My dogs ears, need so FReeper advice

Nachum ^ | 1/21/11 | Nachum

[brytlea]

First, most wild canines (all as far as I know) have prick ears, so they don’t hold moisture like many of our beloved man made breeds. Perfect breeding ground for bacteria and yeast.
In addition, they ate a different diet than we currently feed our dogs.
AND if they had health issues, they didn’t live to procreate.
Pretty simple.
Oh, and I agree with you about vaccines. Why do they need them every year? In fact:
http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/sep04/040915l.asp
Maybe the AVMA doesn’t either....

[jrushing]

After trying various anti-bacterial ear washes & also hydrogen peroxyde for weeks, our lab still had the black ear goop. Finally after some tests in the lab, our vet determined that our dog had a bacteria that was resistant to anti-baterial meds. It is a form of MSRA that required an anti-bacterial that will penetrate the thick cellular wall of the bacteria. After a couple of treatments, he was cured. I don't remember the name of the meds.

See MRSA bacteria also possess an unusually thick cell wall that makes penetration by many antibiotics difficult

Hope you can get it cured.

See also Vetericyn

[Nachum]

Great advice. Thanks.

[Nachum]

Thanks!

[Nachum]

Thanks VictoryGal. We will be going to the vet on Monday. :)

[Nachum]

Thanks VictoryGal. We will be going to the vet on Monday. :)

[usconservative]

Yep. We are going to take her in. Just asking people here their experience, if they have seen this before.

My old Golden Retriever used to get that fairly frequently. Your first step is to get the dog to the vet to get both her ears checked, flushed and cleaned out.

Likely the vet will also give you some antibiotic drops to put in one or both her ears to clear up the infection. The best way to keep the infection from coming back is to periodically inspect and clean her ears frequently (every few weeks) to keep the infection from coming back.

The problem with retrievers, labs, cocker spaniels and dogs with heavy hair or fur on their ears is their ears become perfect breeding grounds for bacterial infections or worse yet - ear mites. It's just part of the breed that you'll need to learn to deal with.

First step is the vet and to do the follow up care necessary to eliminate the infection and prevent it from coming back.

Best of luck.

[Aurorales]

It is true about the ear mites and mineral oil.

But in my experience a lot of these cases are not mites.
A quick vet visit will rule out the ear mites.

Much of this is due to allergies or a drainage problem. Just like frequent ear infections in some children.

If it is not ear mites, I have found Zymox to be the answer to chronic infections or problems that stem from allergies or the drainage problems.

[gopheraj]

I agree with you. It’s “funny” (re our dogs) The yorkies in the house have ear problems sometimes but we’ve never had a problem with our outside dogs. We only vac for rabies. Unless we board them (which we dont’) and they HAVE to have shots.

[gopheraj]

We put down my 17 yo yorkie poo a few years ago and he had never been to a vet. Ever. His rabies shots came through the yearly rabies clinic. I can count on ONE hand the times we’ve taken ours to a vet through out the years and that includes the Great Danes, the heelers, the English Mastiff and our three yorkies.

[roamer_1]

Most probably ear mites. treatment is an applied salve, but is probably only available through your vet - ANY and ALL dogs your dog has regular contact with will need the same treatment.

[roamer_1]

Most probably ear mites.

and BTW, I can highly recommend the Hydrogen Peroxide trick (be sure it is 2% hp by volume... regular medicinal kind)...

We used to have very regular ear mite infestations here... The hydrogen peroxide treatment, used periodically, seems to prevent full-blown infections. We just do it along with regular bathing (about every 3 mo. or so), as an addition prior to bathing. (DO IT OUTSIDE, wear old clothes, repeat till no more "stuff" is coming out of the ear)

Feel free to try it, but I think yours is infected badly enough that a trip to the vet is probably called for...

[brytlea]

That’s pretty much what I do with my dogs now. They get the 3 year rabies (legal where we are) now, and after their second year, they only get vaccinated when they have to to be boarded. And yes, that’s not often. Vaccinations got fairly controversial. Humans don’t get vaccinated over and over again for most things.
It would make more sense to run titers than to just revac ever year (and heck, sometimes every six months, whats up with THAT??) But it’s a revenue stream. I would certainly do it if it were safe and needed.
I’m more concerned about the *apparent* increase in cancers etc. Of course, that could just be better diagnosis, poor breeding practices (I’ll take my lumps as a breeder if it’s something I’m doing, but I’m not going to take the blame if it’s not—and unfortunately too many groups are ever anxious to blame breeders without a shred of evidence), or something else like vaccine protocols, modern feeding practices, environment, or what?
Or do we just expect them to outlive their normal lifespan? Who knows.

[JLLH]

Haven’t read all of the replies, but a vet is needed for this one. If it’s a yeast infection - or any kind of infection - you don’t want to self-diagnose and treat.

[BunnySlippers]

I went to a vet for about a year with NO let up in the symptoms. I finally had to go to a demitologist specialist.

They used a surgical procedure go go into the inner ear and clean it out. Then weeks of cleaning and check ups.

My dog’s personality CHANGED after the surgery. He could hear again!

It was very expensive ... in the thousands. But I would do it again just for the relief that he felt.

Good luck.

[gopheraj]

I have used Zymox as well. Love it. I usually use a mineral oil for a while (unless it is really bad which I never let it get that far :)) If that doesn’t clear it up, I have athletes foot cream I use and that will clear up a yeast infection.