The Outbreak Of Ehrlichia In Australian Dogs

dog ehrlichiosis australia

Canine ehrlichiosis is cause for considerable alarm for the millions of dog owners around the country.

ABC News 27/1/2021

The arrival of Ehrlichia in Australia has been devastating for some remote dog communities. However, there is no reason to panic, and prevention is easy.

Here I’m going to help Australian dog owners to understand the risks, and know how to easily prevent it.

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How To Stop Dogs Scratching In 8 Steps

why dog scratching

If you have an itchy dog, it gets very frustrating very quickly. Nothing seems to help for long, and everyone tells you something different. Is it the food, is it grass, is it mites?

This is an opinion piece, not a regular clinic article. I have been seeing itchy dogs for nearly 30 years and have yet to see one who cannot be helped. Here I’m going to boil down all the conflicting advice into my simple step by step approach.

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Can You Treat A Dog’s Ear Infection Naturally?

natural remedy treatment

If you research home remedies for ear infections you’ll find all these choices…

  • Aloe vera
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Calendula
  • Chamomile
  • Coconut oil
  • Garlic
  • Grapefruit seed extract
  • Homeopathy
  • Oil of oregano
  • Mullein
  • Witch hazel
  • Yoghurt

The reason there is so much interest in home remedies is simple: dog ear infections can be extremely frustrating. They are common, they keep coming back and they can get very expensive. That’s without even mentioning the discomfort they bring to dogs.

I’m here to tell you that you can stop ear infections. But it’s never easy.

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What Is The Best Paralysis Tick Prevention?

newcastle dog park

Dog owners now have at least eight choices for treating and preventing paralysis ticks on dogs. The following represents my personal opinion on which ones are better.

Click here to find out more about paralysis ticks and whether you need tick prevention. However, the best way to know if you live in a tick area is to ask your local vet!

I travelled to just such a tick area. In 2020 I asked each person at Acacia Avenue Dog Park in Newcastle which tick treatment they were using. Here are their answers:

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How To Treat Chicken Scaly Leg Mite

chicken foot mite

A normal chicken’s leg is a thing of wonder: shiny, evenly spaced scales completely cover the leg and top of the foot, giving you the unmistakable reminder that chooks are really little pet dinosaurs.

You know a normal leg when you see one, but it’s harder to notice when it’s not. Scaly leg in chickens often goes unrecognised in flocks until it either gets bad, or you end up at the vet for another reason.

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Do Popular Dog Tick Treatments Cause Seizures?

simparica dog seizures

There’s a new health scare in dogs and cats. Four common flea and tick treatments are being linked with nervous system disorders like muscle tremors, twitching, unsteadiness and even seizures.

Most of the discussion so far has been from the USA, but Australians have a unique perspective on this. The drugs we’re talking about are the best chance we’ve ever had to end the greatest fear of many pet owners: tick paralysis.

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Myth 7: If it is sold for pets, it must be safe

pet treat recall

Update 2018: visit this page for details on the ongoing Senate inquiry into pet food safety.

Perhaps the biggest scandal of pet ownership in Australia is that there is no independent monitoring, testing or licensing of pet food products, and nowhere to turn when they cause harm. And equally shocking to vets is that it is easier to buy flea control products that are neither safe or effective than it is to buy good ones.

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