Nikon's ears AGAIN, please help brainstorm

 Genetic crap shoot?  I would probably look at allergies first.  The thing with vasculitis is it can be very site specific, which means they can be having an allergic type reaction but that the ears might the only place it will show.  Vasculitis doesn't spread the same way you would see with a dog that say starts to get hives and might itch all over.  The animal can have a beautiful full healthy looking coat with zero issues except in the ears.  I would try to keep the affected areas in the meantime well moisturized since in my experiences the itchiness has more to do with the aftermath of affected areas getting all dry and flaky then anything else.

I can't wait to move and see if it gets better!  One thing to note is that currently, his daytime kennel is near a heating vent.  I joked around with DH that maybe he's allergic to the cats we used to have, or their dander spreading around the house. 

Lies- a training associate has the identical problem w/their GSDs. Been to many specialists who cannot pinpoint a specific allergy and the dogs have been medicated/supplemented/tested up the wazoo. 

Are your dogs on a raw diet?   That seems to have helped tremendously.  I'll check in w/her on what things they tried for Finn & Luger & Kaya.

No, they are on LIDs, but sometimes get raw meats and a variety of stuff.  We don't have freezer space (or $$$) for 3-4 dogs on completely raw.

Ok, she wrote back and had the following to offer from her experience w/both her GSDs:

She said her vet thought it might be some type of mange because the older dog was so itchy, so they tried 6 weeks of Ivermectin injections once a week - didn't help.  Tried a wide varierty of antihistamines - didn't help.  She determined that chicken was something of a trigger, so now she has him on a holistic bison food and his treats are only dehydrated beef - nothing processed.  He's allowed fresh bones, too.  She also adds Wholistic Pet supplement.

She said that over the cold months he has improved alot. Luger seems to have allergies and ear infections which makes him itch his face and ears. Fyn's ears were also rubbing the top of both the plastic crate and wire crates because he's so tall, so she switched him to a Great Dane-sized crate so the ears can't touch anything.  She says she's seen huge improvment.  However, very little hair regrowth, but is hoping that will come with time.  She's also got a hair growth lotion that was reco'd by a show groomer but hasn't seen a whole lot of improvement yet with that.

Regarding your comment about the ointment that you had on their ears, it seems she concluded the same.  Saying she found to keep the ears from looking dry and cracked she used Musher's Secret on them 2 times a day. Keeps them moist and healthy looking.

Well, we've only been in the new house a few days but Nikon's ears actually seem to be getting better.  There are no new red spots on the insides, and the scabby areas on the outside look a lot better!  Maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see, but I really hope it was environmental.  I've always kind of joked that maybe he was allergic to the cats we used to have.  We haven't had cats for several months but the HVAC system in our old house has been in desperate need of cleaning lately, so I'm sure there is still hair and dander in the air and carpets.

Sounds promising!

CoBuHe

Sounds promising!

  It sure does! I hope his ears keep getting better and that moving will cure his problem.

Liesje

We didn't find mites in his scraping and you'd think if a dog had mites for two years it would spread, but one thing I will ask the vet is whether to just try a mange treatment?  That's pretty much the only thing we haven't tried (done anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, topical steroid cream, bug repellents...).

  Even on an off chance this was Demodex, IMO it doesn't seem near severe enough to warrant treatment.

  Is there a chance his ears are getting chapped? 

AgileGSD

  Even on an off chance this was Demodex, IMO it doesn't seem near severe enough to warrant treatment.

  Is there a chance his ears are getting chapped? 

I don't think so because of what happens on the insides.  It looks like bug bites, or blood vessels that burst.  There are red dots of blood that scab.  Also it has happened year round.  He had it really bad summer of 2009, and it gets hot and humid here.

They continue to look better since we've moved and I canceled his vet appointment.

I talked to a friend whose GSD had the same problem (though her dog has always been a tad overweight IMO and has had "itchy" patches elsewhere on her body) and after seeing many vets and specialists, doing scrapings, trying topicals...she had her dog's thyroid tested.  It came back low normal, and after starting the treatment she says the ears are improving and her dog seems to have more energy and drive overall.  I'll probably have Nikon's thyroid tested next time he has a routine exam.

