Request: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Archived on 01/04/2010
Our Basset hound has an awful ear infection that keeps recurring. It is fungus/yeast based and the doctors just can't find the right medication for him. Any suggestions?
By cosy from Columbia, SC
Feedback:
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
My dog suffered from the same problem with horrible itchy, smelly ear infections. After extensive treatment with Xymox to get rid of the last infection, I've started him on a preventative diet. Now I give him a large spoonful of plain, low-fat yogurt every morning and he's not had a problem since. The active cultures in the yogurt destroy the yeast, and prevent new infections. (09/29/2009)
By mydogisgeorge
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
I had a friend that clued me in on this. Go to the drug store and get generic athlete foot cream. Clean outer portions of dog's ears, then put the cream on the ear flap and a little bit in the ear canal. Kind of massage the ear gently. Sometimes the dog will cry out when you are doing it, so you are rubbing too hard.
The dog can't lick his ear (at least mine cannot) and it works. I do this 2-3 times a week until cleared up, and then keep checking to see if you have gotten all the black goopy stuff out. Or if it multiplied again, it is a yeast infection. Then be sure to give your dog a treat afterward, and wash your hands. Good luck. (09/30/2009)
By sassier299
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
I was going to suggest yogurt, but since someone already has, I'll just say that I agree with them. (09/30/2009)
By azDana
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Tea Tree Oil! I buy it at Target, in the vitamin section. It's a natural anti-fungal. Not the best smelling stuff in the world, but it works. (09/30/2009)
By nmh
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Oregano oil is tremendously effective on many such problems, as is tea tree oil, but again, I must suggest checking out earthclinic.com. They've been a lifesaver before and they have a pet section, as well. Good luck! (10/01/2009)
By Gina J.
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Straight white vinegar is really good for fungus on skin. Start out with a weakened solution and slowly make it stronger til it's straight. (10/01/2009)
By c t
Report Spam or Abuse
Request: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Archived on 09/28/2009
How can I cure my dogs ear infections? I have spent hundreds of dollars at the vet and none of the medications seem to work very well. I am willing to try anything.
By sayer77 from Helena, MT
Feedback:
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
You can buy Zymox with cortizone off the internet a lot cheaper than a vet charges and it's good for helping to clear up ear infections that are chronic. Follow directions precisely.
I also use the homemade recipe called Blue Power Ear Wash for pet's ears. Do a google search and you can get the recipe and more information about how it works. What to do and what not to do. (06/25/2009)
By Lorelei
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
It sounds more like a possible yeast or fungal infection than a bacterial infection. Antibiotics will not cure a yeast infection, only make it worse (as in people, the antibiotic kills off good bacteria allowing yeast and/or fungal growth). If you have a dog with floppy ears, more moisture can stay trapped in the ear, which provides a warm moist environment for yeast growth.
My neighbor's dog has chronic yeast infections in her ears and she feeds her yogurt every day, which helps a lot, but do see the vet and ask to have the ears checked for yeast. (06/25/2009)
By Opal1013
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
My dog had repeat ear infections, and it was costing me a fortune. Yeasty ear infections smell foul, and there is drainage. I don't believe there is a smell with the bacterial infections. Our dog had the yeasty ear infections, and the treatments from the vet would improve the condition, but then the condition would come back. The veterinarian finally told me to try some of the creams to treat feminine yeast infections in people.
The first one I tried did the trick (I think it was Monistat, but I'm not sure). I just cleaned out the dog's ear with ear wash from the pet store and then followed with rubbing a small dab of the Monistat around inside the ear (not really down the canal, but around the opening of the canal). Every once in a while (like once or twice a year), I smelled the yeasty smell and used the Monistat once or twice, and it would go away. That was so much easier on my pocket book and easier on the dog, too, since I wasn't having to torture him with more lengthy treatments and visits to the vet.
