There are many different vaccines available today that can prevent infection and disease in your Pit Bull. Vaccines are also available that can help keep many diseases and infections from severely affecting your dogs‘ health. Vaccination will boost your Pit Bull’s immune system to help him be less susceptible to these diseases.

Most veterinarians recommend beginning vaccinating your Pit Bull at around eight weeks of age, and continuing every four weeks until around eighteen weeks old. Vaccination against rabies is now a legal requirement for all dog owners. Rabies can be transmitted easily to humans, and there is no cure for the disease once it is contracted. The rabies vaccine is usually given to Pit Bulls at around twelve weeks old, with a booster at one year, then every two years after that.

Many vets also recommend a distemper combination vaccine beginning at six weeks of age and continuing every four weeks until the Pit Bull is around eighteen weeks old. This one vaccine can be used to prevent five different diseases: distemper, parvo, influenza, adenovirus, and coronavirus. Distemper is very contagious, and affects the respiratory and nervous systems. It can cause many problems, including: fever, coughing, diarrhea, seizures, and even possible death. Parvo and coronavirus are more severe in puppies, but can affect dogs of any age. These two diseases usually occur in conjunction with each other, and can cause weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting, and possibly death. Influenza and adenovirus cause a dry hacking cough that can lead to more serious infections, such as pneumonia.

Some owners choose to also vaccinate their Pit Bulls against lyme disease, the first dose usually given at around twelve weeks old. The second dose is given around three weeks after the first, and a booster is needed once a year thereafter. Lyme disease can affect the joints, heart, kidneys, and brain if left untreated.

It is important that you limit your Pit Bull puppy’s contact with other dogs until he has received all of his vaccines to prevent him from getting sick. Occasionally serious side effects from the vaccines may occur, but it is well worth the risk to protect your new Pit Bull from all of these potentially deadly diseases. Annual boosters should be given in a timely manner to ensure your dog will continue to be adequately protected throughout his lifetime. For some vaccines, there are three year boosters now available, but they are not recommended for use until the dog is an adult.

To learn all about Pit Bull puppies and training a Pit Bull terrier, visit http://www.pitbullsrevealed.com/ today.

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Dog ear care is pretty simple if you keep up with it. I’ve found that with my dogs, Berry and Wanda, the easiest way to keep your dog’s ears clean and problem-free is to make cleaning a weekly chore. Be sure to check your dog’s ears for wax buildup, redness or inflammation around the ear, dirt in the ears, or anything else that might be in your dog’s ear.

Also be sure to smell your dog’s ears. A foul or sour odor indicates a problem like an ear infection, ear mites, or even fleas or ticks. If you think your dog might have an ear infection, take your dog to the veterinarian immediately. Letting your dog’s ear infection go can result in a severe infection or even deafness.

When you are cleaning your dog’s ears only use a gentle solution. Never use soap and water or alcohol. Never use Q-tips, or any other cotton tipped swab as these can push dirt further into your dog’s ears creating a bigger problem. You can also hurt your dog’s ear canal.

Dogs with floppy ears are very prone to ear infections, as there is hardly any air circulation around the ear so it is even more important to check your dog’s ears weekly.

Here are some symptoms of a possible ear infection:

-Your dog shakes his head
-Your dog paws or scratches his ear a lot
-You notice your dog tilts his head to the side
-Your dog’s ear smells bad (can indicate a dog ear yeast infection)
-You notice a heavy wax buildup when cleaning your dog’s ears
-You see fleas or ticks in the ear
-You notice your dog’s ear is red and immflamed
-Your dog’s ears are moist

If you notice any of these problems it’s best to get your dog to the veterinarian as soon as you can to avoid a worse problem. Learn more about other dog care topics at:

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Dog ear infections are also commonly called Otitis Externa. It is an infection of the outer ear canal. There are three parts to the ear; the outer, the middle, and the inner ear. Ninety percent of infections occur in the outer ear, the part of the ear that you can see.

Dogs are prone to ear infections because of the anatomy of their ears. They have a horizontal and a vertical component to them, so it is hard for anything in there to drain out, like water or debris.

Signs of an ear infection include excessive head shaking, yellow to brown oozing in the ears, or a yeast-like smell. Additional signs of ear infections include redness and swelling.

There are several causes of ear infections. The most common cause of ear infections are due to allergies. Some dogs are more prone to allergies than others; therefore they get more ear infections.

Another common cause is swimming. They get water inside their ears, and because of their difficult anatomy, the water in the ears cannot drain out. Therefore, this provides the perfect environment for bacteria and yeast to grow. It is recommended that if you let your dog play in the water, you dry your dog’s ears thoroughly afterwards.

If your dog does have an ear infection it is important to properly clean your dog’s ears before applying any medication.

To clean your dog’s ears, start by placing a few drops of an ear cleanser into the ear and massage the ear to help loosen any debris that is in there. Then use a cloth or cotton gauze to wipe the dirt out.

After your dog’s ears are thoroughly clean, you can then apply your medication. Follow your veterinarian’s advice about how much medication to apply to the ear, usually a few drops.

The treatment your veterinarian will prescribe will vary depending on the cause of the ear infection. For yeast infections, they might prescribe anti-fungal medication. For bacterial infections they will probably prescribe antibiotics. Normally, treatment is applied directly into the ears, but in severe cases systemic treatment may be needed. This usually means having to give your dog pills orally.

In some dogs with severe ear problems, the veterinarian will usually clip the hair around the ear to help let more air into the ear. In extreme cases your veterinarian may recommend surgery to reconstruct the ear canal to let it drain easier.

Some breeds of dogs that are prone to ear infections include breeds with large ears that flap over the ear canal, and breeds of dogs that have a very small canal.

By knowing what to look for, you can detect ear infections early.

You can download the free ebook “Discover the Secrets to a Healthy Dog” at http://www.free-dog-info.com. It’s a premiere website offering quality articles and products for dog owners.

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