# Please help, Ear problem..



## Momosmama (Feb 2, 2011)

Momo keeps having trouble with his ears. When we first got him he got a ear infection right away. We took him to the vet and he was fine after a week of using antibiotics. The next time he got an ear infection we used the antibiotics and nothing happened. It got a little better and then got just as bad again. We tried putting mineral oil in his ear and cleaning his ear with cotton balls every time his ear got yucky. His ears stayed better for a while and now it's horrible againnnn. This time it's been like this for a month. We took him to the vet and he said that Momo's ears were fine and just to clean them every once and a while with baby oil if we were worried. Well.. I'm pretty sure it's more than just a little bit of wax. Poor Momo is scratching at his ears, shaking his head, and leaving red scratch marks. He absolutely hates it when I put anything in his ear so it's hard to give him any medicine. Lately I've been trying to put some vinegar and antibacterial stuff in his ear with a cotton ball. It's nice and warm and I try to be gentle. He usually fights until I get it in there then just leans in and groans. After, he shakes his head like crazy and pants. I heard that having his head tilted is a very bad sign for dogs ears, and Momo doesn't do it except for right after I put something in his ear. That's okay right? I really don't want him to have surgery or anything. Oh and I just cleaned his ears and it looks like there are spots in his ear that look... like a kanker sore? I don't even know how to explain it. I feel like if I go back to the doctor he's not going to help at all. He'll just give me some antibiotic to give to my dog that will scare him even more. I hate seeing my baby in pain.. Plus he's been moody. If anybody has had experiences like this... or any tips please comment. Just.. Try not to scare me..


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## CelticKitti (Jul 1, 2010)

Kodi and I have had our fight with ear infections!!! Shaking his head and scratching his ears and leaning into my hand when I clean his ears are all signs I look for in Kodi. 

If he has a sore in his ear I'd say it's time for another visit to the vet. Maybe a new vet?? If I felt like I was getting ignored I'd be moving on quickly. If it is an infection you will need an antibiotic or antifungal to treat it. The vet should take a sample of the ear “gunk” to look at under the microscope to determine what you will need to treat it. 

What are you feeding him? I truly believe Kodi's were due to a food allergy. I've removed grains and just recently chicken from his food. So far we're doing great but I’ve got my fingers crossed!


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## Momosmama (Feb 2, 2011)

Do you really think it could be because of the food we're feeding him? I don't see how that could affect his ears... I usually give Momo a little bit of Dog chow and mix it with a Beneful lamb meal. 

So a sore doesn't mean he's going to die? I'm so worried! I wish I could pin up his ears so that they get lots of air flow. 

I think I will try checking out other vets..


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## spoowhisperer (Apr 26, 2010)

I'd switch foods. Many good choices, but I switched to *Taste of the Wild High Prairie Canine Formula* when my dog went through serious infections for a LONG time!
Dogs can be allergic to corn and other fillers in cheaper dog foods, and this can present in chronic ear infections. So change foods, and check with another vet.
You could shave his ears with a clipper if you really want good air flow, I had to do that too. Remember, hair grows! : )


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## pudlemom (Apr 16, 2010)

CelticKitti said:


> If he has a sore in his ear I'd say it's time for another visit to the vet. Maybe a new vet?? If I felt like I was getting ignored I'd be moving on quickly. If it is an infection you will need an antibiotic or antifungal to treat it. The vet should take a sample of the ear “gunk” to look at under the microscope to determine what you will need to treat it.


I agree!
I went thru this with Luke for 2 1/2 years and 3 vets till I found one that actually listen to what I was saying with out just throwing meds at me. I suggest that you have a cultural sent out to a lab to be grown to find out exactly what you are dealing with once we found out what bacteria we were dealing with 2 week of oral meds and flushing the ear then another round of oral meds for 2 weeks and we have been infection free for the first time in Lukes life and he is almost 4 now. Be persistent ask question make the vet listen to what you are telling them. 
I always joke and say that we have the million dollar ear from all the money I spent over the years, but its no joke the pain poor Luke had to suffer. I hope that Momo gets to feeling better soon I know its no fun and to feel helpless in doing something for them is the worst sending healing vibes~~~ you way.


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## PaddleAddict (Feb 9, 2010)

Momosmama said:


> Do you really think it could be because of the food we're feeding him? I don't see how that could affect his ears... I usually give Momo a little bit of Dog chow and mix it with a Beneful lamb meal.
> 
> So a sore doesn't mean he's going to die? I'm so worried! I wish I could pin up his ears so that they get lots of air flow.
> 
> I think I will try checking out other vets..