The various over-the-counter yeast treatments for women treat different strains of yeast, so if one doesn't work, another one might - compare the active ingredients among the different treatments. I hope this helps; it sure helped me and my dog. (06/25/2009)
By tsiegl
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
I was repeatedly taking my Shih Tzu to the vet for his ears. Buying meds that seemed to do no good. I took things into my own hands and started singling things out that he may be allergic to. I found the culprit! Something in his dry dog food. Wheat, soy, grain? I went to Pet Smart and put him on an all natural food and his ears have completely healed. Hope this helps. (06/26/2009)
By busdrivr
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
How to Clean a Dog's Ears
By eHow Pets Editor
Is a great site for cleaning out dog's ears. I've used Listerine for years on my 4 Shih Tzus, and have only one dog with ear problems (allergy- give an Atarax pill twice daily which is working!). What I paid dearly for from the Vet was useless and made the condition worse! All my dogs are rescue with behavior or major health problems. (06/26/2009)
By JoanDogs
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
We battled ear infection with our lab for the first 7 years of his life. The last 7 years have been a pleasure. I went on the WWW to find out answers and I ended up in England. The kennel and dog breeders there swear by a product called Thorn-it. I bought it and it works. I believe you can even find it on ebay now.
You just follow the directions and then after it is all gone you use this product once a month for preventative. We had one infection in 7 years after that. I am a firm advocate of this product. The Vet even told us if it works keep doing it.
Well, we use it on all three cats and our young 1.5 yr old American bulldog. Our Lab passed on at 14 years old just last week and my hubby is devastated by it. But Thorn-it made his last 7 years much happier ones. Check it out. Good luck. (06/29/2009)
By caraing
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Buddy also had the chronic yeast/staph/bacteria going. Besides all the assorted drugs and expense, they were knocking him out to clean his ears out every couple of months. I couldn't bring myself to try the vinegar/water/alcohol cures, but I did try feeding him some plain yogurt every day (I used just the cheap plain Walmart stuff). By the second day, no smell, no gunk, his ears weren't hot and swollen, and I knew I wasn't hurting him even more by putting strange stuff in his ears. Cheap and definitely worth a try. (08/02/2009)
By samlfox
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
In general, you can tell a yeast infection from a bacterial one by the odor. For long, floppy eared dogs like spaniels, etc. it is usually yeast. First, if you take them to a groomer tell the groomer, and make sure they use a drying powder in the ears before bathing them.
A simple remedy like one other poster said, use Monistat, or if it doesn't work try plain yogurt with live, active cultures; just put a spoonful in the ear and rub the outer ear to spread it around, then watch out for the head slinging to follow cause some of the yogurt will be coming back out just like with any meds in the ear. You could do this outside or in the tub to reduce mess. (08/26/2009)
By wolfbytez
Report Spam or Abuse
Request: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Archived on 06/24/2009
I have a 7 year old Basset Hound who has had chronic ear infection for the majority of his adult doggy life. I have taken him to the vet every time and they give me antibiotics and drops. Every time I have to take him it cost well over $200 for all the cultures they run and the medicine and they keep coming back. I am at a point that of thinking there could be some home remedy that we can use to make it go away. My poor buddy has very long ears and he is constantly shaking his head, digging in his ear with his back paw, and leaning his head to one side. I feel so bad for him. His ear smells really bad right now.
I would really love some help or some direction to go other than another $200 vet bill. The medicine never works completely and I know that in a few weeks we just have the same thing to look forward to. I feel so bad for him because he acts so miserable and I can only imagine how miserable he really is. If anyone knows a good solution to my problem I would love any advice that can be given.
Kimmy from Wichita Falls, TX
Feedback:
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
We have a Cocker Spaniel who always seems to have ear infections. Our vet gives us "MalOtic",
a large bottle for us is $16.00 (10/30/2007)
By imaqt1962
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
My German Short hair has had this chronic issue, this summer was the first we did not. Anyway, the option was to use the ear solution from the vet, or to use a little bit of white vinegar in each ear, a couple times a day, followed by regular triple antibiotic ointment from the cheapest place or drug store. It is a fungus that gets in there and sets up the mess.
