Good Morning.

My dog Max seems to be having some issues wwith his ear.

Started yesterday with trying to scratch at it, shaking his head side to side. My little female GSD Una licks him alot including in his ears.

I looked in there and didnt see anything and also tried to clean his ears with a cutip and a rolled up paper towel, no gunk came out.

Does anyone have any home remedies for this or is this something I should take him to the vet for?

Thanks alot...

Lois

Absent any gunk or yeasty odor, he could have something lodged in the ear canal. For that reason I would be hesitant to flush or otherwise continue trying to clean the ear myself and would probably have a vet take a look.

Thanks for the reply.

I ended up taking him to the vet this am since he was so uncomfortable with it. Shaking his head and whining and hanging his head to the side when he walked.

I neither saw nor smelled anything in his ear but he does in fact have an ear infection. Too much Una licking Im sure. Ill have to watch her closely, shes been trying to lick the medicine out since i brought him home even..

Thanks again.

Lois

Edited by Lois Miller (02/23/2009 01:46 PM)
Edit reason: my post didnt make sense, too fast typing

Ok, so this has been going on since february 22. Vet diagnosed yeast infection. Started him on anitibiotic ear drops, 3 drops 3 times per day. After one week, no improvement. I then went back in and asked for Zymox after reading here about the benefits of it. One week later, back to the vet as the problem was worse then before. Lots of head shaking, whining and rubbing his ear on the floor and sides of the couch. Vet then took him off the ear drops and put him on oral steroids(prednisone) and oral antibiotics(cephalexin). Finished lst dose of those meds on Saturday

Still no improvement and we have been addressing this for one month.

He eats California Natural kibble. Has never shown these symptoms prior to this bout.

I will take him back to the vet on Monday. Does anyone have any wisdom they can share regarding this problem? Anything I can do at home to make him more comfortable, or ask the doctor to prescribe?

I am going to ask the vet to sedate him to get a better look in the ear. Im still not convinced that this is an infection since there has been no improvement and no smell of yeast infection. I have been gently cleaning with a ear wash solution. There is browish/red stuff but thinking this could be dried blood from his incessant scratching/itching. Im still wondering if this isnt something stuck in his ear (ear mite possibly). He isnt the best patient ( he squirms and moves alot)when trying to look in his ear and Im not sure that even the vet has gotten a good look in there

Poor guy is miserable.

Thanks in advance

I can't help you with comfort but others will. I will second your decision to sedate and look closer.

I don't like sedating all the time, but having a dog in the past (floppy eared) who collected sticktights, foxtail seed, burrs, and other crap deep in his ear canals every year, I think after this amount of time, it is imperative you get a solid look not only down his ear canal, but his nose, and if he hasn't had his teeth checked, look at his teeth also. (I don't know that would have any thing to do with it, but sedated, how hard could it be to open the maw and look?)

Good luck with your visit, and do post back please as to what the vet said. Oh, if he "sees" nothing, sample swab of the ear and quick check can tell if its yeast. (How did he diagnose yeast last time?) And, not all discharge is yeast. Make sure after this amount of time, he does a culture and is absolutely sure of what he is treating.

OH, and is Una still licking? Any thought as to having her checked to see if she is passing an infection to him via the licking? Its a thought!

Morning Jo and thanks for the reply.

A swab was taken one month ago and he said that it showed yeast infection. Hence the treatment for yeast was started. Like I said though, with no improvement it has me wondering, you know...

I will do as you suggested and have him do a very thourough exam since he will be sedated, great idea. I will also bring Una along and have her checked. I have been working hard to keep them seperated to avoid continued licking. Glad you mentioned her being checked though, I wouldnt have thought of that...

Thanks!