Smelly ears!

[Lisa & Greg]

One of our goldendoodles Bootes has really smelly ears. She's not open-faced like her sister Noodles so she's shaggier and has a lot more hair around her eyes and in her ears. I know we should have her groomed often to pluck the hair out but the poor thing hates it. Who wouldn't? We are trying an ear cleaner but that's traumatic for her too. Maybe it's just something she has to get used to - she's only 6 mos. old right now. Anyone else have experience with this problem?

[Kyoko]

If the ears really smells bad, I suspect ear infections...? Noodles and Bootes are really cute!!

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

Is there any black or brown ear wax coming out when you clean the ears? Murphy's always smelled kind a of "cheesy" odor when he got an ear infection. Clean healthy ears smell good or at least have very little odor. Bella has never has an infection and her ears smell a little "leathery"
Cleaning the ears may not be negotiable as it may be necessary to keep them healthy. You can slowly get her used to it and treat her when she lets you gently wipe the outer ear and gradually wipe a little deeper while treating.
As for plucking, I do have to pluck one of our doodles, if not he'd have a birds nest of bacteria in there in no time. There is a fine line however, between plucking enough and plucking too much, so talk to your Vet before you start. And if she does have an infection, you certainly don't want to pluck now until it's cleared. One, it's more sensitive if already inflamed and two, it can make a small infection much worse.

[Sheila & Finnley]

Usually by the time it is smelling, you have an infection. I'd get her checked, and then you really have to keep up on cleaning those ears out. She might not like it.... mine doesn't it, but it's for her own good, and you won't have to keep going back to the vet ! Good luck !

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree with the others, if the ear smells, it's infected. Removing the hair from the ear canal does not hurt if it's done correctly; neither does cleaning the ears, and this must be done on a weekly basis. As Sue said, it's not negotiable. I'd have the vet take a look. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

SHE HAS TO GET USED TO IT.  IF HER EARS ARE SMELLY SOMETHING IS WRONG GO TO THE VET.  CLEAN THEM OUT.  IF IT TAKES TWO OF YOU - ONE TO HOLD HER AND ONE TO ADMINISTER AND CLEAN, SO BE IT.  IT GOES EASIER IF YOU WORK AS A TEAM.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I just posted this in another discussion:

Make sure you get deep into the ear.  After squirting the cleaner into the ear (I put the cleaner top as deep into the canal as I can and give a generous squirt, I massage the area under the canal (you should hear it squishing around), then I use make up remover pads to clean out the gunk.  When I put the meds in, I get that top as deep as I can also (and again, I massage the area).  Hope this helps.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

A Breeder on here let me in on the secret of ear powder. Dries the ear out and helps to grab the ear hairs to be plucked. Enzo doesn't even realize I am plucking! But if they smell, there's a really good chance bacteria is present.

[Moe]

When you take her to the vet ask him/her to show you how to clean out the ears. I was being to gentle and not getting deep enough until my vet showed me how.

[Lisa & Greg]

OK. Sounds like she must have an ear infection now. She's had them in the past, and we have the medication we can use at home. Guess we'll just have to get used to cleaning them out and plucking out the hairs once the infection is healed.

[Diane Sloan]

Si had the black smelly yeast infection in his ears at the age of about 7 months.  I took him to the vet to get a culture just to be sure since it was his first one since we had him.  We had been the yeast infection route with our German Shepherd.  Anyway I was shocked when they handed me a bottle of Zymox with is an enzyme and you do not have to clean the ears.  It got rid of it faster than what we used to do with our other dog which was wash then put in an antibiotic.  So I would ask your vet about the Zymox.  I think Si got his as I had not pulled enough hair from his ears.  Now I am sure to keep an eye on it.  You can also use the Zymox in between to prevent the yeast.

[Joe R.]

I'll second that about Zymox Diane. After reading about it on here I asked our vet about it and she was like yea it's great stuff. It works on bacterial infections also. Your right about not having to clean their ears. As a matter of fact my vet said to not use our regular ear cleaner while using zymox. She said the cleaner neutralizes the zymox. So make sure you don't use any other cleaners a few days before and after putting in the zymox.         

[Diane Sloan]

Yes I read the same information and it makes sense.  I found the Zymox at a pet store too after buying it from my vet for double the price but I really wanted to be sure it was yeast and not mites or something else.  I love that you do not have to clean the ears.  I think that is what most dogs hate that liquid being poured into their ears.