can anyone help with my bichon frese?

Question

he has had a couple of ear infections and each time the vet prescibes this medication to put in his ear. some one told me he could be allergic to some kind of food. the groomer has been told not to pluck or get his ears wet. that didn't help. some suggestions would be very helpful. he is 5 years old and not neutered. doesn't eat dog food..hates it. i have tried several brands to no avail. he eats potatos, carrots and all meat as well as tuna salmon and loves fish. his treats are dog biscuits and doggy pork chop shape treats.sometimes a hot dog a small piece of bologna.

Answer 1

Has your veterinarian ever took a squab of the ear 'juice' and send it off to the lab for a culture and sensitivity? THAT would be my next step. In the mean time try to switch to a venison and potato formula for food, dogs with allergies tend to do VERY well on this combination.

Answer 2

The best thing you could possibly do for your dog is to get him on a good, high-quality dog food. No dog will allow itself to starve to death (he WILL eat it when he's hungry), and things can be added to the food to make it more appetizing if you feel it's absolutely necessary.

He's come to the realization that if he waits long enough, you'll give him tastier food. Giving in to his doggy version of manipulation was your mistake. There is no dog on this planet who would prefer dog food over people food, but we as responsible pet owners owe our dogs the best nutrition. Feeding a non-dog-food diet is something a lot of people choose to do, and there's nothing wrong with doing it, but doing it RIGHT is difficult and complicated, and usually requires a lot of preparation and assistance from a vet or dog nutritionist, plus supplements, to get it all just right. It sounds more like you're just giving your dog "whatever" and hoping it's doing him good.

I went through 5 brands before I found one my picky dog would gladly eat (Canidae). It was worth the search. She seems to love the brand I currently use, and it's a very high-quality food and both of my dogs are doing great on it.

Your vet is telling you the cause is probably food allergies. That should be a huge red-flag that what your a feeding him is not working out. If the cause of his ear trouble is food allergies as the vet thinks it may be, then the obvious solution would be to change his diet to something more healthy for a dog. Most of the things you are feeding are not unhealthy by themselves, but you have no idea if he's getting enough of "this" or "that" in his diet, becuase it is not balanced.

Answer 3

Ear infections are caused by fungus and bacteria. Keeping the ear dry helps and there are some drops you can use that clean and dry the ears. Ask you Vet.

My spaniels live constantly with an ear infection and we had their thyroid check because we heard that can cause it. But all OK there, but we still have the ear problems. I love my spaniels but I will never get another one because I've had 2 and both had ear problems.. I also prepared my own food. Most vets say no people food, but dog food is made from people food duh!!!
But just be sure the balance is good, Meat and heavy on the veggies with some fruit, and some omega 3s and I add JP+ for dogs. http://www.juiceplus.com/nsa/pages/Home.soa?site=Lb53116

Answer 4

Your vet should be able to prescribe something you can have on hand. My mutt pup is prone to ear infections. I keep drops in the frig and use them at the first sign of problems.

Be certain that you are using them as instructed. If you stop to soon the infections may not be completely cleared up and the infection returns even stronger than before.

Answer 5

research a book you can get or look on the Internet there a lots of balanced recipes that you can make for your dog and you may want to get a supplement to make sure she is getting a proper diet. if this is to much work go with a super premium dog food and stop feeding her table scraps, she will be defiant but stick to you guns she will eat it when she releizes thats all she is getting. rice is a better base for home-made dog food than pototes, its easier to digest. and as for the ears by a natural cleansing product from a pet store and be gentle,use large q-tips and the solution to clean them out on a regular basis.

Answer 6

Your vet can prescribe food that will do well with your dogs allergies. The same food is also available in canned form so that maybe he wont be so picky.