Bichon Frises make wonderful pets and loyal companions. They do have a few health problems to be aware of. One of the most common health issue they often deal with is allergies.Dogs often deal with allergies just like people do. Fortunately, the signs are obvious and there are remedies for most allergies.
Be on the look out for any of the following symptoms:
1. Digestive problems including vomiting, diarrhea and gas are signs of food allergies.
2. Ear infections are common in most breeds with long or floppy ears. Although the Bichon's ears are not obsessively long, they do hang over so the ear canal does not get much air. Add to that, Bichons tend to grow hair in their ears. It makes the perfect environment for an infection to flourish. Cleaning the ears once a week with an ear cleaner or recommended by your vet or vinegar and water; and having your dog's groomer remove the hair when your pup is groomed, will keep these infections to a minimum.
If your dog has chronic ear infections despite your best efforts to keep his ears clean and hair free, he may have allergies that are making him susceptible to ear infections.
Signs of ear infections are red ears, a discharge, foul smelling ears, frequent scratching of the ears and frequent shaking of the head.
3-Skin Issues such as excessive scratching, dry,flaky skin, and redness and swelling of the skin are signs of skin allergies. You may notice foul smelling skin, and hair loss. Sometimes your dog may develop hot spots, which are open, oozing sores.
If you notice your Bichon has any of these issues, consult your veterinarian for a diagnosis and treatment. It is important to do this as soon as possible so the problem does not escalate. You may also want to try some holistic treatments to help your Bichon Frise cope.
Some of these are:
1. Using a mild medicated shampoo, followed by a mixture of one part vinegar and one water.
2. Change your dog's food to a natural food. It is best to prepare your own food if possible. Also your dog may have developed an allergy to the primary ingredient in the commercial food such as beef or lamb. If you switch to a natural food, change the primary ingredient. For example, if the primary ingredient in your dog's food is beef, switch to chicken. Try to keep wheat out of your dog's diet too as that often is an allergen in dogs.
Usually switching your dog to an all natural diet improves your dog's digestion though most experts recommend to switch their food gradually. Check with your vet if you are unsure how you wish to proceed. I can say for my own four dogs, switching immediately to a natural diet that I prepared for them, had no ill effects on my dogs. In fact, the 2 that had gastric problems showed immediate improvement.
Keeping your Bichon healthy is not as daunting as it sounds. For the most part, these spunky little dogs are pretty healthy.
No comments:
Post a Comment