Believe it or not, what your dog eats can affect his ears. Basically what happens is some dogs have allergies to certain ingredients in foods. Dogs can be allergic to anything, but a few common allergies are corn, wheat, soy, and chicken. Unlike humans, dog allergies usually manifest as itchy, inflammed skin, and/or vomitting/diarrhea. When a dog's skin is itchy and inflammed, his ears become a moist, warm environment for bacteria and yeast to grow. The bacteria and yeast overgrowth lead to ear infections. It is a vicious cycle, and just treating the bacteria and yeast in the ear will not guarantee that the infection won't come back. Getting to the root of the problem (often an allergy) can often break the cycle. 

I believe my mini is allergic to chicken and possible grains. When he was eating a good-quality food with chicken in it, he was very itchy and got a few ear infections. I switched him to a food with no grains and no chicken or poultry products (I am feeding him Innova EVO red meat formula) and also started supplementing his diet with salmon oil (which can help with allergy problems) and his itchiness went away and he has not had an ear infection since (knock on wood!).

I would suggest switching your dog to a higher quality food. I don't know what "dog chow" is, but Beneful is not a good food. It has lots of grains in it and almost no meat! There are much better foods out there. 

Look for a food with no corn, wheat or soy. You also want a food with meat or meat meal in the first three ingredients. It should say "lamb" or "lamb meal" rather than generic "meat meal" (who knows what that is?) or "meat by product meal." Try a food with no chicken (maybe lamb or fish as the protein source). And remember, the treats you feed should also not contain any corn, wheat, soy or chicken (if you are avoidng that).

This is a great website about dog food. Try to buy a food that is at least four stars.

Dog Food Reviews - Main Index - Powered by ReviewPost


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## CelticKitti (Jul 1, 2010)

PaddleAddict explained that better than I could have! 

Ear infections are painful, I hope Momo starts feeling better soon!


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## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

Dogs are canivores and the foods you are feeding are worse than the stuff they throw down for chickens.....I call it pidgeon food. Mostly corn. YES, your food must go out the window. I dont care if you go to 3 new vets, it wont help until you get rid of that crappy food. Vets dont know much about diet so they rarely will tell you about diet. They simply treat SYMPTOMS, not the CAUSE! Give Momo and aspirin for pain tonight and try ear ache infant drops or homeopathic tablets till you get another vet appointment. Do try to use the rest of the food. you ARE NOT SAVING any money by keeping it in the house. You are going to cause another days worth of pain. Dont buy another Purina product either because NONE of them are any good.


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## Momosmama (Feb 2, 2011)

Paddleaddict, that site is really cool. I think it's funny you don't know what Dog Chow is! It's basically at every store around here that sells dog food. I live in Washington near Seattle. I'll start looking for a better quality dog food. My dog is very very important to me, and I do not want to be feeding him crap.  I don't know much about what a dog's diet needs so when I see things such as Beneful, with the vegetables, meat and wheat on the package, I go for it. I guess it's important to realize that dogs and people have different needs. I sure hope that I can figure out what is causing Momo's ear infections. 

I'm looking up dog foods right now online. So basically all the most popular name brand ones that we see on TV are the bad processed gross stuff right? Does anyone feed their poodle Avoderm?


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## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

I agree that you need to switch to a higher quality food. 

Your dog needs to go back to the vet if he has sores in his ears (no he will not die and doesnt need surgery ). I personally would switch vets if they blew me off like that. Also, i dont know any vet that would tell you to use baby oil to clean an ear??!! You need a dog ear cleaner to reestablish the pH of the ear and flush out debris. If your vet just gives you antibiotics without checking an ear cytology (checking under the microscope) then that is not good medicine. If its a yeast infection then antibiotics will not help. Also, you need to treat for longer then a week straight to get rid of the problem. He needs to see a vet if he is uncomfortable though, and preferably a different one.


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## Mini-Mum (Oct 14, 2010)

spots like canker sores?
First things first....... If he has any kind of abrasion or sores in his ears, stop using vinegar! Vinegar on a cut or abrasion hurts, a lot.


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## Momosmama (Feb 2, 2011)

Thanks bigpoodleperson. Whenever I look for answers online, I seem to find the worst possible possibility. "You need to take him to the vet now, your dog will die if not treated". That sort of stuff. Knowing that he's going to be okay helps a lot.

I guess the baby oil helps because of the mineral oil. At least that's what I was told. 

Mini-mum, thanks for letting me know! I will definately not use vinegar anymore. I do not want to hurt him anymore than he is. I just noticed them today actually and I had one of those "Is he going to die?" moments. 

Momo and I say thank you to everyone! You guys are so helpful.


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## neVar (Dec 25, 2009)

Yes recurrent ear issues often point to food issues. Grain free and chicken free is one of the first steps to go in it IMO. 

Also how are you cleaning them? you might need to be flushing the ear out- cleaning it with cotton etc can just push the gunk down in more and irritate the ear more.


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## Momosmama (Feb 2, 2011)

I hear a lot of people mentioning "flushing". Does that mean you fill up the ear with a ear cleaner and then let the dog just shake it away? I feel like my dog would never allow me to do that. He is such a wiggler.


