Please note : We always advise you speak to your vet and do your own research, information provided here is based on our own experiences as owners and information shared from external links /resources.
TEETH CLEANING
Dogs need to have their teeth looked after just as us humans do and will need regular cleaning to help prevent tartar and plaque build up which can can lead to gum disease, which often means expensive dental visits to the vet. If you clean your dogs teeth regularly this will help prevent the need for intensive scaling at the vets.
You can buy toothbrushes and toothpaste, specifically for dogs,these come in a full sized toothbrush ,or fingertip brushes. Sometimes the fingertip ones can be made of rubber ) or similar). Please do not use human tooth paste.
The are dog tooth pastes available some may be flavoured to hep dog accept such as liver flavour... and some are enzyme based toothpaste such as CET Veterinary toothpaste that has duel enzymes.
If you dog hates the brush you can also buy gels such as Logic Oral Hygiene Gel, this gel is rubbed onto teeth using your fingertips and is abrasive in texture.
You can also get micro-fibre tooth cleaner that fit over your finger. www.lintbells.com/collections/dental-care
Other products people can use are 'Plaque off' ( there are other makes too ) a powder that is sprinkled onto food this is said to prevent further build up and helps to soften existing plaque for easier removal.
Dental Liquids : you can get these to add into your dogs drinking water.
Groomers are now beginning to offer their customers Sonic teeth cleaning which usually involves one initial indepth visit , followed by subsequent maintainence visits depending on your dogs requirements.
Dogs need to have their teeth looked after just as us humans do and will need regular cleaning to help prevent tartar and plaque build up which can can lead to gum disease, which often means expensive dental visits to the vet. If you clean your dogs teeth regularly this will help prevent the need for intensive scaling at the vets.
You can buy toothbrushes and toothpaste, specifically for dogs,these come in a full sized toothbrush ,or fingertip brushes. Sometimes the fingertip ones can be made of rubber ) or similar). Please do not use human tooth paste.
The are dog tooth pastes available some may be flavoured to hep dog accept such as liver flavour... and some are enzyme based toothpaste such as CET Veterinary toothpaste that has duel enzymes.
If you dog hates the brush you can also buy gels such as Logic Oral Hygiene Gel, this gel is rubbed onto teeth using your fingertips and is abrasive in texture.
You can also get micro-fibre tooth cleaner that fit over your finger. www.lintbells.com/collections/dental-care
Other products people can use are 'Plaque off' ( there are other makes too ) a powder that is sprinkled onto food this is said to prevent further build up and helps to soften existing plaque for easier removal.
Dental Liquids : you can get these to add into your dogs drinking water.
Groomers are now beginning to offer their customers Sonic teeth cleaning which usually involves one initial indepth visit , followed by subsequent maintainence visits depending on your dogs requirements.
Raw bones (not cooked) that are meaty but not too dense ( as can chip teeth) . Many RAW feed dogs have lovely teeth as they gnaw meat off the bones, this causes the tartar to be scraped off the teeth naturally. Some butchers may give them away free! Do see our diet section for further info.
Please ensure when feeding bones that dogs are supervised.
Please ensure when feeding bones that dogs are supervised.
Ziva shows off her lovely teeth......say "cheese"
Eyes
Sometimes you may find a build- up of sleep in your dog's eyes. Just wipe away with a moistened cotton wall pad, cooled tea is great to use, just dip cotton pad in, one for each eye and wipe.
Make sure that the dog can see clearly out of his eyes and not too much hair. Hair can be trimmed using facial scissors. These are rounded ended scissors designed to use safely on the dogs face area. Always use responsibly and hold hair away from eyes and gently snip.
If your dog gets irritated eyes especially if they suffer from hay fever you can wash the eye with a solution of cooled tea solution which helps. Do use a separate pad for each eye. Camomile tea and Green tea are particularly good, but any tea will be fine.
Itching and hayfever may respond to an antihistamine, however you should always seek a vets advice before giving any antihistamine, but if you do, please ensure it’s Piriton or its generic equivalent (Chlorphenamine maleate), not any similar sounding anti-histamine. The amount given goes by dogs weight and we don't just say to use incase your dog has other medical issues or on other medication that might interact, hence why just check with vets first.
