My dogs' ears

I just took Thatch to the vet today and discovered the same issue. My vet has him on Otomax, maybe a change in meds would help?

Dog allergies DO attack their ears easily -- and when we adopted Billy 6 years ago (6 years ago tomorrow as a matter of fact) he had THE WORST allergy ears I've ever seen (and I've seen BAD ones).  In fact a prior cocker had to have bi-lateral ear abltaions done on both ears (that's a total removal of the inner/middle/outear ear canal -- you lift up the ear flap and there's no opening!!).

Billy's ears were already swelled shut when we took him.  But with some aggressive treatment I was able to reverse all of that.

1.  FIRST thing is you must determine exactl WHAT is the problem -- often a vet will just hand you tresaderm, otomax or whatever yeast cream they have ... over and over and OVER again. 

BAD -- you **must** determine absolutely, positive, FOR CERTAIN that ther is ***only*** a yeast infection. 

Bacterial infections can linger on and on and on -- for months and even years.  If your dog has ear infections that recur -- you MUST have a "culture and sensitivity" done.  That's rock bottom absolutely FIRST. 

They take a swab and go DEEP into the ear canal (close to the ear drum as they can get) and they seal that swab in a tube and send it to a lab to be cultured.  That means they dab a bit in a bunch of petri dishes and grow whatever bacteria they can grow.  THEN they identify that so they KNOW what they are treating.

If it's yeast.  FINE.  But if there is bacteria then no yeast ear med is gonna kill that.  And that deep bacterial infection can go on and on without being detected.  You don't see head shaking, ear flapping, or red sore outside ears with a bacterial infection.  Maybe you'll see soreness.

But it's that bacterial infection that can keep the ears riled up no matter what you do and that constant inflammation can actually make the ear canals turn to bone.  That ossifictaion can make it ultimately impossible to treat the ears.  Because as the ear canals harden and ossify it shuts off blood floor and the inside of the ear will literally putrefy as the ear canals close up.

THEN those cultured petri dishes -- they will treat each of those with a different antibiotic -- and in 4-5 days you will get a 'sensitivity' report that will tell you which antibiotic is needed to treat whatever is wrong.  If it's just yeast they'll tell you that.  But this way you can choose the right drug for the situaiton.  YOu don't go to the biggest guns out there first -- BUT neither do you give the dog something it might be resistant to that way (that shows up in the tests).

2.  If you are already treating allergies -- the the next step HONESTLY is to go to a **good** very specific type of thyroid panel. 

DO NOT let the vet just send a little blood to the local lab.  It's a total waste of money usually.  Instead -- have the thyroid panel sent either to Dr. Jean Dodds in California or to Michigan State University.

When Dr. Dodds was at Michigan (she was the head of Michigan's endocrine lab for many years) she invested breed-specific thyroid testing. 

Most labs simply look at the various blood levels -- they simply measure the levels against a chart -- so they are assuming the thryoid of a chihuahua and a basset hound are the same.  That a rottie and an akita will have the same metabolism?  That a cocker is just like a jack russell???

EAch breed has it's own metabolic rate -- and that has a HUGE bearing on getting an accurate reading. 

See, if a dog has low thryoid -- you can treat skin, ear, allergy, and several other things endlessly and never get it resolved.  But if you have a dog that is low thyroid?  If you supplement and get that level up where it should?  All of a suddent the things that you're doing you will find will HELP. 

When we first got Billy I had FOUR thyroid panels done over the course of a year.  EAch came back a little low but "fine". 

FINALLY I said "Can't we send these to Michgian or something??"  My vet agreed, we did and WOW -- his levels were LOW.... in fact, they were very low and it took adjusting the supplement for several weeks to actually get it to the right level.

 SUDDENLY I had a dog who was responding to allergy treatment and the ear problems disappeared.

Dr. Dodds herself is my choice of where to send the tests.  Michigan still usses her protocols faithfully -- but at this point Dr. Dodds has added several other tests to her thyroid panel which really give your vet FAR more information to work with.

http://www.hemopet.org -- she requires more blood than most labs and I generally have my vet package it with "blue ice" and then I have them Fed Ex it to California so it gets there literally overnight.  It's more money but you get a FAR more accurate reading that way.

