On our hike Friday morning Starbuck picked up a foxtail. She jumped into a big group of weeds and came out shaking her head. I tried to look inside her ear, but I didn’t see anything. We completed the walk, but her ear was bothering her the whole time (not that it slowed her down chasing the rabbits). When we got home I went to the feed store to pick up something to clean her ears. It is an alcohol based cleaner called K9 Liquid Health. I used it in the limp ear and she was not happy with that at all. She shook her head, but by her reaction I couldn’t tell if it washed out the debris or not (I did not know it was a foxtail at this time). After that I went back inside the house.

I didn’t see her for about 2 hours. When I went outside she was hiding under a bush in the yard. When I called her she did not respond (This NEVER happens). I went over and saw that she threw up near the bush. Her mouth was very wet and she seemed disoriented or dizzy. I called the vet and they were able to see me immediately.

I took her to the vet and they found the foxtail down her ear cannel. He thought it was up against the ear drum. They were able to remove the foxtail without anesthetic. She seemed about 80% better once it was out. They prescribed a week of antibiotics and sent me home. Less a $90 vet bill (not too bad).

The vet thinks the dizziness and the vomiting were caused by the ear cleaner. It could have leaked into her ear. Or just threw of her equilibrium.

Friday night she was much better.
Saturday the ear was still bothering her some.
Sunday evening it was bother her quite a bit. She came to me several times with a “Please help me” look on her face. She wants to scratch the ear, but I stop her when I see it.

I’m going to call the vet her in a minute and see if they will re-check her ear. I also wonder if there is something else I should apply to the inside of the ear, assuming there is a puncture in the ear drum.

Foxtails are evil things...

Don't put anything in her ear if you suspect a puncture and until the vet looks at it.

Poor Starbuck

The vet just called back. We have an appointment in 1 hour. He wants to look inside her ear again and make sure the hole, if there was one, in the ear drum is closed.

She is under the desk and didn't even want to come out for a treat

The poor dog. There are few pains like the pain of an inner-ear infection or invasion.

Please post back.

I just got back from the vet.

There is an infection in her right ear. They prescribed Panosol for her ear. I'll put the liquid into both ears for 10 days. If she is not doing better by Thursday or Friday then he wants to bring her in and flush out the ear. They would need to sedate her and I'd rather avoid that if possible.

Hopefully the oral and topical antibiotics will kill the infection…

I hope everything works out Keith, I would not want to sedate either.

She seems a little bit better today. She was sleeping better last night until I had to put the Panosol into her ears.

I always thought that antibiotics made you feel better right away... She has been on the oral pills since Friday afternoon and she has 24 hours on the stuff inside her ear.

Antibiotics can take a number of days before you see any effect. With ear infections a combination of meds is sometimes needed to completely get rid of it. I'd say if you're not seeing real improvement by Thursday morning at the latest then check in with the vet by phone.

I'm glad she's doing a little better today.

She is doing better today. She even wanted to play chase the ball. I'd say she is about 50% of normal activity. She is still shaking her head sometimes and walking with it cocked to the right. I have seen both ears straight up today. The vet is off duty tomorrow and back on Friday. If she is still improving tomorrow then I’ll give him a call Friday.