Ear Infections-Chronic in a puppy - Page 2

my dog(ENZO VOM DUNHILL) battled cronic ear infections in his early years....the vets did cultures(ect)and sent me home with expensive medications...which never really worked...i found a product called "ZYMOX",used it according to the directions,along with the compatable EAR-WASH(I USE THE PRODUCTS WITH HYDROCORTAZONE),it worked for me...maybe it'll work for you,you can get both products for less than the price of a vet's office visit...good luck!

Wow!!! Enough of the prescribed medications for the ears unless it is totally necessary.PERIOD!! Sometimes people just over do to keep the ears clean.I would love to make a bumper sticker that says "Have you smelled your dogs ears lately?" First outrule that their are any mites in the ears.Take the dog to the vet so the vet can swap and look under the microscope to see if any are there.If there is none present.A good wash to clear the ear is good.But dont over do.The other bumper sticker would be "Have you rubbed your dogs ears where they cant reach?" I know mine just love when I put my palms on their lower ear (canal) and just rub.It puts them almost to sleep..Then they shake it out.Does anyone else do this? Hope so. Candace

Rainhaus

What do you think about the treatment I am doing?  I am trying to keep her off the medications so the bio-groom is just a cleaner and then I use vinager and water.  I don't want to do anything harmful and thought this was a good natural way to keep clean. I have been battling this for 7-8 years now.

With chronic ear infections it is strongly recommended to do an ear swab to see what is causing the ear infection. Swab cytology is the best way to go, to  be put on the right medication to clear up the ear infection. This way you are not spending your money on the wrong stuff.  After treatment  sometimes 21 days  and a clear ear cytology  , then weekly ear cleaners will work so you do not end up with  ear infections in the future .  It is very important to finish all treatments so you do not get resist. to the medications used.   I hope this helps. 

Good advice from Malshep.

And what do you think vinegar is? A chemical, a dilute solution of what is called ascetic acid. And what do you think Zymox is and do you know how it works (if indeed it will work)?. 

If you have recurrent infection, something is not right. Either you don't have the right medication, or the medication is not being administered long enough, or deep enough to get to the seat of the infection.

In such cases, stop being cheap, take the dog to a vet, get a culture and sensitivity test done to identify the organism and get a proper medication that will kill it. Otherwise, you have a dog with infection going on for years (as some of you say here). That cannot be too comfortable for the dog...... I doubt you would tolerate an ear infection for a week, let alone years!

Listen carefully.

I have had this issue for 7--8 years. I have went to the vet many many times and we treated with different medications including antibiodics. I have treated for weeks at a time and even longer than the vet prescribed. I have clean manually with a swab literally hundreds of times.  I quit letting her swim and even play with the water hose to keep moisture out of her ears. I take her to the afterwards and he says ears look perfect with no sign of yeast or anything else. One month to six weeks later she has it again.

I have also just tried keeping clean with daily cleanings with a swab and it still comes back.

Even at times when she starts to shake head and hold funny down the vet says her ears looks pretty good but if I don't start cleaning or doing something with a few weeks she has alot of the discharge coming out of her ear.

All your advise is appreciated but if I don't keep treated it always comes back. I could write a book on all the treatments she has had.  This is the only GSD that I have ever had this problem with and conventional treatments do not work.

Hodie

You need to know what you are talking about before you accuse me of being cheap!  You are mouthing off and do not have a clue about how I take care of my dogs. If you would like a personal referance from my Vet I can get you one.  I will tell you point blank to YOUR FACE that my dogs ALWAYS receive the best of care and if I could not afford to take care of them then I would not have a dog period. I have also rescued and paid for treatments of strays and found them homes all apparently in spite of my being so called cheap!

I resent your remarks very much as you can tell!

Rainhaus,

Don't get your panties in a bunch, I just came here to see if anyone else has any suggestions. I've done every thing for this pup. Ear cultures, bloodwork, allergen skin testing.

Hodie,

I don't think I've cheapened my self on this pup. I've done everything I can think of to do. I am stummped and thought with ALL the GSD people here someone MIGHT have had the same ear issues that I am having.

I never thought something as mundane as a question about ear infections would set off people insulting each other here.

Thank you to those who have given their constuctive information. I've placed an order for the zymox, I've swtiched to apple cider vinegar and alcohol yesterday and I'll ask my vet for a 10 day run of clavamox first thing tomorrow.

Thank you everyone,

Birdy...

I have had 3 vets tell me exactly the same thing that these bacterial yeast infections are hard to keep from re-occurring and I have researched and found lots of people have this issue and I myself have addressed this numerous times as many of us keep fighting this problem.  You can almost always count on someone jumping on and being insulting.

 GET AN IDENTIFICATION OF THE CAUSATIVE ORGANISM. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY ONE CAN BE CERTAIN THE MEDICATION IS CORRECT. THIS IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. SPENDING MONEY, TIME AND ENERGY DISCUSSING IT HERE DOES YOU NO GOOD. FOR 7 YEAR DR IT DID YOU NO GOOD. DID YOU EVER CULTURE THE EAR?

I REST MY CASE. IF YOU ARE NOT CHEAP, THEN THE SHOE DOESN'T FIT. BUT YOU DO THE WRONG THING BY NOT CULTURING THE ORGANISM. A 12 YEAR OLD WHO UNDERSTANDS SCIENCE WOULD GET THIS. 

And DR, frankly I don't care whether you take the suggestions or not, care for your dogs or not. The comment was general and if you want to be offended, do. And then go dunk your head and chill out.