3.  My favoite two daily treatments for allergy ears are

A -- Zymox (I use the non-steroid one for general maintenance and the steroid one if they get inflamed).

B - The old Blue Power Ear Cleaner from the olf AOL Cocker Board. -- I will cut into another post just below this the "recipe" and the instructions.  You MUST follow it to the T -- twice a day massaged each ear for one FULL minute. 

This WILL take care of yeast.  But honestly -- if these infections have been recurring do the culture and sensitivity FIRST.  THEN go to the Blue Power.    I don't use regular cleaner -- chlorhexiderm can actually cause a bacterial infection to cross the ear drum into the inner ear.   I never use it at all.  The Blue power is messy -- I'll grant you that.  But it is super effective.  I have actually used it ON MYSELF (cos I have a history of water-in-the-ear myself).  It doesn't hurt at all -- even in infected ears (been there done that with *me*) -- but man it soothes and helps.

Feel free to email me if I can help further.

This is an article I did for someone else and I"m just adding it here b/c it has the recipe.) 

BLUE POWER

Try the Blue Power Ear Solution for two weeks and if that doesn't totally elminate the problem then get the culture and sensitivity test done ASAP and REQUEST it. 

 Ear infections come in two types.  The typical "yeast" ear infection is from moisture in the ears and it particularly troubles flop-eared dogs (cockers to beagles and beyond).  BUT I stress here, if you follow these instructions CAREFULLY and thoroughly - doing it every day as directed and giving it the "massage time" it requires, you can kill many ear infections.  BUT if the two weeks doesn't totally 'cure' this or if even after a week you see no real improvement GO TO THE VET.    Bacterial ear infections are the other type and they are VERY serious.  Not only can they rob a dog of their hearing they CAN KILL if left go.  It can cause an abscess in the ear (just like in a tooth only worse) and if that ruptures it will drive infection into the brain and not only is it excruciating IT WILL KILL.  Infection in the brain is meningitis and beyond and the dog can die instantly if it ruptures.    Ok, so now you know this IS serious.  But if you just plain *know* your dog runs recurrent ear infections, this can help control them.     IF the Blue Power Ear Stuff doesn't totally get rid of this, then you'll have to go to the next level and have the vet do a  "culture and sensitivity" test on those ears.  Because if there is a bacterial infection deep within, you won't get the ears to heal otherwise. The Blue Power Ear Solution was first DOWNSIDE - this stuff stains.  You ***Must*** put it in their ears outside so they can shake and not stain everything because gentian violet is just like ink!!!  16 oz. bottle isoprophyl alcohol (just a cheap $.69 bottle)4 tablespoons boric acid (use human boric acid -- it's about $2.50 at pharmacy - call around to find it)17 drops gentian violet (1 or 2% , but the 1% is MUCH cheaper and is fine)medicine dropper to use to measure the gentian violet Add the boric acid and gentian violet to the alcohol (Yep, it will all fit in that brand new bottle of alcohol -- surprising but true).  Shake well.  

 

 Transfer some into a squirt bottle (an old shampoo bottle or a hair dye bottle -- anything with a squirt top on it).  The boric acid never dissolves til it hits the skin so you have to shake constantly.  The boric acid soothes.  The gentian violet deals with the yeast. 

 

It STAINS.  So do it outside, not in your kitchen!  Even 15 drops of this in a whole bottle of alcohol *does* stain.  But it sure works. Gentian violet is the stuff that they give human babies with "thrush" (oral yeast infection).   If the ear is inflamed use this twice a day for 2 weeks -- just squirt in and massage behind the ear.  The first day don't worry about massaging, but thereafter massage for a minute EACH EAR.  Yes, I'm serious -- COUNT.

 

  They'll discover this does NOT hurt, but rather it soothes, and after you are done massaging, they will shake their head violently and all sorts of yuck and junk will fling out.  THAT IS GOOD. 

