# Ear pain



## KidWhisperer (Apr 3, 2012)

Yesterday afternoon I discovered that Sammi has an ear infection in her right ear. So I pulled out the gentamicin ear wash and antibiotic ointment that the vet gave me the last time she got infected and cleaned the ear. But the ear wash is putting Sammi in _severe_ pain! After I clean her ear, she starts running, panting, grunting and scratching at her bed over and over. It must really sting. But I don't remember her reacting this way the last time...in fact, I've never seen Sammi act like this before. :afraid:

Since yesterday, Sammi's ear seems to have gotten worse; she was walking with her head to the side when we got back from church. I did call a vet to try to get her in today, but they are booked. I plan to call her regular vet when they open tomorrow and try to get Sammi in (they are closed on Sunday).

In the meantime, do you have any suggestions to help with the severe pain from the cleaner? This evening I am supposed to clean the ear again, but I hate to put her through this. 

Thanks,


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

I would wonder what was in the cleanser, any rate try a warm towel on the infected ear


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I would refrain from the cleaning for tonight just in case she has a ruptured eardrum which is not that uncommon in dogs. If anything just apply the antibiotics until you get into the Vet tomorrow.

P.S. The ear cleaner could have have alcohol in it and that WOULD sting!


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

It hasn't been that long since Sammi's bath... water might have sat in her ear and complicated things. Poodle ears can be so touchy. I agree with MollyMM, one day of skipping the wash is not going to matter, especially if it is that painful. The vet can prescribe something that is less painful. The last thing you need is a poodle who doesn't want it's ears touched. Poor Sammi! I have ruptured eardrums myself (if that is what she has) and they hurt like the dickens until they pop. I've also had poodles who were allergic to their prescribed ear medicine... their ears got inflamed and ten times worse than they were before the vet visit! Hope Sammi can get in at the vet's office soon. Tell them she works with the Kinder kids and they will be very sad if they don't get to see her because she has to stay home with a bad earache.


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

Gentamicin burns really bad! So it's probably bothering her a lot. If her ear was bugging her she might have scratched at it and the gentamicin could be irritating any scratches that could be in her ear. I would just put the antibiotic ointment in for now until you can get her into the vet. Be sure you are pulling the ear straight up so you are opening the canal and getting the medicine past that 90 degree angle. Massage it around good so it can help sooth the irritated skin as well.


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## Ladyscarletthawk (Dec 6, 2011)

at this point I would leave the ears alone and let the vet look at them.. Could be a ruptured ear drum, I have never had my dogs act adversely to the Blue power ear cleaner that has alcohol in it. Also if you clean out the ear there will be nothing for the vet to culture to see what kind of infection it is


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## KidWhisperer (Apr 3, 2012)

Thanks for the helpful responses. I will leave her ear alone until I can get her to the vet (prayerfully tomorrow). It was definitely the bath that did it. Normally I blow dry her, which dries the ears as well, but this time I let her air dry. I also asked my teenaged son to dry out her ears with cotton balls for me, but discovered two days later that he never did. I was soooooo angry with him, still am...but anyway, that would be a post for a different blog (like teenagersuuuuuggggghhhhh!!!!!.com)


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Foreign body in the ear canal? Grass seed? no amount of antibiotic etc will help until the body is removed. Go to a vet.
Eric.


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## KidWhisperer (Apr 3, 2012)

Good point, Eric. When her ear first started bothering her, I thought maybe my son had left a cotton ball down in there, but I didn't feel anything but moisture. I'm calling the vet as soon as I get a break in the morning.


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## mom2m (Dec 24, 2014)

Any updates? Hope Sammi is doing better today...


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## Moyen (Jul 28, 2013)

How is Sami doing?
My desce gets bad ear infections. I have to keep them plucked clean!


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## KidWhisperer (Apr 3, 2012)

*Update...*

[I couldn't give an update yesterday...it was just one of those days where _everything _goes wrong, all day long, and I was toast when I finally got home!]

Well, we got in to the vet's yesterday after work. Sammi's ear is extremely inflamed, so much so that the vet couldn't see the eardrum. She wanted to check to see if it was a ruptured. The ear swab did show some yeast...she thought that the Gentamicin I'd used probably started to work already. So she put Sammi on a different medication...one that is safe to use if the eardrum is ruptured (I didn't know this, but Gentamicin can cause hearing loss if it gets in the inner ear), and we go back in two weeks for a follow-up.

That was the good part! While we were there, Sammi embarassed me terribly!!!! She was so shaken and terrified by the vet and the vet techs that she peed multiple times, all over the floor. Twice they brought out a thick, folded towel to put under her while they attempted to examine and swab her ear. They had to come mop the floor twice while we were there and then again after we finally left. [The back story to this is that I'd just called my son before entering the vet's to make sure he took Sammi out to pee when he got home from school, because I knew she might dribble a little when the vet came in. He _said _he did, but the "evidence" said otherwise. So he's in trouble once again!]