Hi Liesje - This is Beverly, Dutch's "Mom."  I've written to you before about Dutch's ears, which seem to have the same problem as Nikon's.  We've seen almost everything you've written about Nikon on Dutch.  Our vet has taken pictures regularly to observe any changes, but when they're "flared up," they look pretty much like Nikon's ears, above.  Over the past year, they haven't really changed much.  Like Nikon, there are no mites of any kind.  There is no fungus.  Other than the ears, Dutch's skin is very healthy.  He does have itching at times, but not really severe.  We have explored various elimination diets, but it doesn't seem to matter whether he is eating beef, chicken, duck, venison, or seafood.  Even the raw diet didn't help.  He is now on Wellness Core Seafood.  He has never had grains.

Today, we just returned from another vet visit, and she still has no answers.  She said that if it were sarcoptic mange, the condition would have spread over time.  The problem only exists on the ear margins, and, to some degree, on the outer ear.  In some areas, the fur on the ear margins is thinning.  She gave us the name of a veterinary dermatologist in NY.  

I  haven't seen you post an update on Nikon's ears, and I was wondering if you have found any answers to this problem.  It's been almost 2 years since this you posted this, and an update would really help us know whether or not it's likely to stay the same, worsen, or resolve (hopefully!).  My husband Scott is an anatomist, and has an interesting hypothesis regarding  "ear margin vasculitis," which would imply restriction of blood flow or circulation to the ear.  He said that tight collars could exert pressure on the external carotid artery, which provides blood flow to the outer ear.  This may be a far-out theory, but Dutch will not be wearing his collar anymore unless we're going  for a walk!

Also started at about the same age. The only thing I can think of is that it was right after a rabies shot. I am washing with a mild vinegar and water solution and applying zymox cream twice a day and it seems to help. Funny thing is that this is only on one ear. 

II have read that some dogs can this this as a reaction to the rabies shot or ivermectin which is the active ingredient in heart guard. Other meds were listed but those are the only two I remember. 

I am curious why I am only seeing it on one ear! It started on the outside edge of her left ear and seemed to spread up the tip and to the other side. Inside of her ears are perfect. 

I will notice a lumpy hard spot on the ear under the fur and if I try to pick at it the skin falls off with it. I think the hair and top layer of skin falls off regardless but I am trying to soak it off with the vinegar and water soaks then let it completely dry and then put the zymox on. I do feel that the zymox is helping. 

She does not appear to be scratching any more than normal. 

I took her in this week to get spayed and asked the vet to look at it and was told her ears were normal and needed no treatment. (ugh) obviously they did not look at it or were not looking at the right thing. There is an obvious difference from one ear to the next which is hardly normal. I was so irritated but I realize that the vet tech who I showed it to might have not communicated it well to the vet. Whatever it's still frustrating.

I had a cairn terrier with all kinds of skin issues that went on and on for his entire 12 years and I am  hoping this ear thing is as far as it goes. Thankfully it does not seem to bother her at all. Just her Mom :-(

@becky2259

Also started at about the same age. The only thing I can think of is that it was right after a rabies shot. I am washing with a mild vinegar and water solution and applying zymox cream twice a day and it seems to help. Funny thing is that this is only on one ear.

II have read that some dogs can this this as a reaction to the rabies shot or ivermectin which is the active ingredient in heart guard. Other meds were listed but those are the only two I remember.

I am curious why I am only seeing it on one ear! It started on the outside edge of her left ear and seemed to spread up the tip and to the other side. Inside of her ears are perfect.

I will notice a lumpy hard spot on the ear under the fur and if I try to pick at it the skin falls off with it. I think the hair and top layer of skin falls off regardless but I am trying to soak it off with the vinegar and water soaks then let it completely dry and then put the zymox on. I do feel that the zymox is helping.

She does not appear to be scratching any more than normal.

I took her in this week to get spayed and asked the vet to look at it and was told her ears were normal and needed no treatment. (ugh) obviously they did not look at it or were not looking at the right thing. There is an obvious difference from one ear to the next which is hardly normal. I was so irritated but I realize that the vet tech who I showed it to might have not communicated it well to the vet. Whatever it's still frustrating.

I had a cairn terrier with all kinds of skin issues that went on and on for his entire 12 years and I am hoping this ear thing is as far as it goes. Thankfully it does not seem to bother her at all. Just her Mom :-(

I replied for you on your other thread