 

After 2 weeks of twice a day, then do a week at least of once a day, then just put it on maintenance once a week.  See when  dog's ears are sore ALL of the time, that cartilage surrounding the ear ossifies and becomes bone.  It literally turns sort of to the same stuff that a shell is made of!  Hard as rock.  When that happens, blood doesn't get INTO the ear.  You can't get drugs in the bloodstream to go TO the infection in the ear and without fresh blood the ears literally putrefy.    Sorry that's so gross -- but it's what happens.  So it's important not to just let an ear infection go.  Dogs NORMALLY have ear wax but not tons and tons of black smelly wax.   Once you make up the blue power stuff once -- that small bottle of boric acid will make several whole batches of this stuff.  It's way cheaper than chlorhexaderm and it's less likely to cause problems.  Al you have to buy is that cheap bottle of alcohol (and DO use cheap alcohol -- it actually works better than the expensive stuff!). When he shakes his head that purple stuff will sling everywhere -- so do it OUTside or you'll be wanting to kill me!!!  

 

I have another for you calliecritturs I know you like natural remedies. This is from a holistic vet that did an article in the Whole dog journal June 2004 I have tried everything an this has worked and it is a first. Dr Hershman said that after you treat a dogs ears with the cocktail of drugs for recurring infections which is what my dog Buck had that they develop a resistance. In conventional veterinary medicine chronic ear infections are considered normal. The vet told me with hounds that it just happens. Dr Hershmans healthy ear treatment for chronic infections is boric acid ( which is ear powder you can get at petco and an ointment called pellitol. If the ears are really infected she said to put the ointment only in the ears and leave for 7 days. At the end of 7 days clean out with cotton balls and then put a couple of pinches of ear powder and work down in the ear then the pellitol and leave for another 7 days then clean again. That treatment worked for us and I have continued to use the ear powder to keep them dry when needed. The pellitol is zinc oxide,calamine, echinacea, and juniper tar. I had to order it on line I could not find it in a store. After years of fighting ear infections they are gone for good.

VERY often the a food allergy will show up in the ears.  Ears and skin are the two biggies for food allergies.  What are you feeding?  That could be the cause of the problems.

Wow thanks everyone, I will try the boric acid violet stuff. He only flares up like once or twice a year, and the vet did test his ears and found it full of yeast. Once I do his cycle of drops and cleanings he is like a champ for awhile. Its funny because it seems to coincide with my hubbies allergies. So I wind up with two big babies on my hands. I think Zeus handles it better than hubby though. thanks again.

gibby411

For some reason my Hubby and dog are going through an awful allergy attack this past week.

Keep in mind that allergies problems are cumulative.  A seasonal attack can be especially bad if it is based off of other allergy problems.

I was miserable every summer until I found that I had major food allergy problems.  Since I got a handle on the food problems, summers have been much easier to deal with.

Besides foods think of everything that the dog touches inside - bedding (feathers?), carpet, furniture, etc.  Also consider any cleaning products or perfumes.  Are there any areas where there might be hidden mold?  Think "Where might a dog stick it's nose?"

Off-topic funny:  I know a teenager who temporarily "lost" her miniature poodle puppy.  I had suggested that she get down on the floor and see everything from a puppy's point of view, but she didn't take me seriously enough.  The pup was small enough that it found a warm spot behind the frig and went to sleep.  There was celebration when the pup woke up, came out, and was "found". 

It would be hard to find boric acid at a pet store -- I get it at my grocery store pharmacy -- and sometimes I have to order it.  (and with the major psoriasis I have on my hands and feet I soak my feet in boric acid every night - it's a MAJOR calmative.  One of the few things I know that will kill psoriatic itch which is fierce.)

There's boric acid in the Blue Power ear stuff -- and in the stuff dawnben is mentioning. 

When you see the bottle it is labelled all over ***POISON***  -- so you don't want them to lick it.  If you spill it clean it up (rolling eyes LOL).  It's only poison if you eat it.

However -- anybody ever use "Roach Prufe" -- anybody ever hear Paul Harvey on the radio??  He's touted Roach Prufe as a good household agent to get rid of roaches -- what is it?  Boric acid and blue dye!

It's just one of those old timey things that really has some darned handy purposes.  And as a soothant for sore, itchy skin it absoutely ROCKS.

The gentian violet is an anti-fungal.  And alcohol, of course, is an antiseptic (germ killer) and an anti-bacterial thing. 

It's not a natural thing but it sure does work.

And btw -- yeah, allergies can peak about now in some areas.  Not at all uncommon.

glenmar

VERY often the a food allergy will show up in the ears.  Ears and skin are the two biggies for food allergies.  What are you feeding?  That could be the cause of the problems.

