As winter approaches, many dog owners are getting ready for the rainy days and muddy paws that come with the season.
But one dog owner has warned others to think beyond messy floors after a wet walk with her pup left her with a hefty vet bill of over $1,000.
Amy Fitzgerald, a dog owner from Manchester, U.K., paid the price after not drying her dog fully after a walk. Her dog Alfie, a Wirehaired Vizsla with floppy ears, was left with a persistent ear infection caused by trapped moisture, which led to a buildup of pseudomonas bacteria.
"Alfie needs lots of exercise, rain or shine," Fitzgerald said. "He will still try to find water to go in, even when it's cold outside. I was drying him as best I could, but due to his floppy ears, water was getting trapped inside."
Fitzgerald noticed something might be wrong when Alfie started shaking is head, scratching his ears and whining in pain. On closer inspection, she found that his ears were red and swollen, and had an unpleasant odor—all classic symptoms of an ear infection.
Concerned, Fitzgerald took Alfie to the vet, where it was discovered he had a particularly aggressive bacterial infection caused by trapped moisture in his floppy ears. The infection, caused by pseudomonas bacteria, had become so severe that it required multiple vet visits, medications, and even sedation to flush out his ears.
"His infection was more aggressive and appeared very painful, the vet explained it was being caused by pseudomonas bacteria that can cause recurring and persistent ear infections in dogs. These infections can be very painful and difficult to treat—which also meant it was expensive," Fitzgerald said.
While she hopes that the most recent treatments have finally cleared up Alfie's infections, Fitzgerald warned other dog owners of the importance of properly drying their pet after a wet walk.
"I wanted to share this as such cost can be avoidable if you pay close attention to these things as the weather changes," Fitzgerald told Newsweek. "Also, I was left with these bills as my insurance didn't cover the cost so when you're insuring you dog, pay attention to what counts as a pre-existing condition and hopefully others can avoid this and not have to spend nearly £1000 ($1,290) on your dogs ears!"
Aimee Warner, a veterinary surgeon at the U.K. pet insurer Waggel, said: "While you shouldn't attempt to treat an ear infection on your own, you can help prevent one by properly drying and cleaning your dog's ears at home. To do this safely, use a towel and a specialized dog ear-cleaning solution with absorbent gauze.
As well as properly treating an ear infection, Warner said that it is important to try and avoid issues. "As with Alfie's issues, not drying your dog properly post-walk can lead to a variety of issues in addition to ear infections, such as such as skin conditions, and matting—all of these cause discomfort and can also have a significant impact on our pets' overall health and happiness," she said.