Common Conditions
Watery eyes : if everything else is ok than this can be either excess tear production or blocked tear ducts.
Conjunctivitis : If you notice an excessive green or yellow discharge or redness around the eye or you are unable to open eye then it is more than likely to be an eye infection like conjunctivitis. The vet will normally prescribe you some eye cream or drops and it will usually clear up quickly.
Bacterial : this is very infectious to other dogs and can be viral or allergic, If it keeps recurring may be due to lack of tear production know as dry eye or Keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
Corneal Ulcers : Symptoms are usually a painful eye so your dog might be squinting, blinking or rubbing eye. Make look red or cloudy, but may not have any signs. Usually from trauma , especially things like branches and sticks. Also dogs that have bulging eyes may be prone to ulcers.
Your vet will normally treat with antibiotic drops to stop infection and sometimes give pain relief. it can heal within days or take weeks. if it becomes infected it can progress quickly and treaten the eye.
Foreign Bodies : Rare but an emergency. Things to watch out for are grass seeds caught under eyelid or things that can penetrate into your dogs cornea such as thorns.If your dog is one for snuffling about under bushes etc...keep a check on their eyes.
Cataracts : Common in older dogs but can also occur suddenly with Diabetes Mellitus or hereditary condition ( see our health section ) Can be treated by a canine eye specialist.
Claws
It is important to trim your Cockapoo's claws regularly to ensure that they do not get too long. If you use a groomer they normally provides this service, or they offer claw triming as something you can book on it's own, vets may also provide this service.
Nail trimmers can be bought from most good pet shops or online grooming companies. You must only cut a small section of the end of each claw and not cut past the quick.
On paler dogs the quick can be seen in the claw itself as a darker area running down the centre. You must not cut into or past the quick as this will be painful for your dog and the claw will bleed.
On darker dogs you cannot see the quick which is why it is essential to cut small sections of at a time. Remember to check your dog's dew claws as well, these are situated on the inner surface of the claw and attached by a section of loose skin.
For a good pictorial guide please have a look at the following link: http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/dog_claws.aspx
Paw Licking
Paw licking is a common thing amongst our cockapoos and can be quite upsetting to see them gnawing and licking at their paws constantly.
Obviously your dog will clean it's paws but paw licking can also be an issue, due to other factors.
There could be variety of reasons. First check paw for any debris or anything stuck such as thorns and grass seeds etc...
One of the causes could be an allergy to something dietary, wheat is often a common issue. Or an allergy to something in the environment like pollen or household products such as cleaning liquids, washing detergents you wash their bedding in etc...
Sometimes it can be down to boredom, and can become habit forming or it could be down to when dog is feeling stressed. When you see them paw licking which is more than just a general clean, try giving them something to chew instead to distract them and help to break the cycle.
Often to find route cause it is a process of elimination, and can be very much trial and error to see what works.
A good thing to try at first is to wash feet after walks, you could use a medicated shampoo or even diluted Hibiscrub, ensure feet are dried thoroughly after. Also try a wheat free diet and wheat free treats, and/or eliminate stuff that is high in sugar as this can cause yeast issues which again can cause itchy feet. It may not cure it but may lessen the amount of paw licking.
As cockapoos have hairy paws it can be a perfect breeding ground for yeast as yeast loves warm moist conditions. To help combat this ensure feet are wiped dry after wet walks, keeping paw feet trimmed or short may also help.
Thornit powder is another thing you can try, that can bring relief to paws and also get rid of any mites.
Put some into a freezer bag and dip each paw in massage in and the shake off excess remove from bag and repeat with each foot.
Why do dogs feet smell? check this out :http://www.puppyleaks.com/dog-feet-smell/
Grass Seeds
Check dogs paws and ears on return from walks. These can easily embed themselves into the crevices between paws or in ear canal and can lead to infections and can travel into the body requiring surgery.
