Still head-shaking?

 Quote: Mychal Scott

As far as greasy skin, do u mean in the ear, or his coat in general?

The coat in general. If it's greasy it would point more towards an infection than an irritant.

The ears look normal to me. I wouldn't do anything to them myself. Maybe it's time to get a vet to look down there with a scope?

If he is still head-shaking, he needs a vet to look inside.





ETA
Cathy and I were posting together.


Edited by Connie Sutherland (05/19/2013 02:54 PM)
Edit reason: eta

Malaseb Flush

Otomax

Otomax comes in a box


These are the ones I've settled on over the years. There are also specific Flush products for antibacterial; I keep this one on hand because it's anti-fungal and antibacterial.

I don't use it unless I see a reason in there. I check the dogs' ears frequently. If I see inflammation and/or debris starting, I use it. I use the method that's done in the bathroom or outdoors, because it uses the automatic dog reflex of shaking the stuff out. This means dropping the Flush into the ear and then massaging the ear flap (you'll hear"squish squish") and then letting go.

The dog WILL shake it out. This moves the debris outwards from the canal (usually in one round) and allows me to then wipe it off the inside of the ear and not go into the canal with anything.

Then I gently dry the inside of the ear and then drop in a few drops of Otomax (drop into the canal; this doesn't require the tube applicator to enter the canal at all). I then gently massage the outside of the flap to get the Otomax spread around and in.



There are definitely other similar products; these are just the ones I've settled on and kept on hand for years now.

All JMO!

Mychal, as Cathy said, I'm not seeing anything that would prompt me to get the Flush and Otomax out.

This to me means that there is probably something I cannot see or reach (and wouldn't try) and that the vet needs to see. Is the dog still head-shaking?


BTW, there is Malaseb shampoo, too, whose use is described elsewhere here in pretty good detail. I can look for it if you do feel greasy or waxy or smell yeast in folds or armpits or between toes.

Yes still shaking.....not while he is laying down still though. It's only when he gets up and is walkin around. I'll call up the doc in the morning....

We do have a ton of dry brush, weeds, etc around here that we encounter on normal walks along the dirt roads. Maybe he did get something in there that I didn't see...

Coat seems normal to me....when scratching and petting, hands arent overly greasy. maybe a little bit and they have somewhat of a sweaty dog smell if that makes sense, lol. I'm assuming it would be obvious if it was greasy? This is frustrating as I've never paid this much attention to previous dogs and now with this being our first pup every little thing I'm questioning and researching, lol.
Thanks.

If your dog roots around in dry brush having someone take a look would be a good idea---if he is still head shaking.
His ears look normal to me, there is some cerumen in the first shot but it doesn't look copious and the ear color is normal, not reddened, the skin not thickened.

I did clean them out a few days ago, actually the other night when his shaking first started, there was more wax than what's in there now.

Funny thing, we've been outside for the last hour and a half in the yard and on a walk and I haven't seen him shake once....weird...

 Quote: Mychal Scott

This is frustrating as I've never paid this much attention to previous dogs and now with this being our first pup every little thing I'm questioning and researching, lol.
Thanks.

Like a new parent who started reading those parenting magazines. My boy shakes his head when he gets up but I watch for him doing it repeatedly and harder than just a casual shake.

IMO some big dogs shake their heads to align their lips (or perhaps throw lip goobers on my walls!)
Has he been scratching his ears?