Eventually, antibiotics will be needed if you don't take care of it. You need to pay attention to the time of the year it is most apt to happen. When they flip their ears up or back, high humidity and allergy days for humans, sometimes a Benadryl will help. Check with your vet or local pharmacist to figure dose against the dogs weight. Allie has such allergies, but by washing her face often as well as warm showers(which she loves), keeping her clean and dust free helps too (she loves to be vacuumed). (10/31/2007)
By TandT Grandma
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
There is a product for treating chronic inflammation in the ears called Zymox Otic (with hydrocortizone). You don't need a prescription for it. There are 49 reviews for it on Amazon dot com, and every single one of them is extremely positive. I am going to be buying this product for my little flop-eared dog, because she gets an ear infection every so often. I urge you to look up this product and get it for your dogs, too. (11/12/2007)
By Lysander
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Mix equal parts of vinegar and alcohol put drops in the ear until clear. (11/16/2007)
By Crystal
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
I have a Yorkie mix and she kept getting ear infections. My vet said she has allergies. She put her on Hills Brand Ultra Z/D ( prescription and very expensive). That is the only food she can eat, you can only give her allergen free treats and Heart Guard medicine. As long as I follow this strict diet she is fine. As soon has she eats regular dog food or people food the ear infection comes back. By the way I have 5 dogs and she is the only one with this problem and all my dogs love her food, go through 1 18 lb bag every 2 weeks @ $52.00 a bag. Gotta love your animals to spend that kind of money. (01/22/2008)
By Sheryl
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Kim, find yourself a good holistic veterinarian. They will help you pinpoint the reason why the problem is occurring, help you correct it while providing you with something that helps alleviate the current symptoms (02/22/2008)
By The cat lady
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Before you put anything in your dog's ears go to the vet and get an ear exam to make sure the eardrum is intact and see if the skin is broken or irritated inside the ear. If your vet just wants to give you some antibiotics without doing an ear exam with an otoscope find another vet.
Try the 50/50 water/white vinegar rinse. Warm it up to 100 deg F (should feel warm, not hot on your wrist), squirt it in there and massage the base of the ear to help it run into the canal. Don't let it get in the dog's eyes, it will burn them. It will also burn in the ear if the skin is broken/irritated from a lot of scratching. I've read this can also be used for preventive cleaning, but I'd leave them alone if they look clean.
You could also try coconut oil by itself (if the skin of the ear is abraded from scratching) or after the vinegar rinse. Coconut oil will displace moisture and kills fungus (great for foot fungus), dissolves ear wax and can sooth skin irritated from scratching. It won't harden at body temp so there is no danger of it clogging up the dog's ears. Warm some up to about 100 deg F and pour it in and massage the ear well to distribute through the ear canal. Depending on the size of the dog you'll need a teaspoon to a tablespoon.
Long term, don't feed grain (most commercial dog food) to your dog. (02/24/2008)
By LD
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Hi there. I have a 7 year old Wheaten Terrier who started suffering with ear infections in his 2nd year. Although I love our vet and trust him, I've found that limiting his only food to his non-wheat dog food and no human treats or outside food helps tremendously. Also, if I notice him starting to shake his head, he gets a tablespoon full of generic children's Benadryl twice a day. The vet okayed it and it really works. Have to really maintain this during the spring and summer allergy season, not so much during the cold winters. Good luck.
Lisa (02/27/2008)
By Lisa J.
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
This is what my pet food delivery girl gave me and it works. "Blue Power Ear Treatment"
INGREDIENTS:
- 16 Oz. Isopropyl Alcohol
- 4 Tablespoons Boric Acid Powder
- 16 Drops Gentian Violet Solution 1%
Mix together in alcohol bottle and shake well. You also will need to shake solution every time you use it to disperse the Boric Acid Powder. To use, purchase the "Clairol" type plastic bottle to dispense solution to affected ears.
TREATMENT: Evaluate condition of ears before treating and if very inflamed and sore do not attempt to pull hair or clean out ear at all. Wait until inflammation has subsided which will be about 2 days. Shake the bottle each time before using. Flood the ear with solution (gently squirt bottle), massage gently to the count of 60, wipe with a tissue. Flood again on first treatment, wipe with a tissue and leave alone without massage. The dog will shake out the excess, which can be wiped with a tissue. Best done outside wearing old clothes, as the Gentian Violet does stain fabrics.
The SCHEDULE of treatment is as follows: Treat 2x per day for the first week to two weeks depending upon severity of ears. Treat 1x per day for the next 1-2 weeks. Treat 1x per month (or even less frequently, depending on the dog). All of these ingredients should be available at a pharmacy. Despite the alcohol, most dogs will not object to even the first treatment. The Boric Acid Powder soothes the ear. The Gentian Violet Solution is an anti-infection agent. The solution appears to work well on any and all ear problems from mites to wax to canker. After the 2nd or 3rd day you can clean out the ear with a Q-tip or cotton balls. Their success rate for this treatment is 95-99%. Those who do not succeed have usually not done the treatment long enough or have not been regular about it.
