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Floppy-eared dogs with ear infections?

Posted: Aug 5, 2012

Does anyone have any nutritional advice or home remedy for my mixed breed/predominantly pointer/hound who has chronic ear infections? My vet gave us this stuff and we are washing his ears out every 2 days. (Cannot wash more often as it dries his ears out too much). We also have some ear drops, but he still scratches at his ears like he is being tortured. There are days when I consider clipping his ears on the top of his head with clothes pins just to keep them aired out. At my wits end for the poor boy.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to help him.?

;

Blue ear wash - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I've been using this for years, and it works better than Anything I've gotten from the vet. You might want to google "blue ear wash for dogs" and read about it.

Ingredients:
16 oz isoproply alcohol
4 tablespoons boric acid powder
16 drops gentian violet solutoin 1%

I mix everything right in the alcohol bottle. Shake well before using.

I had to order the gentian violet and boric acid on line.

To use, use an eye dropper or pointy-nozzel plastic bottle (like comes with hair dye). Flood the dog's ear and quickly massage the base of the ear. He will shake out any excess unless you're quick with a cotton ball to blot it. Wipe with cotton ball.

This is amazing stuff, but be careful, gentian violet will stain your clothes.

Will try--will it stain his ears, too? - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
He is mostly white and has pretty thin hair. He thinks he is very handsome and no doubt will be upset if his ears are blue. Oh well. I still have to Google it, but I also wonder if it stings.

Thanks for the info.

Staining - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
Your poor little guy. I know he (and you) must be miserable. What's his name, and what breed?

The gentian violet will stain, but it goes away and doesn't harm the hair. Unless there are open sores, the alcohol doesn't sting.

I also like the Monistat idea. Sounds logical, esp if you've determined that it's yeast.

Dog ear infection - NY MT

[ In Reply To ..]
Hi - Sorry to hear your wonderful puppy dog is having an ear problem. I have 2 rescue boxers and they also have ear problems once in a while. The vet gave me an ear cleaner called Opti-Calm alcohol free cleaner. I found with this it irritates my dogs ears more and they cry when I use it.

I tried just a water and baking soda solution. Heat up some water in the microwave in a small bowl/container (about 1/2 cup of water to 1 teaspoonful of baking soda) warm enough to dissolve the baking soda. I use the cotton rounds from the pharmacy as they do not shed like the cotton squares do. Just douse the cotton round in the tepid warm solution, squeeze out so not too wet and wipe out the dogs ear. Do this 2-3 times a day. I use this on any other scratched or irritated spots on their skin also. It worked for me and did not need to purchase an expensive ear solution from the vet. Hope this might help your wonderful puppy :)

Additional information - NY MT

[ In Reply To ..]
Wanted to add if you start with (3/4 cup) of water heated in the microwave and then dissolve 1 teaspoonful of baking soda in the water it will be about 1/2 cup of solution when done.

Another recipe... - Bindi

[ In Reply To ..]
Over the 10 years that I had my late cocker spaniel, I must have spent a few thousand dollars treating her ears, but always with recurring problems. After she passed, I discovered a web site for cockers and a recipe for an ear cleaner, very similar, but a tad different, to the other poster's.

Long story short, I got a new cocker spaniel, 2 years old. He developed a bit of an ear infection and the same vet prescribed an ear cleanser, about $25 for 4 ounces. I bought and used this, but then did the research, came up with what is listed beneath and have never had a recurring problem. I squirt it in his ears once a week. Of course, on a return check-up for Toby, I told the vet what I had discovered. She sort of pooh-pooh'd it but didn't say it was wrong to use it.

Also, re airing out the ears, my vet had suggested, when the dog is napping, just flipping his available ear over, thus allowing ventilation.

Also, please note what it says about not using on a dog with a ruptured ear drum or open sore or wound.

Hope this helps!

Spaniel Ear Cleaner Recipe
__________________________

Ingredients:

White vinegar
Powdered boric acid
Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
Betadine antiseptic (or the generic version, known as Povidone-Iodine Solution)
Please note: do not use "Betadine Scrub", use "Betadine Solution"

Directions for mixing the solution together:

Pour six ounces of isopropyl alcohol in to a plastic applicator bottle. Add one and a half teaspoons of boric acid powder. Be careful not to get any boric acid on your skin or clothes. If you do, wash it off immediately.

Shake the solution extremely well, until the boric acid powder is dissolved, or for five minutes, whichever comes first.

Add two ounces of white vinegar. Shake the solution some more, until the boric acid powder is dissolved, or for another five minutes, whichever comes first.

Add one teaspoon of the Betadine antiseptic, and shake it up some more. Be careful not to get any Betadine on your skin or clothes. If you do, wash it off immediately.

The ear cleaning solution is now ready to use.

To use the ear cleaning solution:

It is recommended that you use the ear cleaning solution in your garage or outdoors, as the dog will shake it out of his ears and it will fly in to the air and stain things.

Squirt the solution inside your dog's ear until the ear canal is completely full. Massage the outside of the ear to help slosh the cleaning solution around inside. Release the dog and let him shake out the ear cleaning solution from his ears.

If you get any of the ear cleaning solution on your skin, wash it off as soon as possible.

Be sure to shake the solution up really well before each and every time you use it. The boric acid has a tendency to settle at the bottom of the bottle. Store at room temperature.

Use the cleaning solution daily until you start to see some improvement. Gradually cut back to once per week when you are happy with the condition of the ear. When the ear seems completely free of infection, you can go two weeks between treatments.

Warning: Do not use this ear cleaning solution on dogs with ruptured ear drums, or on dogs with open sores or wounds in the ear area. An ear exam by a veterinarian is recommended
prior to beginning treatment with this ear cleaning solution.

This recipe came to you from Jim Zimmerlin - www.zimfamilycockers.com

Our Rotties always had ear infections - me

[ In Reply To ..]
The vet told us to use Monistat (spell?) because basically that is what the ear infection in a dog is - a yeast infection. It did the trick for us and much less costly than all those drugs - good luck.

Yes try this - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
If the other suggestions don't work for you and I've tried almost everything for my irish setter/retriever cross (long hairy ears) who has chronic severe ear infections. This is the one thing that actually worked, was simple, and fairly inexpensive. You can find it on amazon too. We were at the point where the vet wanted to try PE tubes for him for relief, but after starting this it was over, finally. Best of luck with all you try, I know it can be frustrating. http://www.zymox.com/zymoxProducts.htm#earCare

ear infections - Molly

[ In Reply To ..]
One of my labs since a puppy, now 6 years old, has perpetual ear infections. I use an ointment called Animax prescribed by my vet. Kind of pricey but does the trick, however it comes back every month.

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