# Javelin's icky ear



## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

Poor Javvy. Rory has had poloxamer gel in his ears a couple of times, lasts a week so I assume it’s a similar thing. Definitely nicer for them than daily ear drops!


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Poor Javvy  I haven't used the gel, but it's good to hear that it's easier than the drops. Hope he feels better soon.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Muggles, thanks for your experience. The vet said she could give me drops since he accepts my grooming and all, but I have such a hectic schedule at this point in the semester this seemed like a better way to have a good delivery schedule.

He has been a bit wimpy about this but generally acts like he feels pretty good. I will update as we go along.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Noelle had a yeasty, gooey mess in her ear when she was a puppy. We got some goo and some drops. It made her hair nasty, but it worked. Oh, poor Javelin. A hot towel helps me when I get an ear ache. I wonder if a hot towel would feel good for our dogs. Feel better sweet dog.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

I can’t quite envision these gel packs. Do you stuff them in the ear canal?


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Never heard of gel packs. I hope he feels better soon !


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## Asta's Mom (Aug 20, 2014)

No experience with the gel - but put Javvy in my prayers - let him heal quickly.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Oh dear, I hope he's feeling better soon.


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## chinchillafuzzy (Feb 11, 2017)

So sorry about Javelins ear! I hope he feels much better soon!!


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Poor Javie! For those of you who wonder what a 'ear pack' is , it is a medication that consists of an antibiotic, an antifungal, and a steroid, that is formulated in a way that stays in the ear and is absorbed thru the skin and usually lasts about a week and is then repeated if infection is a stubborn one! I see they are now 'readymade' cuz in the old days they had to be compounded! Gels make sense as they are rather thick and sticky for staying power!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Molly's description of the ear pack is exactly correct! Since there is a steroid in it I think he clearly already feels better this morning since the inflammation has probably calmed down quite a bit. I gather that the premixed drugs are in a single use dispenser with a longish and flexible tip on it so the gel can be squeezed out deep into the ear canal. You can't see anything by looking at his ear. We will be following up with a 2nd round next week.


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

Our vet uses the one-time medication. It’s more waxy than gel-like and makes a mess of the ear hair, but it works well, and not having to instill ear drops every day is well worth the mess. Hope Javvy feels better soon.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

JudyD this one is so far into his ear canal I don't think it will mess up his ear feathers.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I have a question for any of you who know how the gel packs work. Have your dogs been shaking their heads while the gels were in place? I can tell Javelin feels better since he is letting me look at and touch that ear, but he is still doing a lot of head shaking and I am wondering if it is because the infection is still bothering him or if he doesn't like the feeling of the gel deep down in his ear. Any thoughts warmly appreciated.


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

From memory Rory’s head shaking definitely reduced after he’d had the gel. However, in our case it was not enough to solve the problem and he had to be put under to have his ears fully plucked deep in his ear canals (they are super hairy - vet says the hairiest they’ve ever seen - and it was too hard to ever get rid of the infection). He did have another one put in during that procedure and I don’t think he had any discomfort then. 

The vet decided last year that it’s seasonal allergies causing Rory’s issues so this summer we are starting preventative cortisone drops. hopefully we will not have an infection and associated ear plucking this year!


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## mashaphan (Sep 4, 2014)

Catherine, Stacey had a terrible time w/Mick's ears last year/earlier this year. I would contact her to see what she did. (something she got from poodle people somewhere helped.)

Martha (PS, I thought the "new" diet had helped Javvy's ears?)


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

mashaphan said:


> Catherine, Stacey had a terrible time w/Mick's ears last year/earlier this year. I would contact her to see what she did. (something she got from poodle people somewhere helped.)
> 
> Martha (PS, I thought the "new" diet had helped Javvy's ears?)


Thanks on checking in with Stacey for me. Diet has improved his ears, but this I think may have been from water and/or shampoo in his ear that I didn't get out after his last tubby time. This was unilaterally his left ear, the right was fine, so not diet.

Our follow up vet appointment is tomorrow. His ear doesn't smell anymore and it isn't painful so hopefully we nipped it in the bud.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

*Update*

We had a follow up with the vet this afternoon. She re-cleaned his ear and scoped deep down to look at things. She said there was still one small area that looked like it needs some more healing time, but she was generally pleased that his ear was no longer obviously wet or smelly and that he has no pain. She put in another med pack and we will leave it for four weeks to give it all the time it needs to get better.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Oh no, sweet Javelin, please heal up quickly and easily. Tough time in the semester for a professor to be facing this, but never a good time, really.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

lily cd re said:


> We had a follow up with the vet this afternoon. She re-cleaned his ear and scoped deep down to look at things. She said there was still one small area that looked like it needs some more healing time, but she was generally pleased that his ear was no longer obviously wet or smelly and that he has no pain. She put in another med pack and we will leave it for four weeks to give it all the time it needs to get better.


Ah, great news on the update. I jumped in on the first post, but way late. Such is life atm...

So happy Javelin is healing very well.


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

Glad to hear it’s on the mend!


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Good to hear that Javelin is healing. Thanks for the info on the gel pak, too. With my Mr. Hairy Ears, you never know when he may need one.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Streetcar thank goodness for the gel pack meds. I was not convinced I was going to be consistent about timing if I had to put drops in. It is a hectic time of year for me. Since I really think that meds work best when given very consistently this is the most consistent way in the world to make sure it gets all healed up.

Charmed, Javelin has very hairy ears too. Lily not so much. I barely ever do any serious ear care on Lily, but his ears need very nearly constant attention.


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## marialydia (Nov 23, 2013)

Just saw this, glad it's under control, best wishes for quick and complete healing.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Glad it’s under control and he’s healing. I bet he feels so much better now.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Glad Javvy is almost healed. Those gel pack meds are a genius idea. I’ve treated previous dogs’ ears with drops and was never sure the drops were hitting the target.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Yes I think the gel pack is brilliant, in the same class as transdermal patches and time release coatings so many of our meds can be taken once a day.


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