Murphy is a hot mess!UPDATE July 5.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Poor Murphy has had a rough week. He started with a flaming red ear last Tuesday morning and then the head shaking, scratching and black gonky ears. Ofcourse we can't forget the smell. So I treated with Zymox with hydrocortisone for a few days to see what I could do at home, which helped about 50%, and as that was getting better, I noticed him licking his paw. This went on for a day or so when I decided its becoming a problem, so I assessed it and found a big tight mat. Ok, cut the mat, that should be the end of the licking. Oh no, that would be too easy. So now I am treating ears and trying to keep his paw clean and dry and licker free.
So neither is working, ear not looking any better than it did by the fourth or fifth day and his paw between two toes is redder and more irritated.
So wrap the foot with a sock, clean the ears again and off to the vet today. $200 and 4 medications later, and we are hopefully on our way to feeling better. The worst part is he has been looking so sad and not himself today and now I am giving him prednisone which always makes him so hungry and thirsty. As for him, I think the worst part is staying out of the pool for a week. Poor poor Murphy. I know ear infections are not the worst thing, but he has more than one doodles share of them in his lifetime.

 

 

Murphy just got back from the Vet for his follow-up for his ear infection. All clear, not inflammation, redness or debris! Yeah! We can go swimming again. He is so ready. He has been so well behaved and following the "NO POOL" command for 2 weeks now.

Moving forward, we will continue to use Epi-Otic everyday and keep his ear hair plucked. I will use the Thornit powder too except his ears are pretty much always wet, so I will wait till theres a period of not swimming to apply that. Thank you all for thinking of my Murphy. Today is Murphy Spa day to celebrate. Had a long luxurious bath, with conditioner and blow dry, had a pedicure at the vets and now we are heading into the grooming room to give him his short short summer cut.

I will post some before and after pictures when done.

[Bonnie and Kona]

You must be so proud of your good boy staying out of the pool for 2 weeks. You are a good trainer!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Glad to hear Murphy got the "all clear"!

[Camilla and Darwin]

glad to hear he's better

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Thank you F

[F, Calla & Luca]

I'm glad to hear Murphy has recovered!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Nancie - yes, I am going to cut him down further, but was going to anyway since its 110 degrees here now and it helps with swimming. So the prednisone just makes me want to do it sooner. Probably this weekend. I am not sure what liquid water wicking stuff you are referring to but I used epi-optic after every swim and since I thougt it was just soooo much liquid going into his ears everyday, I went to every other day and here we are with an infection. So we will go back to after every swim. The vet gave me a tip too. When I pluck, to use the Zymox after and not let him swim for a couple of days as the plucking may start the inflammation and initiate an infection too. Never thought to do that.
Suzann, there are dog earplugs and I had considered them. I will have to look that up again. There is also a ear/head wrap that keeps the water totally out. So it says. But he leaps in the air and divesdown deep into the water, so I just don't see how it would stay on and work.
He is feeling a lot better, or at least his ears and paws look a lot better. The first night on prednisone he was up twice to be let out to go potty. So unlike him, but otherwise seems to be handling the drugs well.
Thank you all for good thoughts.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Poor Murph! I hope it goes away quick

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

AWWW...Poor little guy!  Hope he feels better soon!  I love the picture of them together!  How cute!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Aw, poor Murph! He really does have a pitiful look on his face! Hope his problems go away and stay gone this time!

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

Ha ha sue! We feel your pain, Sunday was supposed to be the start of r&b home grooming which led to me realizing Bandit had fleas and that led to a whole nuther 12hours of grooming, housecleaning, and laundry. Rosey swims almost daily and so far so good on th ears, but we really need to invent dog ear plugs!