Dogs on the verge of ear canal surgery have been returned to normal with only the regular follow-up treatment to keep the ear healthy. If an infection seems to be remaining in the treated ear after the above course of treatment, you may also have some Pseudomonas bacteria in the site. This can be eradicated by using a gentle flush of raw apple cider vinegar and water (warm). Use 2 tablespoons of vinegar to one cup of water, 2 x per week. They have found the Blue Power Solution to be effective for treating fungus-type infections on the feet and elsewhere on the dog, for cuts on dogs or people and for hot spots. You may find other uses for this simple anti-infective agent. Remember it is for external use only and be careful not to get into the eyes. (04/13/2005)
By cj1617
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
I have a Boarder Collie Lab mix and her right ear is the only one that gets infected. When this happens I use the following and it works miracles (found it in my book "Secret Food Cures and Doctor-Approved Folk Remedies").
Mix 4 TBS olive oil and 4 TBS milk and heat in a non aluminum pan (I just put it in a small shot glass type container and set it in a bowl of hot water). DOSE: Once the mixture has cooled off, put 4 drops into the inflamed ear every hour. "Be sure the drops are not hot." (That is the printed directions as stated in the book) What I do is this. First I lightly wet a cotton ball with the mixture and wipe her ear with it and then I put a dropper full into her ear, massage her ear so most of it goes into the canal before she shakes her head. I also might give her K-9 aspirin for pain on her worst days. I usually see marked improvement within a full day and full recovery within a few days.
I also had a problem with my Chinese Crested Powder Puff with pinkeye. For this I steeped 2 chamomile tea bags (no other ingredients) and once "completely" cooled and left at room temperature, I flushed his eye with it every two hours. I swear his pinkeye was completely gone in two days. (This remedy was from that same book, it is written for humans but many home remedies work on our pets as well). (06/09/2008)
By Brenda
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Neem OilL is a rapid cure for ear infections. I used it with my Cockapoo and it worked in a couple of days, where three weeks of using other treatments failed (olive oil, mineral oil, olive oil with garlic, water/vinegar all failed). The effectiveness of Neem Oil was impressive and I recommend it highly.
Start by warming the Neem Oil by sitting the closed bottle in a bowl of hot water for about 10 minutes. This is important because Neem Oil becomes viscous or solid when cold and you must warm it up so that it flows easily into the ear.
Then, using a dropper, fill the ear canal with pure Neem Oil, then massage the ear canal for about a minute, then wipe off the excess with a cotton ball. Do this once a day at bedtime for a few days so the dog sleeps with the oil in its ear. Neem Oil seems to be absorbed into the tissues so do not use it for more than a few days. (09/08/2008)
By Steven
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
My dog had ear infections for many years, but now I wipe out her ears once a week with virgin coconut oil and she hasn't had one since. I also give her probiotics, because hers seem to come from to much yeast.
This is the best way to get rid of ear infections. Coconut oil is anti fungal, anti bacterial, and it kills mites. As a bonus, it does not hurt at all and your dog or cat will not mind you cleaning their ears. It is all natural and it is very cost effective. Try it, you and your pet will love it. (09/27/2008)
By Eveline
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
You received a great deal of friendly helpful suggestions for your dog's ear problem. Some told you to go back to the vet. Some recommended a home remedy. Some gave you info on an existing product that worked for them and some told you what may be the "ROOT" cause of the infections. This is my suggestion. Got back to the vet and insist on the vet telling you why he has recurring ear infections. What is the ROOT cause? Then ask him how to prevent the problem from happening again.
