STINKY ear

[Jenny and Cooper]

Hi everyone, I know this topic has been discussed before. I'm aware it could be ear infection. Cooper doesn't show any signs of ear irritation, no scratching of the ear or shaking his head. We tried using Zymox ear cleanser but so far the stench is still there. Should I take him to the vet or just wait it out or try another product? Since it doesn't seem to bother him, does that necessarily rule out ear infection? TIA!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'd take him to the vet to be on the safe side. Lots of dogs don't show it when something is bothering them, and if it is an ear infection just starting, better to get it treated before it does start bothering him, lol. 

[Jenny and Cooper]

Thanks Karen. I'll do that then. Was trying to save a trip to the vet but I guess it's better to be safe.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Please let us know what the vet says. :) 

[Bonnie and Kona]

I have one dog that doesn't ever show signs of an ear infection when he gets one which is very, very rarely. The first one he had was a mess. The other dog does all the characteristic head shaking and scratching. I hope you are able to clear it up quickly. 

[Jenny and Cooper]

Thanks Bonnie. I decided to take him to the vet.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Let us know how it goes. There are two kinds of ear infections...bacterial and fungal. They require different meds. I hope your vet tests for that. 

[Jenny and Cooper]

Hi Karen & Bonnie, we just got back from the vet. Cooper has a bad ear infection with a mild yeast infection :( Apparently it is common for this breed because of bad air ventilation. I'll attach a picture of the medications the doctor prescribed. The Prednisone is to be taken once a day for the next five days then every other day until it is completed. The Mometamax Otic is everyday for the next 10 days. The Epi-Otic is once a week continuously to prevent another ear infection.

Cooper's pretty tired from the vet visit. Lol. He's probably tired from shaking his head so much after they cleaned it and gave him a shot. :P

Thanks for the advice!

[Jenny and Cooper]

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm so glad you took him! 

Ear infections are very common in Poodles and in most dogs with "poodle-y", non-shedding coats, especially when they have long floppy ears. In fact, chronic ear infections are called "Poodle Ear". The cause is a combination of the lack of circulation & light plus the woolly hair in the ear canal, which traps oils and dirt, and that's the perfect situation for yeasts to grow. Some individual dogs also have narrow or twisting ear canals, which contributes to the problem. Regular ear maintenance is necessary for most Poodles and Poodle mixes. I always used Epi-Otic with my last Poodle and it's a great product for weekly cleaning and drying maintenance. (One of the blessings of JD's straight shedding coat is that he never gets ear infections.)

I hope Cooper's ear infection clears up quickly!

[Jenny and Cooper]

Thanks Karen! I wish I had taken him earlier, been meaning to ask but was holding it off in hopes it'll get better.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Yes, all of that looks right! Hang in there.

[Debbie and Toby]

So happy you took him to the vet, these ear infections can get bad real fast if not treated. Toby gets them a lot. He is now on a daily dose of Apoquel and we have EnteDerm ointment. Hope Cooper does well and you get the ear infection under control soon. (((Hugs)))