By Paul
Sounds like ear mites, but please take your dog to the vet and have it diagnosed correctly. If it is mites, using alcohol in the ears, as someone suggested, would be very painful on the bites.
Paul, this could be a very bad mite and inner ear infection. Go to Walmart or Kmart and in the animal section get a cat/dog ear cleaner. This cleans the inner ears, kills mites which can deafen your pet and takes out moisture which can cause bad infections. If you do not see results in a couple of days please take your dog to the vet or local humane society which is very reasonable and have his or her ears checked. We all know what ear infections feel like and this could be serious.
The itchy skin could be anything from food allergies to mange. Food allergies requires trying different foods until you hit on the right one. Mange, scabies etc probably require a trip to the vet. You will save yourself a lot of work if you find out what you are dealing with before you start. Good luck.
Blackened ear wax and odor usually indicate ear infection in dogs, especially those with long ears. You can buy Zymox Ear medication for infections in ears much cheaper than your vet will sell it, but maybe the first bottle is best to get from the vet so you can treat it quickly. Don't use anything else in the ears as long as the Zymox is being used. No liquids of any kind. You do not need to clean out the ears as Zymox will help to dry out the infection and the dog will shake it out when it shakes its head.
After the ears are totally free of infection; use it as directed, but there's a solution you can make called BLUE POWER EAR WASH that works great for keeping dog's ears clean and infection free. It's on thriftyfun.com and also on other websites. Just do a google search. Good Luck!
Clean the dogs ears with a q-tip dipped in equal parts of white vinegar and alcohol. It is very possible that the dog does not have ear mites but just needs the ears cleaned. If you do see traces of ear mites after cleaning with the vinegar alcohol mix dip a q-tip in baby oil and swab the ears. The oil will smother the mites.
I would bet he/she has ear mites. Pets get them somehow. I haven't Googled it, but I think it's pretty common.
They shake their heads a lot. I certainly would if something was crawling inside my ears. Look in the outer part of the ear. Are there black flecks there? Use a Q-tip to pick some of this up with. Smell it. Is that the odor you are talking about? If it is, it is the poopoo from the earmites. They come out of the ear canal to poop.
If you do not know how to clean the outer ear, I would take him/her to the vet. They will clean it very well and give you medication to get rid of them. Your pet will be so thankful. If you cannot afford the vet, they have medication over the counter in grocery stores where they sell pet supplies, Walmart or Pet stores. Be sure to clean the outer ear before putting in the medication.
As for his/her skin, perhaps the shampoo is too strong. Most dogs and cats are allergic to harsh shampoos. I've been using baby shampoo that is gentle to the eyes, then really rinse extremely well, belly too, and lift up the tail rinsing real good there. Need a spray hose to connect to the faucet. I had to make a small slice in the part of the hose that connects to the faucet to make it fit, probably because it's a cheapie. Still using it after all these years.
One of my canine daughters has allergies and I do this to all my "kids." Never had anymore problems until I moved and took them to a new groomer. Cost me nearly $300 to get her skin cleared up. She suffered soooo much. Evidently they just rinsed her off fast. Animals are just like humans. They suffer too, but can't tell you where their pain is.
Hope all is fine with your "kid," by the time you read this.
I am looking for a home remedy for my dog's itchy, stinky ears. Any suggestions?
By Ed
By ComputerScott
11/21/2011
You can take them to the vet and get special ear drops.
My Springer spaniel has chronic ear problems. They look very clean; I never get any yuck out of them, yet I can tell they hurt him and they smell. A friend told me 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 rubbing alcohol which I tried tonight, he's calm now, but was crazy when I first put the stuff in. Can anyone help? The vet bill is $40 just to see him and another $20 for the medicine. I am looking for a better home remedy!
Thanks.
Debra Ann
I have a Springer spaniel too, Debra Ann. Those long floppy ears can surely present problems! From the message board of MAESSR (Mid Atlantic English Springer Spaniel Rescue), here's the "recipe" for the popular Blue Voodoo, which is widely claimed to prevent doggie ear infections:
Wipe the inside of his ears several times a week with this solution on a cotton swab. Just let it dry in there. But don't wear your good clothes, because he will shake his head and, well, you know all about that, I'm sure. (I have not used this solution on my own dog -- I'm just passing on the info.) Many people also say it's helpful to feed a tablespoon of plain yogurt once a day.
One more thing I've learned is that "sore" ears and head shaking are sometimes caused by matted hair behind or near the ears. Our male, Magic, has this problem frequently. Good luck with your dog. (07/19/2005)
By zballoongirl
(07/20/2005)
By Michelle
By Kathy
(07/20/2005)
By ThriftyFun
By Tara
By Rosa
By cadreamin
By Teri
By Glenn's Mom
How can I clean my dog's stinky ears?
lorig41 from Tucson, AZ
By DDJT
I've also used the inexpensive mixture of boric acid, isopropyl alcohol, and gentian violet treatment on my dog's ears regularly. It cleans the outer ears too and keeps them fresh while helping to prevent ear infections. This stuff will stain, so put dog on an old towel or mat before application. (03/10/2009)
By Lorelei
~Janette~ (03/11/2009)
By ashleybunkin
By katklaw777
By sassier299
By JoanDogs
By ImTrish
Add your voice to the conversation. Click here to answer this question.
 |
 |
 |
 |
By
Submit a question to the ThriftyFun community!
Cleaning a Dog's Smelly Ears