Ear Infections-Chronic in a puppy - Page 5

No need to research as I am sure Hodie is the World's foremost expert!

Here in the Red dirt state, we need rain , also.  I'm gonna call up the local Cherokee and Choctaw chief and see if he can help.

birdy,

i've gone through the ear infections, all the antibiotics and ointments, and still none of that ever worked.  i don't remember who mentioned it above, but usually it's something that's wrong inside the dog and it's coming out through his ears (or skin, coat, breath, etc.)

add some apple cider vineger to the food, about a teaspoon once a day, maybe work it up to a tablespoon. 

also, add some probiotics or digestive enzymes.

are you still feeding canidae? 

Birdy and uvw,  In the case of the dog I mentioned above, she had a serious food allergy that was at least partially responsible for her constant ear infections. Once I isolated the foods she couldn't tolerate by doing a series of elimination diets, and once I got her on a healthy, balanced raw diet her ear infections mostly cleared up as did the mysterious itchy patches on her skin. Yes, sometimes a malfunctioning immune system inside the dog causes external symptoms. I struggled with this problem years ago with an Am. showline bitch I had planned to show - that didn't work out since she got sick young. And there weren't blood tests for allergies back then, so I had to do it the hard way. Nor were there ready made patties and chubs of complete raw diets like there are now. But I figured I got the dog and she was my responsibility to care for to the best of my ability, so I did all the work required.

However, it isn't always or even usually the case that allergies are the culprit in ear infections.  A dog can get a foreign substance, like a weed or grass seed deep in the ear and have recurring infections from that if it is never removed. Even a very experienced owner may not see the seed if it is buried deep in the ear; often only a vet can see something like this in a sedated dog. Sometimes the problem will be a bug bite that got infected. Sometimes vaccinations can get a dog's immune system just enough out of sync that the animal gets an ear infection it would not otherwise have gotten. There are many possible causesfor recurring infections including as I mentioned above not getting enough medication or not giving medication long enough. If the infection is deep inside the ear, then just putting a few drops of medication on the smooth part of the ear you can reach isn't going to do the job.  Good luck on isolating the cause of your puppy's ear infection, Birdy, it may take repeated trips to the vet and being firm about getting enough medication.

AhSighEE, I see you are an Okie but I have to tell you that we Choctaws don't do rain dances although we can improvise with the best of 'em. A Lakota or a Navaho or a Hopi would be a better bet for a rain dance. And we sure do need one here.

AH SAM  you would be from the Idabel , Valliante area would you.   We had a man named SAM on our property living in one of my dads houses , raising Black Angus and he was a Choctaw. He died in that house and is buried at the back of my parents property on Star Route, Valliante...?????

My family were Cherokee, Moms side. Back then there were some bad blood between the ch and the ch ..My sister was so dark she looked like a full blooded indian and we teased her about being a Choctaw>  Boy did we get her dander up..Sibling rivalry...lol

Good post Sam,

I to have a dog with faulty immune system that constantly had ear infections untill I have finaly found a diet that suits, plus he is now on long term steroid use at a low dosage as apart from the food allergy he also has a dust mite allergy.  For the last 3mths his ears are finaly clean & healthy. He was on Cyclosporine for 9mths but that did not control his skin or his ears and he developed muscle wastage etc.

Pam

AhSighEE, nope I'm not from Valiente. My Choctaw people are from around Hartshorne and some migrated to Arkansas - what can you do? lol.  Everybody wanted to be Cherokee for a while there - blue eyed and blonde, but they had a drop of Cherokee blood somewhere or so they claimed.

Wildmoor, glad to hear you got your allergic dog's problems under control. It's a challenge to care for a dog with a faulty immune system, isn't it. Sounds like you are doing a good job.

I am 1/8th Cherokee and it is verified.....but still no rain though we have dark clouds overhead. Damn we need some rain here.