I found a web site that seems to know what they are talking about and they have an ear cleaning, maintenance Patented product "Earkleen", that works. It cleans out infected ears so that the medication can get to the infected tissue. It also is a great infection preventive cleaning solutions. Get educated, check the site Petearkleen.com. (09/30/2008)
By Dudley
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
My Chesapeake Bay Retriever also gets frequent ear infections. They are yeast infections caused by dampness in the ear. The vet gave me T8 Keto an antifungal-antibacterial flush and Mometamax a daily ear drop. It seems to work fairly well. Also, I agree with a fellow dog owner who posted do not give your dog Rimadyl. I almost lost my other Chesapeake due to this drug. $2000 of treatments later she finally pulled through. (01/18/2009)
By Katherine
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
I have been reading about all the dogs with chronic ear infections and I have a Cockapoo who has also been suffering as well from constant yeast infections. The last time the vet suggested it could be a grain based allergy and we would need to try grain free dog food. He had been eating only IAMS, but I was supplementing with Purina Little Bits. I removed the Purina from his diet several weeks ago and that has seemed to do the trick. I do have medicine that the vet said we should use once or twice a week. There is grain free food out there but it is a bit pricey. All of his treats are grain free, chicken strips and his favorite, dried sweet potato. (06/15/2009)
By jslater
Report Spam or Abuse
Request: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Archived on 10/30/2007
I have a 12 year old boxer who is healthy except for chronic ear infections. It is an inner ear infection, and she has been to the vet countless times. She is on Zenquin 10 days a month, and off 20. She is also on Remedyl (pain medication) and now takes Antihistamines twice daily. Her eardrums have ruptured more than once.
As of the last month she has a terrible balance problem and I have to help her (by holding on to her harness) up or down any stairs, and sometimes when she first tries to get up. As a rule, after she is up for a few minutes, it is better. She is miserable some days and just hangs her head.
It does not seem anything the vet does helps much, and i really have no idea what to do. I have tried in the last few days putting a drop of alcohol in each ear. I have also been making all her food from scratch to possibly alleviate the problem if it is from canned dog food. If anyone has any ideas I am all ears.
Answers:
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Try plain yogurt. 1 eyedropper full in the infected ear. Works best for yeast type infections. (07/14/2004)
By cairene
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Having recently had a Bassett Hound with chronic ear infections, I can sympathize with you. Only remedy I ever found was to realize that the ear area needs "air and dry" conditions. So I gently reamed out Rusty"s ears with tissue every day.....now I have Pugs with similar problems, remedy is the same. On a positive note, once they understand how it helps them, they will remind you to do it. (07/14/2004)
By Ronda.
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Chronic ear infections are most likely the result of a food allergy. Eliminate all treats (both people food and specific dog treats) then try gradually switching to a diet with different meat and carb sources. Switch the food gradually to avoid upset stomach and diarrhea by mixing 75% old food with 25% new food for a few days, then 50-50, then 25% old with 75% new, then 100% new. Switch to a diet that is strictly lamb and rice, fish and potato or venison and pea. Make sure that the new diet doesn't have any chicken or corn at all (some dog foods say lamb and rice on the front of the bag, but list chicken and corn in the ingredients). Use a soft towel to gently clean your dogs ears daily, then use a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part vinegar to rinse the ear, massaging well. Dry the ear again with a soft towel. Don't use cotton swabs! Each time you go to the vet, they should be taking a sample of the "gunk" that is in your dogs ears to be sure that they are giving you the right medication. If the vet is simply happy to treat the symptom (ear infection) without looking for the cause of the infection (allergies, mis-shapen ear canal, to much hair) then you should seek out a second opinion from a holistic vet. May be more expensive initially, but once the cause of the infections is found and dealt with, you won't have to make as many trips to the vet or constantly purchase medication. And be sure to keep your dog's ears dry; swimming, baths, even getting his ears in his water dish can affect ear infections. (07/16/2004)
By Patticat
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
I was told to use 1/2 hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 vinegar and spray in ears once a week. I also picked up eucalyptus drops. Will this also help? (07/20/2004)
By mawmaw27
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Try putting a couple drops of angstrom size silver available at health food stores in his ear. You could also add tea tree oil to yogurt. (07/27/2004)
By Shirley
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Mix equal parts pau d'arco tincture and mineral oil and put several drops in your dogs ears two or three times a day for several days, also Vit C and natural non toxic food from Health food store and putting some almond or olive oil in his ears will help with mites. (07/29/2004)
By Shirl
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
I found that using an athletes foot spray worked for my Lhasa. I sprayed it in the infected ear until it cleared up and then I used the powder to keep things under control. (08/12/2004)
By cdilley
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Give the dog two tablespoons of Yogurt per day also. This helps with the yeast infections of the ears lots of droopy eared dogs suffer from. (11/10/2004)
By Robyn
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
This is what my pet food delivery girl gave me and it works!
