Need advice on getting my GD to let me clean her ears and put drops in them for ear infection...

[Chloe, Finley & Mama Shelley]

My 4 month old has had an ear infection for  awhile now. The vet gave me some ear cleaner and some medicated drops, but OMD, she freaks out when I try to do either one. She gets this panic look in her eyes, and wont let me hold her..Just the other night, I was trying to hold her down, and she reared up and head butted me so hard on my lip, I got a fat lip, and then after the swelling went down, it turned into a dark blueish red bruising..I looked like an abused wife..= (

I have tried doing it when she is calm, while brushing and petting her, even tried to sneak while she was asleep, and it ended up waking her and she jumped and ran..

I am afraid I might have to resort to a pill antibiotic instead..

Any ideas, advice, others with this same problem...?

 

[Rachel and Ollie]

Ollie had some really waxy ears the first couple of weeks I had him...so the vet gave me drops. She had me put the drops on a cotton round pad thing (the kind you use for makeup removal) and then rub in his ears. Depending on his mood, he was okay with it. I would usually put a treat on the floor and then quickly get his ears...Maybe this would work? 

[Chloe, Finley & Mama Shelley]

Thats a good idea! This actually might work..she lets me play with her ears, its just when I try to actually put the drops in that she freaks out. I will try it this way and see..

Thanks!

[Rachel and Ollie]

Let me know if it works! I haven't tried it in a while. His ears cleared up and after he figured out what I was doing he liked it less...if I hid the cotton round so he didn't see it coming it helped lol. oh puppies.

[Chloe, Finley & Mama Shelley]

BTW our pups look so much alike..= )

How old is Ollie?

[Rachel and Ollie]

And yes they do! I was just looking through your pictures! He is just now 16 weeks, he was born on July 29th, when was Chloe born? Ollie just hit 21 pounds (he is supposed to be a "mini" lol...not so mini)

[Rachel and Ollie]

I see that Chloe is an F1B, so is Ollie! 

[Chloe, Finley & Mama Shelley]

Chloe was born July 19th! Wow, so close in age. She is 4 months old today = ).

She is 31 lbs..gonna be a big girl. I guess you would say she is F1B-reverse, since her Mom was an F1B GD, bred back to a Golden Retriever instead of a poodle..

 

[Trudy Harlow]

Reward with treats consistently and patiently whenever he lets you handle his ears.  Make sure you use your voice as well.  Even if you have to get him in a head lock to get the drops in, reward him afterwards and tell him what a good boy he is.  My GD is unhappy but obedient about his ears and he pretty much has regular ear infections.  He always, always, gets rewarded for ear treatment, pill taking, etc.  He's 4 now and a very compliant dog -- which probably has to do more than anything with his personality.  But I believe that rewarding appropriate behavior goes a long way to getting you the dog you want.

 

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

My daughter has this problem with her Rhodesian Ridgeback.  If she sees you coming with the dropper or bottle she is off and running.  She will let her take a warm damp cloth and clean out her ears and look around.  So, make sure the solution is warm and then soak it on a cotton ball and sort of gently clean the ear and sort of squeeze the cotton a bit to slowly release the medication into the ear.  I think the two things that make the dogs afraid are the coldness and also the squeezing noise the eyedropper makes.

[Chloe, Finley & Mama Shelley]

thank you.. good ideas. I will try warming things up!

[Melody & Bruin]

good idea Nancie, I am going to try this as I have the same issues with Bruin and cleaning his ears

 - thank you

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

You could try giving her treats that are really yummy.. like maybe cheese or a little piece of steak while someone else is putting in the drops. Feed her the treats at the same time so she will associate the yummy treat with the ear drops.   Haven't had any issues with Bailey's ears yet even though they are really long and floppy

 

Good luck..