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We live in a generation of instantaneous information. Don’t know what to make for dinner? Use Google to find a new tasty recipe! Hear a song in the grocery store that you really liked? There’s an App for that! With the development of smart phones and tablets we are spending more and more of our time on the internet. Access to all this information makes it easier than ever to research a topic and make a decision about anything, including the health of your pets.

More and more of our clients are going online to research at home treatments or diagnosis for their pets. Google can be a great source of information for pet owners, but it can also cause undue concerns about their pet’s condition. It’s important to remember to take what you learn from the internet with a grain of salt as not all information is reliable. There’s a saying “one wrong man can always find a friend” and the internet makes it a lot easier to find that friend. If you look hard enough you will almost always find someone who shares the same opinion as you whether it’s right or wrong.

Here are some tips to finding information about your pet on the internet:
• Get your diagnosis from a licensed veterinarian first, then begin your internet search to add onto the information you already know is true.
• Refrain from looking up symptoms – different symptoms can be applied to many various diseases that the people of the internet did not mention in their blog posts or chat forums.
• Remember anyone can post on the internet – just like you wouldn’t trust everything your next door neighbor says you shouldn’t trust everything you read on the internet
• Beware of bias- there are many different biases to be aware of from people trying to sell you thing to people who have a bone to pick with a specific product or profession. Be very wary of information you read in the comment sections or online forums.
• Remember; when in doubt call your veterinarian! Even if our only advice is to come into the clinic for an exam, our advice over the phone is always free and we will try our hardest to point you in the right direction.

^{This blog post was written by McQueen Animal Hospital, a veterinary clinic in Brampton providing quality affordable veterinary care}

Ear infections are most often due to an over growth of bacteria or yeast in the ear canal. This can be caused by mites, trapped water, growing hair or a foreign body in the ear. Ear infections are often secondary complications to other problems such as environmental or food allergies, hypothyroidism or excessive amounts of ear wax. Due to the shape of the ear canal frequent bathing, swimming or incorrect cleaning can lead to infections as it is hard for debris and water to escape the canal. Dogs with long or floppy ears are especially prone to ear infections for this reason.

Symptoms
• Itchy ears
• Brown, red or bloody discharge
• Odor
• Redness and swelling
• Head shaking/Head tilt
• Hearing loss

Diagnosis
A veterinarian can often diagnose an ear infection by examining the ear canal and ear drum with the help of an otoscope. After a thorough examination the veterinarian will take a sample of the discharge coming from the ears and look at it under a microscope. The microscope enables your vet to whether its bacteria, yeast or parasites that are causing the infection. It is important not to self-diagnose an ear infection as the different causes have different treatments and if treated improperly they may lead to other problems.

Treatment
Ear infections can be treated at home. During your appointment the Veterinary Technician will clean your pet’s ears for you and give you instructions on how to keep them clean. It is important to never use a Q-Tip as they can puncture the ear drum if inserted too deep. Your veterinarian may then prescribe either an oral or topical medication.

^{This blog post was written by McQueen Animal Hospital, a veterinary clinic in Brampton providing quality affordable veterinary care}

Camping is a great way to spend some time with the family, but what’s quality family time without our furry friends? Camping with your dog can either be a lot of fun or a lot of work. There are many things to consider when bringing your dog on a camping trip and any camper knows that making sure you’re properly prepared is very important before setting off into the wilderness.

Training

Your dog doesn’t need to be Einstein but let’s be honest; if your dog doesn’t listen to your when you give a command it can make for a very stressful camping trip. Some useful commands are stop, come back, lay down and drop it. It is also important to remember that sound travels, especially near the water so if your dog is a barker it is important either train them not to bark or not to bring them. I’m sure that you can agree that the only thing worse than listening to a dog bark nonstop for 3 hours is listening to their owner yell at them for barking for 3 hours. If your dog is a wanderer it is important to keep them on a leash at all times and to bring them inside the tent with you at the end of the night when you turn in. If your dog invites themselves into your neighbor’s cooler for lunch you may end up with some very unhappy neighbors.

Breed and Temperament

If your dog is aggressive whether towards humans, other dogs or wild animals it has no place in the wilderness. Different breeds have different temperaments. If your dog has never seen a porcupine before no matter how well trained the command used for stop may not work. Different dog breeds have different dispositions. If a Jack Russell comes across a porcupine in the bush it will likely bark “bring it on!” in dog language and go for the animal’s throat. It’s what their bred to do and they do it very well. Other breeds such as retrievers or standard poodles have temperaments better suited to camping and hiking in the wilderness.
Physical Capabilities
A camping trip is not the time to start your overweight dog on a weight loss program. Like people, dogs need training too; they can’t be expected to go from couch to mountain climbing in one afternoon. When going on a back packing trip it is recommended that your dog is able to support itself. This means they should have their own back pack with about a week worth of kibble inside. It is important that your dog is used to the backpack before the hiking trip, it’s recommended to get them used to it over about 2 months, gradually adding weight to it.
Just like humans, if your dog is on the boat with you it is important that they have a PFD, especially if they are non swimmers. Dogs get tired too, they can drown if they don’t monitor their fatigue level, and most energetic dogs don’t realize their tired until they’re really tired.

Trail Etiquette

You may love your dog but not everyone out of the trails or at the camp site may love dogs. Good trail etiquette is to step off the trail and control your dog. If your dog likes to run back and forth on the trail, that’s fine as long as it’s a low-use area. When you do run into another person, assure them your dog is under control and not aggressive.
Always make sure you poop and scoop while camping. If you came across a camper taking a number 2 in the forest and then walking off you’d you mortally offended and likely grossed out. The same applies to your dog. It is unpleasant for other hikers or campers to accidentally find your dogs feces with their brand new hiking boots. If you’re on a long hike and would rather not carry a poop bag the rest of the way it is recommended to dig a small hole and burry your dogs poop.

Dog First Aid

Before you even begin to pack your things for a camping trip call your veterinarian to ensure your dog is up to date on all vaccinations, especially rabies. Rabies is transmitted by infected raccoons, bats and many other wild animals you could easily come across while camping. Ticks can also pose a threat to your dog. It is a good idea to do a thorough tick inspection every night before turning in. The big thing to remember when camping or hiking with your dog is that if they get hurt you’re going to have to find a way to get them back home. This may mean carrying your 90lb Labrador with a broken leg all the way back to the car. If you are traveling far away from home it is always best to know where the closest veterinarian is just in case of an emergency.

^{This blog post was written by McQueen Animal Hospital, a veterinary clinic in Brampton providing quality affordable veterinary care}