Ruby (Goldendoodle) has ear problems!

[Susan Maurer]

.Ruby (John's service dog) has ear problems. Gave her a bath & noticed brown wax. Cleaned them out with a good ear cleaning product & now they are bright red & bothering her. Can't get into her vet until tomorrow. (Monday) Any ideas how to relieve her until then? Scared to use the wrong thing. Looked on line & sounds like either mites or infection. Picked up some ear mite stuff at Walmart, but scared to hurt her ears more. Any ideas? Thnx! Susan 

[KAHLUA]

Hey Susan.... Kahlua had an ear infection and the vet gave me an antibiotic that worked, but he also told me to use this ointment  (wish I knew the name for it, but my vet gives it to me (it's not a prescription) it comes in a small squeeze bottle - like swim ear for humans), it's a bluish color and you squeeze some in her ear and rub it into the ear canal, then use a cottonball to take up any access.  I use it about once a week as prevenative maintenance.  It also dries it's self so it doesn't keep the ear canal moist.  She's not had a problem since and her ears are always nice and clean.  If there is any brown residue then I may clean her ears twice that week.  Saves on the vet visits and antibiotics.

 

 

[Noble Vestal Labradoodles]

Put nothing wet in the ear, trust me on this, nothing blue, no creams.  I know vets prescribe this stuff but it doesn't always help and sometimes infections get worse.  Think about it for just one second- hot closed off ear with moisture, that is the start of a bad situation.  That stuff is ok for dogs with ears that stand up because they can dry out on their own but not with floppy ears.

 

My vet now uses and carries Thornit in his office after seeing it used on my dogs and seeing it clear an ear infection (inner ear) that had been so bad the dog had been having seizures!

He now prescribes to the "nothing wet in the ear theory". Not liquid or lotion based antibiotics. Only powder.

Here is a recipe for Thornit if anyone fancies making up their own.

Treat as follows with either Thornit or you can make up your own version of Thornit (which is the same as below but includes talc) with ingredients from your pharmacist.

4 oz. zinc oxide powder
4 oz. boric acid powder
1/2 oz. Iodoform powder

Mix well. Keep in a sealed jar in a cool dry place.

Maintenance

Place a large pinch of powder in each ear (I use a quarter of a tsp measuring spoon) and use your finger to work it down. Allow the dog to shake, but leave the excess powder in the ears. Repeat monthly.

Treating an existing infection

Use as described for maintenance morning and evening.

Use a dry Q-tip to remove all the powder and the balls of dried gunk. Clean with sterile saline solution/Colloidal Silver anything that does not sting.

Put a fresh pinch of powder in each ear. Repeat daily until the ears are no longer runny. At this point, repeat every other day, until there is no more runniness, then three times a week, then twice, then weekly, then every other week, etc. When the ears remain dry for three weeks, go to the monthly maintenance routine.

How it works

The iodoform powder kills anaerobic bacteria and fungi which flourish in warm, moist, airless places. The zinc oxide and boric acid keep the ear dry, which prevents further infections. In the days before antibiotics, Iodoform was frequently used in human medicine to pack puncture wounds where anaerobic bacteria also grow. It may be hard to find because it isn't used much any more.


The problem with malotic acid is that it comes in a liquid form and the inner ear stays wet if you are using it daily. Ears are like caves and become dank, the heat and moisture promotes bacteria growth.

 

You can google Thornit and find places to buy it

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

BLESS YOU for the information and recipe.

We have asked and question so many times about the water sound in ONE of Spud's ears.

PRINTING NOW!   Thank You. Thank You. Thank You.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I use Thornit powder and have done for years once a week and have never had a problem.  I think it's brilliant stuff.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

We have always wanted to try Thornit but by the time I think of it, I need a Vets intervention to take care of Spud's ONE ear.  It gets out of hand quickly and the infection is just angry.

Now, while all is calm, we can start using it and hope it takes us in a better direction.  These infections are just heartbreaking to see in a dog, difficult to get rid of, and constantly recurring no matter what we have done.

Again, I have SAVED the directions and appreciate the posting.

[Noble Vestal Labradoodles]

it will clear it up quicker that what the vet gives you!

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

Noble Vestal - I have a question.  I read about this Thornit powder on a DK post a while back & got really excited about it.  So, I asked my vet & she said she doesn't recommend it.  Come to think of it...She didn't give a reason.  I'm confused.  Maybe I'll go ahead & try it anyway & decide for myself.

[Noble Vestal Labradoodles]

Her reason was because she has no experience with it!  My vet swears by it for floppy eared dogs now

[Kristine and Charlie]

Are ear mites same as ear infection? Same treatment?

[Noble Vestal Labradoodles]

no they are not the same. You use ivermectin from the vet to treat ear mites

[Kristine and Charlie]

thanks!

 

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Traci, there is nothing harmful in the ingredients and so even if at worse case scenario it didn't work it couldn't do any harm.  I noticed Riley itching his ears a couple of weeks ago and there was some wax in them.  I used the Thornit as directed and his ears are clean and no itching ever since.  I just use it once a week and am also using it on my Maltese who has had recurrent ear problems for years with regular vet visits.   Not one problem since I have used the Thornit and that's after going to the vet and using the tube of stuff he gave me.