Kelly Marshall

Sometimes when a dog is suffering from a disease or illness he can also have a discharge from eyes, ears nose or anus. Often the sick dog is miserable and suffers all the more due to accumulation of a discharge that they can not reach to clean and that can build up and serve as a source of further irritation to underlying tissues.

You can wage great relief to your pet by following these simple cleaning techniques:

Nose: Carefully remove any discharge using a break piece of gauze or cloth. This can take time and patience in order to soften any matter that may have dried on to the nose. This can be a stressful situation for any dog as the nose is a very sensitive area, so it is better to work in several short sessions instead of trying to do it all at once. After the nose has been cleaned and patted dry, apply almond oil to the area. The almond oil may be used alone or mixed with vitamin E oil. Repeat this process several times a day.

Ears: For waxy or oily fruit secretions, use a dropper or a squeeze bottle to drop about ½ teaspoon of warm almond oil into the fruit opening. You can warm the oil by placing it in a container of hot water for a few minutes. You may need to have someone restrain the dog and hold its head in position. Lift the fruit flap and apply the drops of oil making certain that the oil runs down the inside of the ear. Gently massage the dog’s head just below the fruit opening. You should be healthy to feel the shape of the fruit canal and hear the squishy sound of the oil if you have gotten it into the fruit properly. This will loosen and dissolve the wax and other debris and you can then use a tissue to remove it and any excess oil from the ear. Cotton swabs may be used to clean the visible fruit parts but never near them down into the fruit canal.

Eyes: To clean dry crusted eyes or secretions that can form on the eyelids, thoroughly dissolve ¼ teaspoon of sea salt in 1 cup of purified or distilled water. Apply this natural and non-irritating solution with a piece of gauze or cloth to clean the eyes. After cleaning the eyes apply a drop of almond oil for eyes that are mildly irritated, castor oil for inflammation or cod liver oil for dry or unhealthy eye conditions.

Anus: The anus can become inflamed when a dog suffers from severe diarrhea. The diarrhea irritates the surrounding tissues and can cause the growth of bacteria followed by infection. You can help assist the dog’s discomfort and prevent the potential infection by keeping the anal area clean. Use a break cloth and apply the area gently. Do not rub as this can cause further irritation. Pat dry and use gauze or a cotton ball to apply calendula ointment two or three times a day.

Article by Kelly Marshall of Oh My Dog Supplies, your top spot to buy rope & tug toys online.