Doodle with ear infection since December 2012!

[cocoincanada]

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone here has had a similar experience and can help us. Our 3 year old Labradoodle, Diesel, has been suffering from a bad ear infection since December 2012. The kind where there is dark brown gunk that comes out of his ear (mixed with blood, it seems), and it's painful to him (if I rub his ear, he cries, yelps). I have lost count of the amount of times we have treated it with various antibiotics, and then just a week or two after the vet says his ears are clear, the infection comes back. It just will not go away!!

We are getting frustrated and worried. I really don't Diesel's hearing to be affected in the long-term, but traditional treatment isn't working. When I asked my vet office about this, they said 'Labs get ear infections. It comes with the territory'. That really made me angry, because I don't want to just keep pumping him full of antibiotics, week after week, and not have any results. I am going to look for a new vet, but I also am hoping that someone here has been through something similar, and can give us some info on what might have worked to finally resolve your dog's ear infection.

Thanks in advance!

C.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Nancy, I have almost come in here about 5 times today but got distracted.

I do want so much to comment here on this situation.  

We have been infection free for Two years, one month  :)

Certainly, I will add a statement. Dont know if I can help but I can contribute and suggest.  

[Christine & Shelby]

This sounds awful.... Hugs to both of you. I know a friend of mine who has a doodle and a boxer had a problem with the boxer and ear infections. After visiting several vets they finally started cooking food for the boxer... Beginning with limited ingredients as recommended by the vet. Then they slowly added another ingredient about every month... One by one to see if it caused a reaction. She still cooks for her boxer, because the constant ear infections finally stopped with this new diet... She has it down to a science, cooks once a week and has enough for the week ahead. I'd be concerned and would seek out a second opinion.

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

My poor Oliver had horrible ear infections his first year.  I was to the vet many times and none of the meds really worked.  I did some research and make a power mix of a few items and a wash mix of a few items and I cleaned his ears for a week and he has never had a infection since.  I found the recipe on line and it worked better than the prescription meds from the vet.  The liquid was has some purple stuff that stained everything so you have to do it outside, once you do the wash then put a pinch of the powder and with Ollie the infection was gone !!!  This may not work for others but it sure as heck worked for both my dogs !!  I use the wash every time I groom to clean the ears.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Yes that mix with Gentian Violet is very effective.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

But doesn't Gentian Violet only work for yeasts? 

[F, Calla & Luca]

It, according to the web, has weak antibacterial effects. But I don't know all the ingredients in that mixture. There may be something else for bacteria.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I remember all too well when it was prescribed for "female infections". What a mess! 

[F, Calla & Luca]

: )

[Susan Cross]

Hi - I haven't read all the responses but will tell you what has helped us.  Our mini-goldendoodle was having very nasty tender ears.  He is only just now going to be 8 months old.  Too many have said you can't have food allergies already at this age but this is what we did.  Take him off all dog food & treats for two to three weeks.  Vet recommended boiled potatoes and cottage cheese for 3 weeks but due to extenuating circumstances we did for two weeks.  We gave him two cups of each twice a day along with one week of ear drops that was prescribed by vet.  His ears have cleared right up!!  We are currently eating a hypoallergenic food that the vet recommended and waiting to see what we can eat after that.  I don't think our dog food was the problem.  I think we were giving way too many treats :(

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Spud is 51/2.  We have been ear infection free for two years. Ours had nothing to do with food ( almost none do)

Our vet placed us on a series a antibiotics by mouth and drops.   We went every two weeks.  At that time, Spud was evaluated and meds were changed. 

The key for us was long-term antibiotics and followup care.

We had to troubleshoot cleaning products and drop antibiotics which were breaking down the tender skin inside the ear canal and contributed to his infection.

Really, some infections are very stubborn and hard to treat.  A 10 day course of antibiotics just wont do the trick and often make it worse.  Some of the drops we were using also made the infection much worse or promoted an infection weeks later because the liquid buildup inside the canal.  He had reactions to some products. Actually several products we were using in good faith.

We also do not do maintenance care like most on DK do. We  dont use the products containing alcohol, vinegar, or liquids.

When you do get that ear infection free, feel free to message me about what we use.  I wont mentioned it here because the powders we use should not be used on an ear that is infected.

So, for us, it was a series of antibiotics ( several months) , with a followup appointment. 

I really really watch my dog's ears but I rarely touch them. If I do touch them I am to use a one-time antibiotic drop right afterwards. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Basically, my advice is  to find a vet who wants to treat this vigorously. A vet who figures out if this is yeast, an infection, or both.  What is causing the problems and what the problems actually are.  Who designs a course of treatments to help.  To rid the infection completely.

Dont start bouncing around with cleaning products, different foods, change of bedding, etc.  You will compound the problems and never get a final solution.

Stay vigilant. He needs you

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

"Basically, my advice is  to find a vet who wants to treat this vigorously.  To rid the infection completely.

Dont start bouncing around with cleaning products, different foods, change of bedding, etc.  You will compound the problems and never get a final solution."

This is perfect advice. I agree completely.