Seagazer Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Poor old Cookie has yet another ear infection. It must be about the 4th in the last year. Her ear is soooooo smelly. I have some drops from the vets (again). Does anyone have any suggestions how to a) stop these reoccuring or b) a cheaper alternative to the vets (sorry all vets out there). I've got ear wipes that I got from PAH. My groomer assures me that she plucks the hair when she can (often can't if Cooks has an ear infection rumbling on). I'm beginning to get at my wits end with it. I'm now wondering if there is actually something in there that keeps reactivating the infection, although not as bad as last time as she had it in both ears then. Oh the joys of a floopy eared dog..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 There are surgical options to improve ventilation in the ear but of course you want to try and avoid this. Your dog may have underlying skin disease that is causing the recurrent ear problems. This can be diagnosed through swab and perhaps allergy investigation. When she has an infection she will need antibiotics from the vet and I wouldn't advise using anything else. In between times, keep her ears well plucked (a pair of artery forceps or mosquito forceps make this easier). You can also use a good wax remover such as Cerusolve, Epi Otic, Clean Aural etc. The ear wipes are OK but they wont lift the wax from further down the ear. It is also important not to go over the top with cleaning as you will strip out the natural protection within the ear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 Thanks CM - I have the CleanAural too from the vets. I keep joking that I'm going to tie her ears up so that she gets some fresh air to them. I think you might be right about the allergy thing though. She is very sensitive to smells, she sneezes if she smells petrol, diesel, cigarette smoke, mown grass etc. She sneezed so hard once that she gave herself whiplash, she was in so much pain. We had trouble with her last summer with excessive panting and the vet thought it was allergy induced so we'll see if they can do some tests on her ears to sort it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 What food is she on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 Burns dry food. She's always been on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 Well Cookie has yet another ear infection. It was like liquid tar in her ear last night. Up to the vets for yet more drops this morning. They are going to sedate her tomorrow so that they can give her ear(s) a thorough clean out and see if there is anything in there causing the problem. Poor girl, her ear is so hot. Hopefully this will sort it out though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Poor Cookie, that sounds miserable I hope that the clean out does the trick and will prevent her from getting any more infections in the future. Tango sends a lick and a woof to Cookie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 Ah thank you Lavenders_Blue and Tango. She's giving me pleading eyes at the moment as she wants to eat but obviously can't. I'm really that this solves her problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Try changing her food to something with no cereals or a lot less as these do tend to bring out food hypersensitivity dermatitis and canine atopy. Dogs with these conditions often develop inflamed inner ears which develop over time to a full blown infection. Burns has 60% rice and oats and only chicken meal at a low percent.Nature diet has 60% proper meat and only around 10% rice, There are a few dried ones out there (i feed my cat orijen). I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 Thanks Lillybettybabs, I might give it a go. I'll see what the vet says when I go to pick Cookie up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I'd speak to your vet before doing anything re allergies. If they feel that it is an issue it is best to go straight for a proper hypo allergenic diet such as one of the Hills or Royal Canin diets. You could also try a home made fish and sweet potato diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Hills or Royal Canin diets are full of nasties which can aggravate things alot more. A more natural approach will have better results and won't line the vets pockets as they don't really study nutrition just give out these two at a huge cost. Science Plan™ Canine Adult Advanced Fitness Lamb & Rice: (minimum Lamb 26%; minimum Rice 4%): Ground maize, lamb meal, soybean meal, maize gluten meal, animal fat, ground rice, digest, vegetable oil, flaxseed, L-lysine hydrochloride, potassium chloride, salt, L-carnitine supplement, DL-methionine, taurine, L-tryptophan, vitamins and trace elements. Naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols, citric acid and rosemary extract. Full of maize, soya,rice and lots off dodgy things that could make any allergy worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I am not talking about Hills Science Plan diets I am referring to the Prescription Diets that can deal specifically with allergies by removing potential allergens. Diet such as Hills ZD or Royal Canin Sensitivity Diet are made specifically for allergic dogs and keep many of dogs off some pretty heavy duty medication. I would rather have a dog on a diet like this than having one that was constantly needing anaesthetics and antibiotics. There are other brands of hypo allergenic diets around too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Hi - just saw this thread & thought I'd post. My mums dog was always itching & shaking his ears. Today he has had an operation for a Haematoma in his ear. It is a common thing, so just thought I would mention it. Have you tried something called Canker powder in your dogs