German Shepherds are generally healthy animals, compared to other dog breeds, but they are prone to some medical issues. Read on for information about German Shepherd eye & ear problems.
The eyes and the ears are the most commonly infected areas in a dog, besides their mouth. Proper, regular cleaning of the ears and paying attention to the first signs of a change in appearance around the eyes are the easiest ways to combat infection. It is often difficult, however, to tell when a dog is having less obvious eye or ear troubles. How do you know when your dog is losing its hearing or isn’t seeing as sharply as it used to? Again, these issues are a little harder to diagnose, but a change in your animal’s behaviour should offer you some clues.
German Shepherd Eye Problems
The good thing about German Shepherds is that they do not have abnormal eyes. Their eyes do not produce excess moisture or protrude out of the eye sockets like a Cocker Spaniel’s does. A German Shepherd’s eyes are, for the most, easy to take care of and maintain. Still, it is always possible for German Shepherds to get something in their eye or to get an eye infection. The easiest way to tell if your dog has something stuck in their eye is to pay attention to their behaviour. When they have something in their eye, they will paw at their eyes, rub their eyes on the ground or a cushion, or not open their eye fully. If you see your dog doing this, help rinse out their eye with water or salt water. If the eye is still irritated, take your dog to the vet to make sure they haven’t injured their eye. Leaving an eye injury, even one you can’t see, untreated could lead to infection. Remember, the easiest way to prevent serious German Shepherd eye & ear problems is to catch them early.
German Shepherd Ear Problems
Again, compared to the Cocker Spaniel and other breeds that have droopy ears, the German Shepherd is relatively well off. Droopy eared dogs risk getting more ear infections because more moisture and foreign material can get trapped under those heavy ear flaps. A German Shepherd’s ears are open to fresh air, which help prevent this. Still, it is possible for infections to develop. I know this is going to sound gross, but the best way to check for an ear infection is to smell your dog’s ear. If it smells unclean, clean the ear of any excess wax build up as bacteria live off of this. If your dog’s ears are red or swollen, that is also an indication of an ear infection. If your dog is shaking its head a lot or scratching its ears, they may have an ear infection. If, after cleaning the ears, you do not see an improvement, take your dog to the vet to receive antibiotics. In this way, you’ll be able to keep your pet free from German Shepherd eye & ear problems.
