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Ears stand straight up, hang straight
down, fold at the half way mark, start high on the head or low, and are
thick or not so thick. The various shapes and positions of the ears bring
an assortment of health problems that may range from a bit of itchiness to
infections serious enough to cause tympanic perforation and brain
infections.
The only natural shape for canine
ears is the erect, or prick, formation. Other shapes have been carefully
selected for specific types of canine work, such as the ground dragging
ears of the bloodhound, which are supposed to channel scents to the nose.
If that were really so necessary, why then are so many breeds of dogs,
including prick eared types such as German Shepherds and others, used so
effectively in search and rescue work?
In reality, dogs' ear shapes are very
often that way just because someone opted for that "look"
somewhere along the way and so it is. The shape of the ear -- standing up
or hanging down -- matters very little to the supreme hearing abilities of
dogs. Unfortunately, however, there are many breeds with deafness problems,
such as Dalmatians, Australian Shepherds, Old English Sheepdogs, Shetland
Sheepdogs, and Bull Terriers, to name a few. Deafness is often associated
with the merle color (that bluish blend of colors seen in Great Danes, for
example) or piebald coat patterns and increases in some breeds, such as the
Dalmatian, with the percentage of white in the coat.
Ears that hang close to the head
(such as the various Spaniels and Poodles) often suffer from ear
infections, but watch also for very narrow ear canals and excessive growth
of hair in the canals. Observe your dog for any signs of scratching at the
ears, shaking the head, tilting the head, a greasy appearance to the inside
of the ear and any unpleasant odor coming from the ears.
Immune system problems top the list
of causes: mites may be at work; there could be ticks; and yeast infections
are all to be considered. For the latter issue, the top of the list for
cause, from what I read, is that good ol'
standard in most households -- grain-based dog food!
Long floppy ears can be damaged by
roughhousing with other dogs, cactus spine penetration, and just the
scratching to relieve itching from problems in the ear or that horrible dog
enemy, fleas.
Many breeds of dogs that would
otherwise have long ears are victims of fashion, and have their ears
cropped. That means, of course, that healthy, sensitive tissue is chopped
off in early puppy hood with the primary reason being to make owners happy
about the "look" of the dog when and if the ears eventually do
stand up. In San Miguel, we get to see many examples of cropped ears among
fighting breeds, which practically eliminates the ears completely so they
won't be torn off and bleed a lot during a fight. Swell.
Cropping is now banned in the United
Kingdom, Norway, Finland, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia and other
countries. In the U.S., the two largest veterinary associations (the
American Animal Hospital Association, and the
American Veterinary Medical Association) have adopted the following
statement: "Ear cropping and tail docking in dogs for cosmetic reasons
are not medically indicated nor of benefit to the patient. These procedures
cause pain and distress, and, as with all surgical procedures, are
accompanied by inherent risks of anesthesia, blood loss, and
infection...."
An argument so often used by fanciers
of cropped ears is that it is done to prevent ear infections. Well, I must
say that the very worst results of ear infections I have ever seen have
been in cropped ears! On a couple of occasions the poor dogs suffered
completely deformed ears as a result of the raging infections.
Dogs ears, whether prick, drop,
folded or whatever, are very effective in presenting information about the
dogs' feelings at a given moment. Learn their language and you'll better
understand your dogs and any others that you meet. It is much harder,
obviously, to "read" a cropped-eared dog!
As an owner of a dog, you should
understand what problems dogs can and do suffer, how to recognize the
symptoms, and get veterinary help as soon as a problem is evident to
prevent possible permanent damage and unnecessary pain to your trusting
companion.
"One can measure the size and
moral progress of a nation to how she treats her animals." Mahatma
Gandhi.
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