Preventing Ear Infections

[Eva (Lilo and Rocky)]

Does anyone have some good advice re: preventing ear infections, which I think is fairly common in doodles with floppy ears? I talked to my vet after yet another round of yeast, and he just says to keep the ears clean, free of hair and dry. Which I really try, but the dogs still get yeast! Maybe because we live in a wet climate, and they swim frequently, but it's maddening (and expensive) to have to constantly run to the vet for treatments, plus I feel really bad for the dogs.

[1v200f3rbrnxk]

1. keeping ears dry or checking them after long walks, baths, swimming etc

2. i wash Max and Peanut's ears out weekly with vinegar diluted in tepid water

3. SOMETIMES constant ear infections is sign of possible food allergy and/or you may want to
try another food and see if they go away.

4. Some have their doodles ear hair plucked if they resemble poodles ears

5. a Pathologist vet may be able to better determine the cause as they are specialists in skin/nutrition/allergies/parasites-disease,etc or mine is ; ) and i am NOT charged more money either.
same as seeing my regular vet

[Tamara & Giada]

I have a home made solution of alchohol and vinegar (50/50) that I put in their ears once a week, after each bath and after swimming:) I also have the ears plucked. Neither dog has ever had an ear infection :)

[Nicole Ehlert]

Hi, is it just rubbing alchohol that you mix the vinegar with? Thank you so much! Nicole, Ruffa and Taner!

[Sandi, Jeff & Mickey]

Mickey got ear infections in the beginning. Now we put OtiRinse (from the vet) in his ears after every swim and bath/shower. He hasn't had a problem since. I make sure that we always have a bottle on hand.

We also make sure every grooming that they pull his hair out of his ears.

[2hl9mp3c2fuam]

I also get my the ears plucked....I think that helps. Mine also have not had any ear infections...and I hope none to come!!

[9pavxfihcp80]

I found your post to be very enlightening. I did not know about their ear canals being numb. The plucking doesn't sound so bad now.

Thanks.

[Eva (Lilo and Rocky)]

Thank you for all your great suggestions!

Eva

[Tante & Jordan & now Annie!]

I just bought a new ear wash from my Vet. I noramly use witch hazel and a cotton ball.
It is called Zymox, it is enzyme base cleaner.
I like the smell. (I am a smell person) the Epi-Otic smells so bad to me I could not use it.

[2fbh0gfp1tgnd]

We hadn't been having trouble with Roscos ears until recently. He just had a VERY bad ear infection which cost us just about 200 bucks at the vet so hearing about the preventing is music to my ears... and Roscos! My vet said to trim the hair and not to pluck, to use nose trimmers to do that. He is still in the process of clearing up the infection then we are gonna trim away. Thanks for the suggestions aboout the home based remedies. I hope it helps!

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

Eva,

When I first adopted Blake he had HORRIBLE yeast!....dark brown, waxing and hard,,,it was a nigtmare!....no matter how much I cleaned with Epi-otic, the next day the yeast would return!...Finally my vet tried a new form a treatment...It's called Pharmaseb Flush solution formulated with Ketoconozole and Chloroxylenol and it worked!!...no problems since.....but it required a vet visit, a deep ear cleaning by the vet first and then daily application on the product for 10 days.....SHe also had me leave the pharmased in the ear as opposed to drying it out with a cotton ball.....Pharmaseb kills yeast and can be left in....Now I use it exclusively to clean.....

Also, a friend had suggested Bach flower esssences and believe it or not they work!......Clamatis for the right ear and Star of Bethlehem for the left.....applied directly in the ear.....

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

Thanks Ann.....I'll ask my vet about the Surolan....When I first adopted Blake I was in experienced as a dog owner...grew up with many but mom handled all of the problems....Now with all of Blake's problems over the last year, I feel like I could be an expert...lol

[Megan]

Jacquie - where do you buy the Pharmaseb Flush?