Then, at the end of the exam, the vet brought in two vet techs to hold Sammi while she cleaned out her ear with saline. Not only did she pee another river, she took a dump on the vet tech's shoe!!!!! :afraid::ahhhhh::argh: I was mortified, slunk out of there as fast as I could, only to return when I discovered she'd dirtied her tail and backside pretty badly and needed a wash-up before getting in the car.

This was the worst trip to the vet we've _ever _had, bar none! I guess her normal nervousness combined with severe ear pain added up to disaster. But I can never stay upset at Sam-Sam. Each time the vet or the vet tech walked out of the room, she looked up at me with a smile as if to say, " Am I doin' good, Mommy?":angel: I also made my aforementioned son give Sammi a thorough butt-wash when we got home.:argh::argh::argh:


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## Nicofreako (Aug 19, 2013)

Aawww- sweet Sam-Sam! To bring up the silver lining - she was so sweet to be so scared and never snap or growl at the techs! She just lost a little bladder and poop control, that's all :angel2:
I say this because my spoo Nico, is the same way. When she's nervous she still never shows any aggression to humans. My border collie, while not aggressive, will snap occasionally if the vet does something sudden to her ears.
I just think it's so sweet to think you have a dog that trusts humans so much that even in such fear, looks to you for reassurance.
Give Sam-Sam extra hugs tonight. You both made it through, haha!


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## PoodlePaws (May 28, 2013)

Poor thing. All 3 of mine are nervous poopers. Poops are always nice and firm. But the nervous poo is like soft-serve. It's crazy. They do this every vet visit and every groom visit.


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## PoodlePaws (May 28, 2013)

Oh. And glad your doggie acted nice. Missy requires muzzling every vet visit. So embarrassing. She even growls and flicks her tongue while wearing it.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Aw, don't feel bad. Last week our cat managed to spray her anal sacs up the vet's nose! He said that sadly, it was not the first time...


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Awwww! Considering how much pain she had to go thru I think Sami did just fine!
I'd much rather my dog poo or pee than bite any day!!!!! Hugs to you SamSam!!!!


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

Blue had a really nasty ear infection when he was about four months old. Because he was young and it was obviously painful, the blessed vet sedated him rather than restraining him and letting him struggle. He hasn't required sedating since and doesn't mind having his ears checked, cleaned, etc. Maybe you could ask for that in the future.


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## mom2m (Dec 24, 2014)

awww poor Sammi and poor you!

I hope today is going better for both of you. Ear infections can be a real struggle.


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## KidWhisperer (Apr 3, 2012)

Thanks everyone! You are right...it really could have been worse. She is feeling much better already. 

Gee, I thought teaching leaky five-year-olds was rough, but vets have got me beat, hands down!!!


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## LManola (Aug 7, 2013)

*Ear Infection*



Charmed said:


> It hasn't been that long since Sammi's bath... water might have sat in her ear and complicated things. Poodle ears can be so touchy. I agree with MollyMM, one day of skipping the wash is not going to matter, especially if it is that painful. The vet can prescribe something that is less painful. The last thing you need is a poodle who doesn't want it's ears touched. Poor Sammi! I have ruptured eardrums myself (if that is what she has) and they hurt like the dickens until they pop. I've also had poodles who were allergic to their prescribed ear medicine... their ears got inflamed and ten times worse than they were before the vet visit! Hope Sammi can get in at the vet's office soon. Tell them she works with the Kinder kids and they will be very sad if they don't get to see her because she has to stay home with a bad earache.


I can totally understand what you are going through. My apricot standard, Nikki, started a horrible ear infection one week before having her puppies (10 babies). The puppies are 8 days old and it hasn't gotten that much better. Horrible pain. I think her bath or plucking hair was the culprit too. She has never had an ear infection before. I pluck all of my girls at least once a month and wanted to get it done on her so I wouldn't have to put her through it during whelping. She acts like her neck is stiff. She doesn't turn it like normal...with head sticking straight out. Thank goodness she is eating and pooping normal and no temperature. The vet couldn't give her anything other than medicated ear wash until the puppies were born so she didn't have much for pain the first week. Then two days after the puppies were born I had an emergency vet appointment .. she was bleeding from the nose and mouth..scared me to death... All vitals were good and it was bleeding from the membranes of the nose and mouth from dry air. I was using a heat lamp and the room vent was close by. She hasn't had any more problems with that. He was then able to start meds for the ears. Antibiotic steroid ear drops/pain and antibiotics. It has been so rough on her and still is. I am taking her back to vet in the morning. She is done with the pain meds and antibiotics, but she still needs something. She hasn't had much interest in her puppies, but she is letting them nurse on her. What a first litter experience for her. If I bring a male around her again she will just start screaming... :act-up:


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Hope Sammi has continued to improve. Meanwhile I am sure she is getting lots of tender, loving care. I'd send her an ear scritch, but maybe a face rub would be better for now.


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