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## neVar (Dec 25, 2009)

Nope you do it in the tub. just water mixed with a wee bit of soap (I pre mix my dog shampoos when bathing... so i just use that) or just take a dab of soap (Big dog=pea size) rub it around in the ear. Then run just PLAIN water through it repeat until clean. And yeah they shake and pout and then they start to lean into it and groan and show they love it *L* 

Again here is Debbie Hilley's video on how to flush ears. : 
Grooming Smarter: Cleaning ears in the tub


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## Momosmama (Feb 2, 2011)

Wow thank you! That helps a lot. My vet says to use a cotton ball with vaseline. I hated it. Flushing out the ear sounds a lot better. I'm beginning to think you all have much better advice than my vet.. Which is sad.. Cause I pay him... Lol.


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## Ameka (Oct 19, 2010)

I strongly second the suggestions to find a different vet who will listen to your concerns and go through the process of looking for reasons rather than just dumping meds in him. The American Animal Hospital Association website is a good place to look for a new vet: American Animal Hospital Association

The sores could be an allergic reaction to one of the meds as well. My sweet spoo had endless battles with ear infections. He reacted so badly to one medicine that it blew a hole in his eardrum. 

Keeping the hair plucked out of his ears is really important (plucking while they're sore is extra painful and not good to do). As was mentioned, a clean shaved ear leather (a la German Clip) can also help with air flow.

Don't give up! He'll make it through a happier Poo for your dedication.


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## Momosmama (Feb 2, 2011)

Thank you everyone! Thanks to you all, Momo is now eating AvoDerm dog food. Not Purina!  Four Stars according to the dog food review site that I was referred to. I have also decided to take Mo to a new vet tomorrow.


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## neVar (Dec 25, 2009)

Sounds like your on a good start momosmama. 

Flushing works really well i've had several grooming clients who now are med free (and god we haven't even touched what they are feeding). just finally getting it CLEAN keeping some air flow (a little bit of plucking - not a lot at once) and huge difference


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## tintlet (Nov 24, 2009)

the BEST ear med I've found is Dry Ear Powder from

Ron's Apothecary Shop
117 West Renfro St
Burleson, TX 76028

817.295.2273 

I bought ingredients and made mine several years ago..but the Iodoform powder is hard to find..


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## Aidan (Mar 4, 2009)

You can also look around online for Zymox ear treatment. It's available online, you don't need a vet to get it and it works really well. When I first got Dodger her breeder said she was very prone to ear infections and she gave me two bottles of that stuff. She had two really bad cases of ear infections and I used Zymox at the first sign of it and it went away on its own.

Since I've flushed her ears in the tub like other people mentioned I have not had a single ear infection in any of my poodles.


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## Ann Mc Keon (Feb 9, 2011)

*Ear problems*

THORNIT is great for keeping ear trouble at bay, My standard had bad ear infection at 5 months, her ears are cleaned and plucked weekly and I use Thornit, its brilliant


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## bluespoomommy (Feb 25, 2010)

mineral oil and vaseline to clean the ears??? sounds like it would make it goupy and mucky and worse! i've always used the blue power ear wash to flush the ears during infection (we've only had one when she was a puppy, probably due to a reaction to her vaccines). and we use the blue power once a week to clean. works miracles. but maybe seek another vet's opinion and do a culture swab of your pup's ears to figure out whether or not it's yeast or bacterial???

i agree with other members that switching to a high quality, grain free food will help a lot. and perhaps try adding a tablespoon of plain yogurt with live cultures to the diet once a day. it will help fight off any yeasties if present.


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## Momosmama (Feb 2, 2011)

Vaseline does make the ear yucky.. I'm not going to use it anymore I've decided. My vet..is weird.. I'm going to a new one now. 

I will check into those different ear cleansers you guys recommended. Thanks.


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## april1694 (Dec 18, 2009)

My spoo's ear was so bad. I took him to 3 different vets. After many different treatments and medications I finally had him put to sleep to do a deep ear flush. No more pain and a bright white smile.


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## lcristi (Feb 27, 2011)

*ear problems*

I have a young standard - 21 mos - and I have never plucked her ear hair.
This at the suggestion of my vet. It seems that the current wisdom reasons that if the hair grows there it must be necessary. And when a scope was put down her ear canal I was able to clearly see hair growing all the way down. 
I use a product called oticalm when I bathe her every two to three weeks. A couple of squirts, massage the ear to distribute the liquid and we're good to go.
Oticalm is designed to dissolve ear wax. So far so good. Oitcalm is hard to get lately. A good (vet recommended) substitute is Epi-Oti Advanced. It's the ear wax that promotes inflamation by trapping moisture in the ear canal. 
Having said that I know how uncomfortable ear infections can be for long eared dogs. If your dog has an ear infection/inflamtion she needs help from the vet. Try another vet.
Good Luck!!


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