Doodle with ear infection since December 2012!

[cocoincanada]

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone here has had a similar experience and can help us. Our 3 year old Labradoodle, Diesel, has been suffering from a bad ear infection since December 2012. The kind where there is dark brown gunk that comes out of his ear (mixed with blood, it seems), and it's painful to him (if I rub his ear, he cries, yelps). I have lost count of the amount of times we have treated it with various antibiotics, and then just a week or two after the vet says his ears are clear, the infection comes back. It just will not go away!!

We are getting frustrated and worried. I really don't Diesel's hearing to be affected in the long-term, but traditional treatment isn't working. When I asked my vet office about this, they said 'Labs get ear infections. It comes with the territory'. That really made me angry, because I don't want to just keep pumping him full of antibiotics, week after week, and not have any results. I am going to look for a new vet, but I also am hoping that someone here has been through something similar, and can give us some info on what might have worked to finally resolve your dog's ear infection.

Thanks in advance!

C.

[cocoincanada]

I wanted to come in here to provide an update....It took a while, because I had to wait for my order to come in.

So, I did quite a bit of poking around online after reading all your comments and found that a lot of Labradoodles/Goldendoodles have suffered from chronic ear infections just like our Diesel, and they were successfully treated with Zymox Otic (which was mentioned on here too). So, I decided to give it a shot. I ordered the one with cortisone (since his infection was pretty far gone), and started it immediately when it came in. Today is the two week anniversary of starting the drops, and his ears have NO SMELL at all, and all the dark brown gunk has come out. That being said, it is all stuck to his black curly fur near his ears, so that will be fun trying to get out. But the good news is, I think we may be on the road to recovery!! I'm afraid to say it too loudly!

I plan on ordering the ear cleaning solution and non-cortisone Zymox Otic drops to use for maintenance. Just based on smell though, I think the infection may be gone.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Wonderful news!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Such good news, I hope it's gone for good! Thanks for updating us. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Great news.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Thank you for the update. I'm so glad to hear you have good news!

[Stella]

Yippee!!!!!

[cocoincanada]

Yet another update. Five days after stopping the Zymox solution, his ear infection was back. It seems like Zymox worked beautifully while I was using it, but then just days of going without it...we were back to square one. :(  I don't know where to go from here. My poor Diesel.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm really sorry to hear this. I think it's time for a second opinion from a new vet. 

It's possible that the structure of Diesel's ear canal is contributing to this. Maybe a new vet and a thorough exam would help. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I agree.

[Gail and Bailey]

Poor Diesel!  I agree that you need to see a new vet and get to the bottom of this.  I feel for you as we just managed to clear up a nasty infection in Bailey's ear and I know how hard it is to see them suffer!