ears? Emma.x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I am not talking about Hills Science Plan diets I am referring to the Prescription Diets that can deal specifically with allergies by removing potential allergens. Diet such as Hills ZD or Royal Canin Sensitivity Diet are made specifically for allergic dogs and keep many of dogs off some pretty heavy duty medication. I would rather have a dog on a diet like this than having one that was constantly needing anaesthetics and antibiotics. There are other brands of hypo allergenic diets around too. From having dogs with ear problems, food allegies etc these prescription food are far from the best. Sadly vets do not study nutrition unless CPD so they really don't know anything apart from theses foods. I have a dog who had no end of problems and was put on Hills ZD it didn't do anything for him and cost a lot. We switched him to nature diet and he started to recover slowly and now he is raw fed his is 100% with no meds. I was a vet nurse for many years for a vet who would push certain drugs and foods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Each dog is different and allergies vary enormously. What works for one may not work for another with the same condition. Exclusion diets such as ZD give an indication as to what a dog is allergic to as it removes common food triggers. If they don't respond to an exclusion diet it is more that likely that it is not diet related. Vets do study nutrition at university. It would be a shame to tar all vets with the same brush just because you worked with one that you felt was not particularly thorough in their approach. There is nothing to say that poor old Cookie has allergy issues and if there is there is nothing to say that it is diet related at all. Lots of people jump to the conclusion that everything is food related with dogs. Cookie's recurrent infections could be as a result of allergy but could well just be restricted to the anatomy of her ears or as a result of a persistent resistant bacterial infection. Best to leave the vet to diagnose which. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I am writing a paper on Food Allergies and skin disorders in dogs at present and have spoken to a number of vets who will admit that they just real out what they have been taught at vet school and haven't really researched it themselves, same as the vaccine issues at present. Chris Day is a great vet and will give lots of advice http://www.alternativevet.org/nutrition.htm Interesting part at the bottom about processed foods being a BIG business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I see from your avatar that Cookie has very fluffy ears, although it wouldnt be very asthetically pleasing would it be worth asking the groomer to buzz the hair off the ears and around the sides of the head perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I see from your avatar that Cookie has very fluffy ears, although it wouldnt be very asthetically pleasing would it be worth asking the groomer to buzz the hair off the ears and around the sides of the head perhaps? I agree, ventilation is really important I was a vet nurse for many years Where did you qualify? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Sounds as if your paper could be quite useful, Lilybettybabs. What course are you studying on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I'm study canine massage therapy but it has been a two year course and i'm having to re learn a lot of things in an alternative approach. Every module is about a different part of the dogs body and conditions. I have been amazed at how in-depth it is and how many normal day to day thing affect the dogs well-being. we can do so much to prevent and help or dogs by being aware of what we feed them etc that can prevent hefty vet bills. CM i have a HND in animal science and start as a vet assistant in a small practice in Leicester then moved to begin training to be a Reg VN but got married and left to become a farmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I wonder how Cookie is doing? My dearly departed Henry suffered with his ears (he was a terrier so no big floppy ears) but I found the Epi Otic ear drops excellent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 That is a good one, i'm using a raspberry smelling one (can't remember the name) to clean the labs ears with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted May 11, 2012 Author Share Posted May 11, 2012 Sorry for delay in getting back to everyone (thanks to Chucky Mama and LBB for pms). I went down with a ghastly dose of gastric flu by about 2 on the day of Cookie's ear wash out!! Consequently hubby picked up Cookie for me, he asked the nurse if they'd found anything untoward but she just kept repeating that they just flushed it out and that was it She has to go back in 7 days and we're still medicating with the ear drops. I keep joking that I'm going to tie her ears up so that she gets some air to them - how I'd do this I don't know. My groomer does tend to take as much hair away from the area surrounding Cook's ears as it is very thick and prone to matting there. I'm hoping that this flush will have done the job but I think when I take her back I will discuss with the vet my concerns about Cookie. We have had problems with her suffering from breathing problems which my vet thought were brought on by allergies (almost like hayfever) so it may well be that that's at the route of the problem. Anyway thanks for all the input from everyone - very much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Sorry, only just found this thread. I've never had ear problems with any of my dogs (hounds have open ears) but a few doggie friends swear by Thornit ear powder. Hope she's better soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
