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When I was a kid I had a labrador that could swim underwater. She could retrieve an article up to about the size of a glass bottle or a brick to about as deep as five feet. She woud disappear completely (the water wasn't very clear) and stay underwater for around 20 seconds or so. She never had any ear problems, but then Labs are probably built for it.

Did you clean out his ears at all after he swam?

Apparently, I haven't been cleaning them enough. I was told by my breeder to just squirt a few squirts of ear cleaner in his ears after a swim. It isnt enough. I took him to the vet as a precaution because he kept scratching the back of his ear and shaking his head and what do you know, full blown ear infection. Man the vet really goes to town cleaning out these dogs ears. She shot the ear cleaner totally in to comepletely fill up his ear then squished it to make a squishy noise, then all the gunk would float to the top of his ear canal where she could wipe it out with a sanitary bandage.

I expressed my concerns that he is only 5 months old and the cartilage is still soft and she insisted it must be done this way. She doesn't really touch the outer erect part of the ear. She squishes down at the base of it, down by the inner ear canal.

Anyway the dog seemed to enjoy the vet squishing out his ear wax and gunk. Now I got to give him antibiotic ear drops for the next 21 days that is going to suck huge for both of us. I already have two gashes from his claws that might have done better with stiches.

His flopped ear is actually erect this morning! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I will keep you all updated. No more swimming for the next three weeks then after that not without a good ear cleaning.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> Talk about stress for both of us!

Had I known this was all going to happen I would not have introduced him to the water until he was much older, but oh well, we have a great time and a great relationship and its too late to cry over it now. Sigh.

Mike, years ago we had a Lab mix that was a diver....I never put anything in his ears, but I never needed to. As already said, maybe it's a breed thing. The dog just started diving on his own, and the first time he did I just about died of fright( he was swimming in a lake, retrieving sticks and chasing ducks). He disappeared under the water looking for an object to retieve that had sunken, and I never expected that he would try and find it under water, but he did! Geez, that old boy would have made the best drug or SAR dog ever( no, no, no, not for sniffing under water to find a sunken stick!!) He had tremendous ball drive combined with a great ability to use his nose to find things he was interested in!

Anyway....happy recuperating!

Oh, and GREAT shark story!

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Anyway....happy recuperating!

Oh, and GREAT shark story!

UPDATE; I began medication of the ears on Saturday for his ear infection. Saunday morning his flopped ear was showing some occasional rigidity and would stand up. Every day it would show more and more rigidity as I kept up with two daily doses of ear medication.

As of today, Thursday morning, his flopped ear is staying rigid better than 75% of the time now. I think as soon as the afternoon sun comes around in my front yard I will take him outside for more pictures so you can see the "before and after" of what happened to his red sable coat. (its almost all gone now)...

He was very stressed the first two days of applying medication I went from first needing three people to hold him down on Saturday, to now last night and this morning I am now able to apply the ear drops by myself just by using treats and a reassuring voice. He seems to understand the ear medication is making him feel better. Smart dog! Or maybe he just can't resist bar-b-que chicken and steak morsels.

Last thing, the way my vet had me clean out his ears is to grab the cartilage at the base of his ear and squeeze so the ear cleaner makes a "squish squish squish" noise inside his ear. I thought it would ruin both his ears permenently but it seems to have no damaging effects. Both ears are erect and he looks like a champ! Thanks to all of you for letting me post my frustrations here. Aloha.

Glad your kids ears are getting better. There is an ear product you can buy that dries to a powder and really makes sure all the water is out.

Oh my! Hammerhead shark! I'd freak. Of course, I always take my trusty nine mm when I go fishin'. Ever since I came up with a four foot alligator gar!