# Ear scratching



## mom24doggies (Mar 28, 2011)

I've tried everything I can think of to get Trev to quit scratching at his ears. Banding, vet wrap, conditioner, vet trips. Vet says there is nothing wrong withthem, and I've had several vets look at them. I don't pluck them real often, just enough to keep air flow; he doesnt grow really hairy ear canals anyways. I flush them out every other bath or so. At this point, the only thing keeping him from completely destroying his feathering is me getting onto him about it. Any ideas? I'm getting desperate...we're going to a comp in november and I'd like him to not have scraggly ear tops.  Thanks!!


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## Pudel-Fan (Nov 1, 2011)

How long ago did this habit start? Does he just scratch at the ear on one side or does he go after both ears? ( for instance when my poodles are just doing a little recreational scratching they almost always use the right rear leg not always scratching the ear though, sometimes at the back, or shoulder or even neck) 

So although I don't have an answer for you, I thought you might get more ideas if you thought more about how and why he is doing it. If he only goes for his ears and does it on both sides then I would think it may still be something about the ear that is itching, maybe the product you use or ? 

Sorry I can't be more help, the only other thing I can think of is to put a dog boot (like mushers or hikers use on their dogs feet) on his back feet while he is in the house, it might distract him and not "feel' the same when he goes to scratch and so break what just may be a habit started when his ears were infected or did itch.


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## mom24doggies (Mar 28, 2011)

He scratches both pretty evenly. I've tried quite a few products but I'm continuing to try different things. I think this started when he was about 3 mo...he had ear mites and just never broke the habit of itching I guess. Is there some product I could put inside them to soothe?


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## Pudel-Fan (Nov 1, 2011)

Two products come to mind. You will have to do a little research to be sure it is safe to use inside the ear.

One is The Skin Works, by coat handler, I looked at my jar but it had little info. so tried a quick google search and their web doesn't really help. Skin works, soothes pain, moisturiezes dry skin, has no steroids is nontoxic ,non-greasy. Here is their 800# from the back of my coat handler shampoo (800) 748-1777, I would call and talk to someone there to be sure it is safe to apply in the ear. It works well for other uses and I had good luck on razor burns on the poodles and bug bites on me.

The other item might be Peace and Kindness by Chris Christensen I have used it both on the poodles and myself. But again can't say about inside the ear, I won't spray it in the ear if I were going to use it but put it on a cotton pad and apply. It has a long list of thing it is good for including, bug bites, ear infections, ringworm, dermatitis, dandruff, itchy areas, ringworm, fungus, and skin irritations caused from allergic reactions, and a list of 2 dozen more that I just don't want to type. Their 800# is (800) 654-7006. That really sounds like the product I would use, as I have had it work for other things, you need to apply 3 to 4 times a day but it might need only a week or so to stop the itchy feeling and break the habit. Again I would not spray in the ear, I can't imagine Trev would like that but it doesn't sting so he won't even notice if it were just dabbed on. Why don't you call and see what they say? Good luck.


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## Arborgale (Dec 11, 2011)

Could it be a food or environmental allergy? 

Last month when I took Rosie to the vet I asked her to look at her ears. Rosie had been scratching them, not obsessively, but a little more than normal. She suggested a grain free diet and said that a lot of dogs can develop food allergies and it affects their ears.

Just a thought. 

I hope you can get to the bottom of this and give poor Trev some relief.


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## cliffdweller (Jan 31, 2011)

What are you putting in his ears to flush or clean ?


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## mom24doggies (Mar 28, 2011)

Arborgale: I have him on a grain free diet already, he definitly gets worse when he gets a lot of grain! It could be environmental, right now allergens are really high here. He's been scratching at his face some, too here lately. The vet said that should stop soon though. The ear thing has been going on for a while, I can't seem to kick it! I tried raw for about 6 months, skin supplements, fish oil...everything I could think of. Nothing has really relieved it much...and it's not like he's really aggressive about it, just more than normal, like your Rosie. 

Nu2poodles: I flush them with plain water, and make sure they get dry afterwards. I got some ear wipes tonight at a specialty pet store where I buy dog food, and it claims to relieve itching. When I wiped his ears out, no dirt or wax came out, they were literally "squeaky clean". Im going to use them daily and see if it helps. 

Thanks so much for all the help Pudel-fan!! I will get in touch with the companies about those products. I'd actually already thought of the Peace and Kindness.


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

Add vinegar to your ear rinse to acidify the ear canal, or buy a drying ear flush from your veterinarian.

I had a poodle in for grooming and she was scratching at her ears awful. I plucked her ears every 2 weeks, but she still had plugs of hair and ear wax very deep in her ear canal. They were the size of a large pill! She did not have an ear infection, just the irritation of hair plugs in there. Did your vet say if s/he could see your dog's ear drum?

I would be redirecting the scratching, regardless of the reason. Tell him no, then toss him a toy or treat when he stops. Or, you can teach him that you will rub his ears for him. I did this with my mpoo because he seems to have an itchy face after FFT.


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## Oodlejpoodle's mom (Sep 11, 2009)

Both my standards had chronic ear problems....many different treatments and visits to the vet. I used http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/Adobe/Blue Power Ear Treatment.pdf

and never had another infection or scratching.


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## katbrat (May 8, 2011)

Earlier this past month Lexi was going nuts scratching her ears and head. She would rub her face on the funiture. Dh kept telling me he thought she had an ear infection. I looked, smelled and that wasn't it. This went on for about two to three weeks. One day she woke up with an eye that was red around the eye and looked a bit puffy. It looked like someone had hit her in the eye. She then started scratching the skin around the eye which made it bleed. I took her to the vet and was told it was allergies. The vet had seen four dogs that week with seasonal allergies. We put her on some meds, and doctored up the area around her eye and she was tons better within a few days and hasn't scratched since.


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