"Blue Power Ear Treatment"
INGREDIENTS:
16 Oz. Isopropyl Alcohol
4 Tablespoons Boric Acid Powder
16 Drops Gentian Violet Solution 1%
Mix together in alcohol bottle and shake well. You also will need to shake solution every time you use it to disperse the Boric Acid Powder. To use, purchase the "Clairol" type plastic bottle to dispense solution to affected ears.
TREATMENT: Evaluate condition of ears before treating and if very inflamed and sore do not attempt to pull hair or clean out ear at all. Wait until inflammation has subsided which will be about 2 days.
Shake the bottle each time before using. Flood the ear with solution (gently squirt bottle), massage gently to the count of 60, wipe with a tissue. Flood again on first treatment, wipe with a tissue and leave alone without massage. The dog will shake out the excess, which can be wiped with a tissue. BEST DONE OUTSIDE WEARING OLD CLOTHES as the Gentian Violet does stain fabrics.
The SCHEDULE of treatment is as follows:
Treat 2x per day for the first week to two weeks depending upon severity of ears
Treat 1x per day for the next 1-2 weeks
Treat 1x per month (or even less frequently, depending on the dog)
All of these ingredients should be available at a pharmacy. Despite the alcohol, most dogs will not object to even the first treatment. The Boric Acid Powder soothes the ear. The Gentian Violet Solution is an anti-infection agent.
The solution appears to work well on any and all ear problems from mites to wax to canker. After the 2nd or 3rd day you can clean out the ear with a Q-tip or cotton balls. Their success rate for this treatment is 95-99%. Those who do not succeed have usually not done the treatment long enough or have not been regular about it.
Dogs on the verge of ear canal surgery have been returned to normal with only the regular follow-up treatment to keep the ear healthy. If an infection seems to be remaining in the treated ear after the above course of treatment, you may also have some Pseudomonas
bacteria in the site. This can be eradicated by using a gentle flush of raw apple cider vinegar and water (warm). Use 2 tablespoons of vinegar to one cup of water, 2 x per week.
They have found the Blue Power Solution to be effective for treating fungus-type infections on the feet and elsewhere on the dog, for cuts on dogs or people and for hot spots. You may find other uses for this simple anti-infective agent. Remember it is for external use only and be careful not to get into the eyes." (04/13/2005)
By cj1617
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Try wiping the doggies ears with baby wipes. That should dry them out. If your dog has hair in the ears powder them with baby powder then pull the hair out gently.
then wipe out with the baby wipes. This helps my poodle"Tara" (04/26/2005)
By tina
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
My vet prescribed and sold me Gentamycin ear drops, which worked very well, but the itty bitty bottle X 2 dogs X chronic infection= $$$. I was able to find a local compounding pharmacy who made the stuff up for me, in a 4 oz bottle, for much less than the tiny bottle the vet sold me. (04/26/2005)
By Linda
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Don't give your dog Rimadyl for too long,it isn't good for him and will make him sick later on. (05/25/2005)
By sandy dawson
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
I agree 100% with what Patticat said. Please take her advise for the sake of your dog. I'm a dog groomer, and I see this all the time. Patticat is right on the money by seeking to find the cause of the infection, and treating that while making sure that your dog's ears are regularly cleaned and kept dry. I'm so glad that she realizes that many seemingly unrelated illnesses, are actually the result of a food allergy. Please remember to be incredibly gentle with your dog's ears, they're sure to be super sensitive right now. Also it will help to select a high quality, all natural food for your dog. They may seem more expensive, but you don't need to feed as much to your dog, so it works out to be about the same.
Be cautious of some of the advise offered here. (Including my own.) Some of the remedies seem like they were gleaned from the dark ages.
Best of luck to you! (05/25/2005)
By peaceandlove
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Rimadyl is very bad for your dog and you should consider an alternative treatment. A lot of ear infections are actually caused by an allergy from their diet. Consider switching to a very high quality natural food- not any of the stuff you get from a big pet store like Petsmart or Petco... they won't have the good stuff there. Innova Evo is a extremely good brand and they have a dog food ingredient calculator that compares ingredients of different brands on their site and explains why each ingredient is good or bad.
