Flapping Dog Ears!!

[TanksHill]

Ever since my dh brought Tobias home he has had dirty ears. The vet checked them when he was a pup and said they were icky and that I should clean them regularly. Which we mostly do.

Then he went in last year to get fixed. Another vet asked about his ears. She said I needed a wash and gave me a medicine to squirt into the ear canals. She basically said it was like a yeast infection.

Well It kinda comes and goes but after cleaning and the normal flush while bathing it's not to bad.

Right now hes hating life. flopping his ears all the time and keeps waking me up at night.

I had the medicine in the fridge still. It is a tresaderm/micazol mix. So I managed 1ml down one ear and I will go for the other in a bit. But he hates it. I try to hold the medicine in my fingers to bring up the temp a bit. Nothing like cold liquid getting squirted in your ears.

Anyways, I am trying to think if an all natural maintenance I can to for him.. I am about to stick kefir or live culture yogurt in his ears.

I was thnking of an internal yeast control like maybe the olive lieaf extract.

Any ideas or recommendations?

g

 

[lorihadams]

Switch to a grain free diet if he's not on it already...

Clean his ears once a week and then put 1/2 tsp of water mixed with 1/2 tsp of organic raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar directly into his ear and mush it around.

This has made an unbelievable difference in my dogs ears. If you don't want to pour the water/acv mix directly in his ears mix up a small batch and apply it with a q tip all over his ear. I only have to do this twice a month now for my dog. His ears were so badly infected that they would bleed. Gone now. He is much happier and now I can't smell his ears from across the room.

Let me know if it helps! Good luck!

 

[CrimsonRose]

I've never dealt with yeast infections in the ears before... but if they are prone to developing yeast infections make sure you include yougurt or something in their regular diet... Yeast even though it tends to fester in one spot can still be something internal as well... by regularly feeding something with live cultures it should help keep it from festering in the future... (his body will have the needed bacteria to fight it off before it builds up)

again not sure about the yeast... but I know for infections or mites that a few drops of olive oil put into the ear canal does wonders! it's also soothing for the pain and itching... you can do this 2-3 times a day...

 

[Woodland Woman]

I had a dog with yeast problems in the ears. This is what worked and I only had to apply it a few times. Prescription diaper rash ointment for babies.

 

[tortoise]

If you are 100% sure it is yeast and not a bacteria, or combination, then grab some OTC monistat. For real.

 

[TanksHill]

Thanks you guys.

My poor dog has been through the wringer on his diet. He started on the Green Tripe raw and then due to financial reasons he went down to the Innova Evo grain free, now he just eats plain old lamb and rice.

I think I will add some whey to his kibble. He has drank the kefir but won't eat the grains. Actually gagged on them. It was kinda funny. Silly dog.

I have the ACV so I think I will start there.

Not sure exactly if its yeast based or bacterial.

g

 

[Bethanial]

I know for us ladies, in addition to eating yogurt (or kefir?) we can also apply it topically (just make sure its PLAIN), and its LOTS cheaper then OTC Monistat

Don't know how that would work in a dog's ears, though. Might try the watered ACV, since you've got a definite recommend there.

 

[AL]

it is easy to tell basic infection from a yeast infection in the ears - if it gags you to lift the ear flap chances are very good it is yeasty.
My lab has yeast infections in his skin / ears fairly regularly. It has calmed down alot with plain yogurt every now and then in his Taste of the Wild food. I decided even though the food is insanely expensive, the meds to fight yeast added up to even more.

Gently swabbing the ear with a cotton gauze pad (not the linty kind) and applying any sort of OTC yeast med or drying agent (make sure no alcohol! ouch!) will help some... but only if it isn't already a raging mess.

 

[tortoise]

You really can't tell just by smell. Yes, some people can identify the yeast smell, but how would you know if the yeast is secondary to a bacteria?

Yogurt in ears - bad idea! Vinegar solution washes should NOT be used if ears are bloody/broken skin (Yeouch!!). Ears should only be lceaned every 3 days max to avoid more irritation and creating a nice damp place for yeasties and beasties to grow.

Make sure you're flooding, massaging and cleaning the ear canal (right behind the edge of the dog's lower jaw) not just doing cosmetic cleaning in the ear flap.

Keepin mind that if there is a "plug" in the ear, no amount of cleaning at home is really going to help.

 

[TanksHill]

Thank you guys. I have still a good supply of the medicine originally prescribed so I am using that for now. Yesterday I managed it twice in one ear and once in the other. he was not happy but flapped considerably less last night.

Today I will get the medicated flush we use when we bathe hm and give that a go. If there is a plug that might help.

When I clean his ears it is not really smelly but he has brown mucky stuff.

thanks again, gina