Ditto.  There is a huge correlation between ear infections and food allergies in dogs.

Treat the infection with your preferred method.  But to stop them, I strongly suspect you're going to have to do some experimenting with food.  First thing I would do is eliminate corn, wheat, soy and brewer's yeast from the dog's diet.  One of them isn't guaranteed to be the culprit--a dog can be allergic to anything.  But they are common allergy triggers in dogs.  You'll have to check the ingredients list on the food he eats and any treats he gets.

I have a beagle who developed her first ear infection a couple months ago.  She's eight years old, so it's somewhat unusual for a dog that old who's never had an ear infection in her life to develop one.  Heck, her ears never even needed cleaning.  So it was surprising when she developed an infection.  It was yeast, and I'm positive the culprit was wheat--something she'd never had much of before because my other dog is allergic.  I'd been giving her a Pedigree Dentastix every day for awhile, and the ingredient they contained that she doesn't normally eat was wheat.  After she was diagnosed with a yeast infection I stopped giving her the Dentastix.  And her ears have been perfect since then.  When I told my vet my suspicion that wheat was the culprit for her ear infection, he agreed that it was very likely.

Petco has something they ear powder and it is 5.99 for a huge bottle. It is boric acid only if you are interested.

Changing my dogs food to grain free a couple of years ago really helped my dogs ears and their eyes.  Clean and bright! 

gibby411

My poor dog gets the yeast infection in his ears and the vet has him on tresaderm and epi otic for cleaning.

 

  I'm not familiar with Transaderm, but I use Epi-Otic to clean Jessie's ears. It's an excellent ear cleaner and there is a study done with several dogs that showed using it twice a day for a week cleared up 70% of the ear infections. She has both food and environmental allergies and I have found that either one can cause ear infections. You need to use the Epi-Otic once or twice a week; once a week seems to work best for Jessie. For times when her ears are very sensitive, I also use a product called Zn Otic by Maxi/Guard; 

http://vetamerica.com/maxi-guard-zn-4-5-otic-2-oz.aspx 

 

gibby411

also he gets 5 benadryl 2x a day

  He gets 5 benedryl at one time? That may be too much; does your vet know he gets that much at once? Jessie is 60 pounds and my vet will only allow me to give her 2 Benedryl at one time, and no more than 6 in 24 hours. Giving him fish oil will help make the Benedryl more effective, but it will take a week or 2 to notice the difference. You can safely give him 50 to 100 milligrams of fish body oil per kilogram of body weight.

 If you decide to see if his infections are caused by food allergies, you need to chose a food with none of the ingredients that are in his current food. You can even try cooking, using one protein and one carb that he hasn't had before to see if that helps. Dogs can be allergic to any food. For example, Jessie's allergic to chicken, most fish, pork, potatoes, and brewer's yeast. Good luck; I know how frustrating it can be to find something that works.

Bailey struggles with allergies every summer. He is on a raw diet, and altho that helped a TON vs being on kibble, he still has allergies. Its not as bad as it was when he was on kibble, but he still gets itchy ears and skin. He gets a horrible rash on the inside of his back legs, his armpits, between his toes, and he gets red itchy ears. 

Benadryl helps, good diet & salmon oil helps, but nothing will cure it. On a bad day, just going outside and rolling in the grass can make him itchy.  

jessies_mom

 

gibby411

also he gets 5 benadryl 2x a day

  He gets 5 benedryl at one time? That may be too much; does your vet know he gets that much at once? Jessie is 60 pounds and my vet will only allow me to give her 2 Benedryl at one time, and no more than 6 in 24 hours.

The benadryl dose is 1-2mg per pound, and since the dog is a Bullmastiff, that seems like a pretty reasonable amount to me. Bailey is 70 pounds, and he normally gets 3 25mg benadryl 2x a day when needed.

Spazzy

since the dog is a Bullmastiff, that seems like a pretty reasonable amount to me.

 

 I missed the part about the dog being a Bullmastiff; should have read the post more carefully. 

Spazzy

Benadryl helps, good diet & salmon oil helps, but nothing will cure it. On a bad day, just going outside and rolling in the grass can make him itchy.  

 I agree that nothing will eliminate problems with allergies, but allergen immunotherapy has really helped Jessie. I don't need to give her Benedryl much at all anymore.