Your dog is quite old for a large breed dog and you definitely want to make her last as long as you can without suffering. A change in her diet will not only help her infection and immune system, but will keep her with you for longer.
There are also lots of opinions on the RAW diet or Barf diet, but before you rule it out you should do some serious research and make a factual decision rather than one based on opinion. I am familiar with the diet and know MANY people who successfully feed RAW and have yet to come across one person who didn't completely love the results in the health and vitality in their animals.
Hope this helps~ Alison Voore (05/25/2005)
By Alison Voore
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Definitely try hydrogen peroxide let sit & bubble briefly then wipe out ear. Your dog will not like this but it won't hurt them.This was recommended to my mother to use on my ears as a small boy by doctors & audiologist,I'm now 47 and still use hydrogen peroxide to clean ears. (05/25/2005)
By James Quirk.
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Ok, my basset has an infection in one ear only. I was skeptical when the vet put her a low antigen diet. Penny suffered horribly for months and the special diet was totally ineffective and allowed the infection to spread to her inner ear. Be very wary of these miracle diets. I treated her with Doxycycline and she got much better. Sometimes you have to overrule the vet's treatment strategy. If the vet does no cytology from the FIRST visit then tell them to. (quote)(/quote) (05/27/2005)
By Alan Edwards
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
My Catahoula leopard dog had an ear infection on and off for over a year and a half. The vet finally said that it had to be a food allergy. He put Zedd on Iams/Eukanuba kangaroo and oat dog food. Zedd was eating a quality brand lamb and rice dry dog food before this. The vet told me no other protein. I even make cookies for Zedd to eat instead of the commercial dog biscuits.
Zedd has not had an ear infection since then.
Christy (05/30/2005)
By creaky
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
I have a lab mix with constant ear problems - the only remedy I've found is Zymox (over the counter about $15) and a coon dog "recipe" that I've misplaced. It involves mixing hydrogen peroxide with several other ingredients and using a plastic syringe-type device to inject into ears. With the Zymox, this cleared up my dog's problem. Now I just use the Zymox once a week and he hasn't gotten any other infections for several years now. If I can find the "coon dog" recipe I'll post it - or maybe someone else has it? (06/07/2005)
By rusty
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Sophialouise is my Bassett hounds name and her brother Fred has chronic ear problems. I have been to the vet numerous times for his ears and nothing seems to help except the cost of the vet bill. C,ame on the internet and found a remedy and voila, it has helped Fred's ears 150 %. It is a home remedy, rubbing alcohol 16 0z, 4 Tbs boric acid and 16 drops gentian violet solution 1%. Shake well before putting in dogs ears, flood the ear with solution. Gently count 60 rubs and wipe excess. If the ears are bad flood twice and no massage. Do this 2x daily for two weeks. Then once per day for a week, make sure you massage very well. (06/16/2005)
By sophialouise
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
My basset hound has chronic ear infections and we do a combination of the following:
1- she takes an antibiotic in pill form twice a day for 10 days
2- I clean her ears every day with OtiClean ear solution
2- I put Zenquin antibiotic ear drops in her ears (06/26/2005)
By
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
My Bassett has had bad ears for ever. For 4 yrs I did as one vet said, 1/2 vinegar 1/2 peroxide, flush ears 2-3 x a wk. That didn't help. His ears stunk so bad we couldn't stay in the house with him. Then we tried a different vet. He told me after a while that he would change the pH of the ear and make it acidotic and would turn to Pheudomonus. The vet told me his ears needed to be alkaline base and that wouldn't burn so bad. We put Stretch on oral Baytril and Baytril Otic drops said had to treat both ways if wanted to get it well. Also after 20 yrs we found ear wash that was alkaline and doesn't burn so bad. Stretch still doesn't like it but its really helped his ears after 4-5 yrs. Have to clean ears with the foaming ear cleanser and a wipe out really good and then put in a drying flushing solution. He tolerates it so much better and its really helped. Vet said it would take 90 days or better but they should get well. (07/06/2005)
By billie ( guest post)
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
I own a pet nutrition and training center and see this a lot. It is often a wheat allergy. If you look up Solid Gold Dog food you there is info on that web site about chronic ear infections and wheat allergies. Good luck! (09/17/2005)
By Laura
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
My husband and I use a mixture of Witch Hazel, an astringent, tea tree oil, and peroxide to clean our Great Pyrenees Puppies ears. This seems to work well and is all natural. He also has had recurrent ear problems and we are thinking now that because he is so clean, it must be some sort of a defect in the breed. Many others have agreed that long eared doggies have this problem often. I hope your doggie feels better-
Debbie in Rancho Cucamonga, CA (03/15/2006)
By
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
I have been working with dogs as a trainer/groomer and vet tech for many years, and I've found that if there is any kind of allergy that your dog has, it may affect the ears, causing chronic infections. Benadryl is safe for dogs, and blocks the allergies, and if given twice daily every day, it may alleviate the problem.
