hi folks

our puppy (9 mos. old) needs ear drops and isn't too happy about the six that need to be dropped in twice a day in each ear. (She has a bad ear infection.) My wife made the attempt and Layla ran off. (No leash on her...yet). Any suggestions? Treats after the drops are put in? We just want her to be comfortable and trust us.

Thanks

Chuck S

Most dogs don't enjoy having their ears messed with at first.

Put a leash on her and have another person on-hand if that helps. If the drops are in a small tube try and warm it up in your hand for a few minutes before putting it in her ear. Stay calm and speak in a soothing voice. If you're tense or stressed, she will be too.

I do give my dog a treat...a tasty one...following ear flushes. I've also given him treats to nibble on during the flush.

Unfortunately, I've had lots of experience with this, having acquired several dogs who came with chronic ear infections from allergies.

Yes to Sarah's post. And this is an instance where I do use a very high value treat as a bribe/lure. I give the dog a teeny bit and put the rest where he can see it.

This is after I have everything ready. I make the procedure as fast and calm as I can. This is probably the most important thing. Get the dog, do it fast and neat, reward the dog.

The ear flush I squirt in and moosh around and let the dog shake out the debris outdoors. (The dog WILL shake out the flush, which moves debris towards the outside of the ear, where it can be gently wiped off. So I am doing this outdoors or in the bathroom.)

Then I have the dog's forelegs and neck/head firmly in my arm, drop in the Otomax (or whatever it is), and give a quick rub of the ear flap to spread it over the insides.

Then the immediate wonderful treat, and I mean wonderful, like a piece of cooked meat or maybe some cheese.

I hope that the ear infection's cause is being addressed. Also, once a dog has had a bad ear infection, I would urge regular inspection of the insides of the ears, to catch any signs of inflammation or debris and address it long before there's a painful infection.

I'm with Connie on this one and as usual she described the procedure perfectly. Bribery is the way to go. It's amazing how well it works.

thanks!

>>Then I have the dog's forelegs and neck/head firmly in my arm,

hmmm....wish I could see how that works. Do I hold her around the chest?
In any case, thanks for all the help and for the heads up re: keeping a check on her ears.

Chuck

Yes. I have my left arm around the dog's front legs (approximately at the elbows) and chest so there's no accidental clawing at my face and no pawing the meds out of my hand. Then I kind of lean into the dog on the couch where we do this (which I throw a big towel on first) so the dog's neck and head are kind of braced between me and the couch. The floor works just fine too; I use the couch because I'm old.

Practice it with no med at all first and find out what method is most secure.

And when you are doing it for real, stay calm. If the dog flips out and you get frantic, just stop, take a breath, and re-group. Some dogs are very anxious about their heads (especially ears and eyes).

Remember that the dog is in pain, so there's plenty of reason for her anxiety. The calmer you are, and the more efficient you can be, the better.