Especially check ears and in between toes, eyes and lip folds. If you cannot remove yourself take to the vet a.s.a.p the quicker these are dealt with the better. More info here : http://www.marcthevet.com/.../preparing-your-dog-for.../
Advice from Petplan to extract from paw:
How to extract a grass seed from a paw
Grass seeds have the potential to penetrate through fur and into the skin, so if you suspect one is stuck in your pet’s paw, soak it in salt solution.
For the solution, use one teaspoon of salt to one pint of cooled boiled water.
Place the paw in the solution for up to 10 minutes to see if this dislodges the seed. Some pets will tolerate this better than others – don’t force them to comply if they’re unhappy.
If the seed is visible above the skin, you can use tweezers to remove it (not sharp-ended ones, though). Ensure you remove all the seed and its hair.
If you can’t extract it, or if the area becomes infected, contact your vet immediately. It’s easier to resolve grass seed injuries with early intervention.
Ear Cleaning
Cockapoos have pendulous ears that often require cleaning to help prevent wax build up , debris and help to keep ear infections at bay.
However we also advise some caution, as over cleaning can also be an issue. Check your dogs ears regularly, if clean, they probably do not need cleaning, but just keep a regular check as part of your grooming regime to ensure they stay clean.
Ear plucking if they are really hairy and your vet thinks this might be advisable.
If you do them yourself we recommend buying a grooming powder for the ears which helps your fingers grab the hairs more easily and makes plucking quicker and less painful. Using latex gloves also helps. The removal of excess hair allows air to circulate and helps to prevent ear infections, dependant on each dog.
Ear infections are usually bacterial or yeast. Yeast will have a typical yeasty smell to it and can also be accompanied by flaky, scaly skin or thickened ear. Your vet may take a swab and check under a microscope to identify which type. Ear infections are often caused due to the ear anatomy, allergies, or getting ear moist or damp such as swimming.
The typical symptoms that may indicate an infection are :
- Tilting of head to one side
- Shaking of head
- Ear scratching
- Sensitivity when touching ear
- Swelling and redness
- Wax or browny discharge
- Strong odour
- Deafness or imbalance on walking/standing
- Hot to touch
if your dog keeps getting ear infection, then there is usually an underlying cause.
Inflammation : often seen as part of Atopic Skin disease ( allergies) can flare up very quickly, red and swollen but clean.
Grass Seeds :Please be aware that embedded grass seeds can also be an issue for ears as well as eyes and paws, and dogs will often tilt heads and be really bothered by their ears.See above re grass seeds
Ear Mites: These will cause similar reactions as above and in the ear they look like coffee grains. Check the links below.
I
Some ear cleaners that are popular with our owners. This is a recommendation based on own usage and does not replace a vets diagnosis.
Peake Pet Care ( formely Quistel)
Excellent all round cleaner, that many others have had good results with. Warm it first, put bottle into a cup of hot water for a couple of mins
Put the ear cleaner into the ear and then massage the base. You should hear a swishing sound. Wipe away any excess with a cotton wool pad.
Wahl Easy Ear cleaner :
A good cleaner for a general clean, and very good value .
Thornit Powder is a good product to use if your dog has ear mites as it removes the ear canker.Some have also found it helpful to soothe an irritated inflamed ear too and can also be used on paws. Do not put inside the ear hole itself.
www.thornitearpowder.com. A tip for applying use a small make-up brush for applying the powder around the ears, nice and gentle for the dogs. Just dip into pot, tap away excess and swirl around the ear flap. It might tickle though !
Cockapoos can also be prone to yeast infections as their ear shape provides a perfect breeding ground for yeast . The most common type is caused by Malassezia.
For Yeast : Try Malacetic Aural
http://www.vetuk.co.uk/ear-products-c-8/malacetic-aural-ear-skin-cleanser-for-pets-118ml-p-2446
For more info on yeast : http://www.tristateweimrescue.org/storage/Coconut%20Oil.pdf
For some natural ear cleaner remedies and advice...great info here : http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.mx/2012/04/herbal-ear-infection-treatments.html
© Cockapoo Owners Club 2015 All rights reserved
The adverts shown below are provided by Google and not the Cockapoo Owners Club and therefore we do not necessarily endorse the services offered nor liability for what is offered etc....