Re: ear infection.... Thanks for the tips, very helpful - I think there is definitely something in getting into a routine with treats. Unfortunately, with the ear drops last week, the routine became the "romp around on the sofa getting as many treats as possible without actually allowing the ear drops in my ear" game. I'll give the syringing routine more thought from the off I think. I'm not at all sure how this happened, I think the ear damage might be the result of the infection. I'll ask lots more questions when I go back to the vet. The good news is that the ear doesn't seem to be very painful for Charlie, he is not scratching or shaking his head much at all. So I hope it's not going to turn out to be too serious.
Re: ear infection.... [quote author=JulieT link=topic=1797.msg14559#msg14559 date=1372329213] the routine became the "romp around on the sofa getting as many treats as possible without actually allowing the ear drops in my ear" game. [/quote] he's smart that Charlie!! ;D
Re: ear infection.... Hey - I need to say thanks, particularly to Dexter. We thought it through, and decided HE would sit on Charlie's big mat in the kitchen - 9pm every night - giving Charlie lots of tummy rub and then holding him in a tight cuddle. I would do the ear syringe, and Charlie would have no choice about it - wiggle or not - but get lots more tummy rub and treats when done. Success! We've cleaned the ear 3 times now, with just a bit of splashing around, and now a very clean looking ear! Great. Thanks.
Re: ear infection.... Ah I'm glad it helped and you've had success and the main thing .....his ear is looking better! X
Re: ear infection.... Still catching up on a lot of posts, just wanted to say that second pic in the 1st post is gorgeous. What a stunner, so cute. As we have spaniel types I always have a bottle of thornit powder in for ear problems, and it has often come in handy for our lot.
Re: ear infection.... Dratted, dratted ear infection... now he is on oral antibiotics.... Saw vet again, said he can't give more ear drops as still not sure ear drum is ok - why did he prescribe the first lot then? Shaky confidence in vet, nightly ear cleaning, reading too much on internet about horrors of ear infections (and advice to pin ears back to let the air in - dubious)... worried about him swimming in case water causes ear infections. Do your dogs get ear infections a lot?
Re: ear infection.... Well, I have got spaniels and they can be prone to ear infections with their long ears. But touch wood I have never had anything horrendously bad. I use Thornit as a preventative measure but you can't use it if there is a suspected hole in the ear drum. So I can't really help, sorry.
Re: ear infection.... Have not ever experienced a doggie ear infection. Might be time for a second opinion, if only to ease your mind a bit?
Re: ear infection.... Hi Julie Ear problems can be a nightmare to diagnose. What colour is the discharge, and revolting question, what does it smell like? And finally what are you using to clean his ears? I have found that a dilute solution of calendula tincture works very well both to clean and as drops, I mix in a ratio of one part tincture to two parts distilled (or fresh boiled and cooled) water, shake well to mix and emulsify and then use with cotton wool to clean the ear flap and half a dropperful into each ear - but not if there's a possibility of drum perforation. Maia had dreadful ear problems as a youngster, stinky -slightly cheesy smelling- black tarry discharges and the calendula worked a treat. We had some pH balancing cleaner which also dealt with fungal infections, sorry can't remember the name right now but I'll look it up, which helped deal with some of Finn's problems. Kerryn
Re: ear infection.... Thanks all - just telling other doggy people is a big help! It seems to be a yeast related infection smell wise - I can't smell anything myself, but the vet said it smelled like a yeast infection. The vet has given me just a saline solution to clean the ear, said it was the safest thing until we know about the ear drum - 5ml squirted in, then mopped out with soft tissue. The discharge looks like dark red dried blood. There is now hardly any visible discharge in his ear just looking in it, but a fair bit comes out with the saline/tissue cleaning. If I stop and look at the vet thing objectively, I think I'm just being biased. I grew up in rural North Yorkshire, where vets were different from the one I have now (they didn't send letters addressed to puppies, inviting them to puppy parties and asking how many humans they would be bringing....) and I'm just adjusting to a large city small animal practice I think. There is no real reason to think they don't see plenty of labradors with ear infections. But I'm off to the country next week, so I can register him there too and get a second opinion - it's good advice to do so, just to put my mind at rest. Hopefully I can get this cleared up, then look at preventative measures for the future.
Re: ear infection.... Sorry you're having trouble - it's such a worry, isn't it? Can't give you any advice on this one as I've never had to deal with an ear infection, but giving you moral support! Let us know how it progresses - hopefully it clears up soon!
Re: ear infection.... Sorry it's lingering Julie......hope the pills shift it on and it's not troubling him ( or you :'() too much? I would just like to add I was sat down eating my sandwich as I was reading yours and Kerryns conversation about ear discharge smell and consistency .....if anyone could have told me 12 months ago that I would have been doing that I'd have sad they were mad.....as it was I just reached for a bit more mayonnaise and carried on chewing ;D ;D ;D
Re: ear infection.... That made me smile - before I got Charlie I was plotting and scheming about how I was going to train him to poop in a single place in the garden, and bought sand and all sorts of long handled poop scoops. What a waste of time. Now, don't give it a second thought - into a biodegradable nappy sack and then in my pocket (which is lined with a tough sack) after an inspection for consistency and colour! Never thought I'd see the day... Charlie thinks his poops must be very precious...
Re: ear infection.... this made me laugh ;D....the first time i had to pick it up i froze....now its just part of everyday
Re: ear infection.... They must think we are really, really weird. And that they are really, really important. Or else that we must we selling it for significant profit on eBay or something.... Weird humans.
Re: ear infection.... Hello Julie Elsie has infections in both of her ears at the moment, pseudomonas and a collection of anaerobes. Although difficult to pint point the actual cause, my vet was saying that ear infections are not unusual when dogs have their ears licked by other dogs. Elsie didn't appear to be particularly unwell the day a lovely lump of pus came flying our of an ear when she shook her head! She had an anaesthetic the next day so she could have her ears looked at, swabbed and washed out, and Alan found she had ulceration deep inside both ears, and there may possibly be middle ear involvement. Elsie is having ear drops, antibiotics and will be having her ears checked again. My vet said it was really important to take her back immediately if her ears began to look inflamed etc. Elsie starts more antibiotics tomorrow as the swab results are back and she needs a change. Hope this helps and best of luck for a quick recovery
