Administering Ear Medicine is a nightmare

I really can sympathize. Sassy used to hide under the boat in the garage and no amount of coaxing or treats would bring her out. Finally, a vet showed us a better way to do it and I can actually tell her what we're going to do now and she comes to me. First off, I didn't chase her down or make it a big deal. I just sit on the floor in the family room and call her to me. I use saturated cotton balls or make-up pads, so I don't even need to have the dreaded bottle near me. I take the pads or cotton balls and plop them in her ears (I do it quickly but not so quickly that I freak her out). Once the pads are in, I massage away and practically sing a song to show her how happy I am. She loves it and after I've done it for 50-60 seconds, I let go and she shakes them out. Then I take a couple of dry ones and wipe out the excess moisture...and then a super yummy treat. I'm not sure if you should be applying the ointment while the ear is still wet from the cleaning, but if so, I'd do it right after the cleaning and right before the treat. Like anything else, tons of praise and celebration really makes a difference.

Cathy is absolutely right -- the more it looks like 'force' the more you will LOSE.

First off -- the liquid probably stings like crazy.  It probably doesn't soothe at all.  (That's why I like the old Blue Power Ear solution -- it DOES soothe sooooo much).

Calm *yourself* first.  Don't dread it ... and don't tag team her.  Get some absolutely irresistible treats.  Use the good stuff -- liver, peanut butter, etc.  I'm not big on treats training but when it comes to something scaredy and hurty?  You betcha I use high value treats!!

I would think for at least the first couple of days the antibiotic cream was more important.  Is it actually a bacterial infection?  If so, you've got DEEP pain you're dealing with - not just irritated ear canals.  So pressing under the ear may, in fact, be excruciating.

 Talk to her the whole time.  Explain what you're doing -- pet her and speak calmly to her.  I usually put the dog between my knees so I can comfort them (their back to my front, so they have a clear field of vision in FRONT). 

Sit in front of a cabinet or something that can be cleaned easily.  SMEAR peanut butter on that cabinet and TELL HER "while you lick that off, I'm going to put some of this medicine IN your ear and I'll massage it so it is less hurty that way"

 As Cathy says use cotton balls to put in the ear cleaner -- one of the big things that freaks them is the SOUND of Niagara Falls when you swoosh ear cleaner in -- it IS a scarey sound!!  Add to the fact it's cold AND hurts. 

Thanks Ladies.  The only thing here that makes me nervous is using the cotton balls instead of squirting,  I completely agree and have had much better success when wiping out the ear as opposed to the Niagra Falls affect. 

The vet told me that the cotton balls may cause a wax or debri build up in the canal by inadvertantly pushing it down and its better to squirt and shake.  However, since she is (we are) having such a difficult time; I'll do your recommended approaches.

Thanks again!

You have my TOTAL symapthy !! Having Ridgebacks we have the problems that come with hound ears. The big heavy fold and flaps create a great environment for infections and even simple gunk build up.... eeeeeeeooooouuuuwwww and Yuk !! So this past 3.5 weeks I have been on the road with 4 large and one tiny Ridgeback. The 13 month old is a Big Guy !! About 88 pounds he is solid muscle and puppy silly. TWO days after we left for this trip I realized he had flapped his ears in his crate and split the tips!!! Arrrrgh what a mess , blood spraying from his ears all over my new RV !! There is not a surface he missed. While working on healing them I have had to put him in a snood. He would see me coming with cotton balls and the snood and then becoome an inmovable object.  OHH and don't forget the pain when he flaps his ears and they smack your fingers.. yikes that really smarts!!   I am using a simple flush, followed by a massaged with 2x2 gauze in the ear to dry it . Then a few drops of Ottomax to help clear it all up. And Benedryl is a MUST. It helps curb the itching that seems to drive him nuts.

Bonita of Bwana

CoBuHe

The only thing here that makes me nervous is using the cotton balls instead of squirting,

I just found that the cotton balls, or at least the ones I had, were too small and that's why I bought the square make-up remove pads. They don't go in far at all and Sassy's probably a comparable size. I found that more of the gunk actually came out with the cotton pads than if I'd used nothing. I think the concern would be if you tried to push in to get the debris, but I just set them at the top of the opening. I mainly want the solution to run down, but it doesn't seem a uncomfortable as actually squirting liquid in there. Give it a try and see how it goes.

Although it wasn't a pleasant experience, I managed to clean the ears and get the solution and medicine in her ears by myself.

I took Callie's advice of smearing peanut butter on a cabinet door.  She took a couple of licks of the PB but also knew something was up.  So, it wasn't as easy as she takes the treat while I talk her through it.   But, I also knew going in that it wouldn't be.  Hmmmm.

I did, however stay calm while talking to her and trying to get her to stay still enough so I could use the cotton pads drenched with the cleaning solution.  It was much better than trying to squirt the solution in her ears.  And I also think that having just one of us do it as opposed to tag teaming her made a difference.  Finally, she settled down so I could wipe out the ears, then apply the medicine.

But, as I was getting it all in (especially with her left ear...must be the sorest), she started showing her teeth at me and wrinkling up her nose...she could have bitten me, but she didn't.  She was serious about her warning, but again...she chose not to bite me.  As she was doing her face, I just calmly and low toned, told her No.  She didn't bite and I think that says something about our relationship.

But, I still wonder if I should get a muzzle.  I have 5 more days to do.

Thank you guys for your suggestions...it made a difference.

Congrats! but yes, I think I'd probably use a muzzle.  I just can't see any reason to take a chance, especially when your face needs to be that close. Sassy is a terror like that with nail clipping and I've tried everything to get her to tolerate it, but she doesn't it so I take her to the vet to get it done. I think you're probably right about it being painful in the one ear and that causing the reaction. It'll probably make you calmer knowing that you're safe and that will go a long way in making her calmer too.

Just wanted to say that I'm 9 days into a two-week course of antibiotic drops for Emma's ear infection.  She really fought it at first (probably because her ears were SO sore), and I was really glad the vet had given me a once-a-day solution instead of something I had to do several times a day!  I've been giving her a cracker with peanut butter on it (do the first ear, praise her, give her the cracker, do the second ear while she's chomping it down, and praise her again).  Tonight, after reading this thread, I smeared peanut butter on the refill in her Everlasting Treat Ball and did both her ears with no trouble (with her facing away from me and me holding her back against my chest, as Callie suggested) while she licked away.  AWESOME!  Thanks!

EDIT: CRUD!  I just found out that the refills for the Everlasting Treat Ball are made in China!

Made in China. Click on the Ingredients tab on the left for ingredients and a guaranteed analysis. Please note that the maker of the Everlasting Treats, StarMark, has received a Certificate of Natural Origin from the manufacturer of the wheat gluten used in their products, certifying that no artificial ingredients were found.

 Oh, man...she loves this thing; I should never have bought it!  I feel like a bad mom....