Good luck
Kerri (05/04/2006)
By Kerri
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Get rid of all grains, including corn in her diet. Raw diet works best for dogs and cats. If not raw at least go to a kibble that has no grains such as Raw Instincts made by Natures Variety. After a few months no more ear problems. While waiting for the diet to kick in get some Zymox with 1% Hydrocortisone. Put in the ears twice a day for a week, then once a day for a week and then once a week. Do an online search for the best price, it works miracles. (05/04/2006)
By shellycat
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
For those with dogs that have yeast infections and have heard of Gentian Violet Solution 1% and can't find it, Wal Mart pharmacy carries it.
16 0z Isopropyl alcohol
4 tablespoons Boric Acid Powder(found in laundry soap isle)
16 drops Gentian Violet Solution 1%
Mix well, shake every time you use it, it will dry out the area to prevent the yeast infections(b)(/b) (10/02/2006)
By TatsTerrie
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Hi there. I'm shocked that nobody has suggested this to you yet. My dog is 10 years old (yellow lab) and he has chronic ear infections. It is so bad now that he is often in pain, emits a brownish "goo" from his ear and always shakes his head, loses balance, and walks with his head cocked. The almost always effective treatment is to have the ear canal totally removed. It is a common procedure now. I know it's hard to picture your dog with only one ear, but he/she will be just like they were as a pup. No pain, no infection, nothing, except a loss of hearing in the one ear. I definitely think you should talk to a vet about this operation. (12/03/2006)
By Toronto Dog Lover
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
My Rottie has been with me for approx 20 months. Two months after he came to live with me, I noticed that his ears were very waxy. I cleaned them, but this didn't help. I took him to the vet and was given ear drops. After a while they cleared up but reoccurred every 2 months like clockwork. Kept taking him to the vet, got ear drops. Finally, got a second opinion--this vet said it looked like he had food allergies. Turns out he did (to all poultry, beef and dairy) as of this writing also looks like fish also. My pups ear infection problems are not as severe as your pup, but try another vet and put your pup on a food allergy test diet. You may be surprised. (P.S. does your pup have any other symptoms i.e., goopy in the eyes, or flaky skin? If the answer is yes I would be 99% sure its food allergies.) Just a thought. (07/25/2007)
By Alex Thomas
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
http://www.home-remedy.org/home-remedies-for-ear-infections.html
I was looking for the same information, this seemed somewhat reasonable. I am sure you have seen it. Good article. I, myself, am starting with the vinegar solution. (07/31/2007)
By joanna
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
I have a 3 year old Bassett with his first ear infection I was told to use women's Vagasil. I am about to try it. The person that told me raised puppies and she used it on all of her puppies that developed ear infections. Looks like to me its worth a try. (08/06/2007)
By leslie
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Please be very careful of the Rimadyl. We had a lab that almost died from Rimadyl poisoning. Cost us $5,000 to save his life. It starts out with lethargy and then gets worse. If your dog cannot walk by himself, I would seriously look into a good vetrinarian teaching school and see if he has Rimadyl poisoning. Good luck. (09/21/2007)
By Polly Leahy
RE: Dog with Chronic Ear Infection
Hi there. The first and most important thing I have learned with my many pets is this. Each vet has their own thoughts, views and opinions. Hard to find a good one that not only actually cares for your pet but wants them well more than just sucking your wallet completely dry by making you come back 10 times for the same ailment. My advice, find a new vet. Your current vet sounds like he/she can't find the root of the problem and won't tell you so, just keeps taking your money. Been there done that; spent hundreds. After three vets, we are not blessed with a good one. (09/24/2007)
By Krystal
Report Spam or Abuse
|
