collars are beaded by Massai and the solid buckles are hand cast from solid brass. I happen to be quite partial to unique dog collars, something that you would never find at a Petco or big box retailer. Check them out at my website Noseprints.net and poke around a bit. We have some seriously cool dog leashes and dog collars that you probably aren't going to find anywhere.

Morality in animals

Very interesting talk on TED.com - and for those of you who aren't familiar with TED.COM, I would recommend, very highly, watching their videos at least once a week. Fascinating topics from fascinating people.
In this case, Frans De Waal delivers an engaging talk on morality in other species - what he describes as caring about the well-being of others isn't just restricted to humans as you'll see. This might be a little long (16 minutes) for those who are a bit attention challenged, but it is worth watching. There are some really fascinating tests that show some traits that we share with our primate relatives. What is really fascinating is the sense of fairness that some species demonstrate (see the Capuchin test toward the end of the video). So we really aren't much different from other animals - now if we can only figure out how to stop breeding animals and get homes for all the abandoned dogs and cats!

As always, keep your dogs and cats safe and keep wagging!

How to select a veterinarian

Most people do not have any idea on how to select a veterinarian nor do they know what criteria they should consider. Why is this important? I give to you the following illustration. Just today word comes out that an undercover PETA operation exposes the abuses of a veterinarian, one Gene F. Giggleman. Giggleman is accused of unprofessional and/or dishonorable conduct following PETA's investigation of Global Exotics (USGE) a large exotic animal dealer were Giggleman was the attending veterinarian. Among other allegations, he is accused of crushing the heads of squirrels. Is this someone that you would want caring for your animals? Or even managing people who care for your animals? You can read the article about the PETA investigation here.

So how does one avoid veterinarians like this? This is where one of my most trusted barometers comes into play. My gut feeling. When you meet a veterinarian, you can tell who is truly passionate about animals and one who is simply going through the motions and doing it for the money. If you are a good judge of character, you can weed out the shaky vets (who tend to get weeded out as well).
What should you look for? Personal recommendations are always a good starting point. Then turn to Google and search for the vets name and look for complaints or issues with them or their practice. I would also recommend looking for an American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) hospital. Around 15% of all animal hospitals are AAHA members and its for a good reason. They have very high standards (customer service, patient care, medicine has to be advanced) and it's voluntary. Which translates into a lot of work. And of course, there are many good hospitals out there that are not AAHA accredited.

Bottom line, as with everything. Do your homework.Get references. Find an AAHA hospital.

Keep your pets happy and healthy and Keep Wagging everyone!
Monique