Kodee's left ear has been just slightly red for a while, and a couple of weeks ago I cleaned it b/c it was looking dirty. I got out some black stuff (not lots), and a tiny bit of blood. I didn't worry about it, just decided to watch it and see. However, today I cleaned his ear again, as it was looking dirty (dark stuff on the inner part of the ear, not really way down inside it, although it was down towards the ear canal as well) - got out more crud and some more blood. I cleaned his ear with cotton gauze and Advanced pHormula Ear Cleanser (bought at vets). After I run out of this, I will just start using peroxide, now that I know you can. I also don't notice any odor or anything. He's on a good diet - raw w/Honest Kitchen alternated w/Orijen Adult, just FYI.

He's not really scratching at the ear, and it's not really red, just slightly more than the other ear (which has foam in it, but when I take the foam out it always looks fine. No blood and very little dirt. No redness at all.) Should I just watch it, or take him in to get it looked at? I used to work at a vet clinic, and I've seen tons of dogs and cats w/ear mites, but right now Kodee's symptoms are so mild I'm not sure what is going on or what I should do, if anything....

Any advice?

I'd take him in. It's very easy and simple, and not even expensive, to look at the debris under a 'scope and check for eggs or mites.

Ear mites are *very* common. If it gets more heavily populated and are left for a long time to create debris, the conditions for bacterial and yeast infections are ripe. They don't burrow into the skin like scabies, but their presence is still very inflammatory.

Took Kodee Bear to the vet today. Turns out it's a yeast infection, although it hasn't gotten too bad yet, thank goodness. Got medicine for his ear to use for 10 days. (Dr. said he's one of the most beautiful dogs he's ever seen.... )

FWIW, my vet says it's unusual, at least in his experience, for an adult dog to have ear mites. Much more likely to be yeast infection, and following home remedies can be tried in lieu of prescription meds:

50% vinegar, 50% rubbing alcohol
Gyne-Lotrimin or similar cream (clotrimazole)
Vinegar-based douche

One caveat - he says don't clean ears too often. Just keep an eye on them and clean if needed. Overcleaning can cause it's own set of problems.

 Quote: anitagard

FWIW, my vet says it's unusual, at least in his experience, for an adult dog to have ear mites.

I can't let that stand. The best part of that statement is "in his experience."

Ear mites are more common in puppies, but are still one of the two or three most common causes for outer- and middle-ear inflammation in adult dogs too.

http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/em.html

http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com/dearmites.html

http://www.petshed.com/petcyclopedia/all-about-ear-mites-in-dogs.html

 Quote: Kori Bigge

Took Kodee Bear to the vet today. Turns out it's a yeast infection, although it hasn't gotten too bad yet, thank goodness. Got medicine for his ear to use for 10 days. (Dr. said he's one of the most beautiful dogs he's ever seen.... )

Yeast infections are *extremely* common.

Good for you that you got him in there early.

You will want to find the underlying cause, though --- allergy, maybe antibiotics, something else going one with the immune system, etc.

Yeast infections are often combined with bacteria (but I'm sure the vet tested), but also, yeast overgrowth is something to be thought of more as a symptom than an isolated ailment.

I'd also eliminate all grains (and sugar, of course) from the dog's diet.

It will be very good if it's a one-time thing that you nipped in the bud.

BUT has there been something going on in the past few weeks to breach his immune system and allow yeast to take over?

 Quote: AnitaGard

One caveat - he says don't clean ears too often. Just keep an eye on them and clean if needed. Overcleaning can cause it's own set of problems.

Absolutely! If it's clean, don't clean it. It introduces moisture and flaura imbalance unnecessarily, opening the door to both yeats and bacteria.

Excellent advice.

Thank you all for the info. Just FYI, I forgot to mention, this is the ear that does NOT have the foam glued into it, ironically enough. The vet checked for yeast and bacteria, and although he only found yeast, he put Kodee on a med that covers both. Kodee doesn't get sugar in his diet, at least not much. He eats THK w/raw and Orijen (on different days).

I have to fess up - Kodee got hit by a car (or he hit the car's side, actually) about 3 weeks ago. It knocked him unconscious. I was so sure he was dead at the time, I still can't believe he is ok. I broke my own rule and let him off the long line in the back of our house (15 acres, unfenced), and when we were all going into the house, he decided to run into the road in front of our house. I ran after him, so I was right there when it happened. It was rush hour, and I had to pull him off the road, or he almost definitely would have been run over by another car. I can literally count on one hand the number of times he's been off leash/long-line since I've had him. Stupid, idiot me. He actually ran into the side of the car as it was going by, and hit his head hard enough it knocked him unconscious. Long story short, after 2 vet visits (one emergency visit to the local vet, who I don't like), and a visit first thing the following a.m. with my vet who I love, and sleeping with him all night on the floor for a couple of nights, he was fine. No broken bones, internal injuries, etc. We got EXTREMELY lucky, and I just ordered another 100 ft long line (we have been using a 25 ft and 50 ft normally in back of our house.) To play frisbee, I wanted 100 ft line, just in case. It's a long way from behind our house to the road, so 100 ft is ok.

So, yes, he has definitely had a severe trauma recently, to answer your question re: underlying cause/immune system issues. His body was dealing with his injuries. Thanks again, all.

Kori,that must have been terrible to witness. I'm glad Kodee is OK...

Kori, I am so glad that he is okay.