Trouble with my Lab's ears

[lUvMyLaB<3]

OK here comes my first question... and I had to get help about where and how to place it so I hope it goes wee...haha.. My yellow lab is 6, she does have allergies, but at the moment all his well and her coat is in fine shape ( knock on wood) But we do have trouble with her ears... When she is in the middle of an allergy outbreak she usually gets a yeast infection in her ear. But often has infections, we get the prescriptin for otimax and it works great, will clear it up quick, this is not my problem. I have lots of experience with the vets, so I don't want to keep this route as the infection CONSTANTLY comes back.. She has one again right now, it is always just the same one ear.. SOO.. I was wondering if anyone has some advice? Is there anything that I can try at home that someone has experience with, knows it is safe ect..? Something that will clear it up, and also hopefully something that can keep it away.. it is so uncomfortable for her.. She is a beautiful dog, and never ever showed any signs of allergies until she was 5 and had her first outbreak, COVERED in a rash, lost lots and lots of hair.. ect.. it was after a swim in the river. Since that day she will react to anything metal, like a collar buckle, or a dish, ect.. there is also something that caused her last reaction but we have yet to find out what it was. it was in august. but her coat has come back nice. Anyway... please help!! I know these are common things with labs... THANKS!

[lUvMyLaB<3]

PLEASE PLEASE help!!!!!!! We have an appoinment monday.. too busy with the holidays to get sooner... she is NOT comfy, she got out of bed and shook and shook her head, and shook a lot on the walk.. they are not that oozy or red or stinky yet but I KNOW its comming.. any suggestions to get through the weekend?!?!! PLEASE I HATE to see her uncomfy she is the best girl in the world and she is my 4 year old sons bestest friend on the planet, i am sure you guys understand how important she is, although I am not used to that, most people think she is 'just a dog' and I could just cry if I see her scratch her ears once, oh well, more cookies for her!!

[Jim Hall]

you can try some green tea on the area i fond it helped sooth my lab who had the same thing

i use aloe vera on my cats when they have a scrape and i used to use it on my dog also

[lUvMyLaB<3]

So i put green tea in her ears? how? in liquid form? will that not add moisture and make it worse? I will try anything, can you tell me how to do it?

[Winston]

Have you cleaned her ears? Just wondering if that will give her some relief...My lab used to get gunk in his ears all the time...well he did until I changed his food anyway. He hasnt had stinky ears since I put him on Orijen??

Cindy

[diandpat]

Yeast infections can sometimes be the result of a food allergy too. What are you feeding her? Many dogs are allergic to wheat and corn. I am so sorry your dog is so uncomfortable. Have you ever tried Benadryl? Ginger and Hobo both have mild allergies in the summer that we have controlled with Benadryl, upon the vet's recommendation.

I believe for the yeast you can try some fat free plain yogurt.

I hope this can help a bit. I would really be interested to know what you are feeding your dog.

Good luck and keep us posted

[rainbow]

I also think it is likely food related. A grain-free kibble or raw feeding would be the best for her.

[lUvMyLaB<3]

NOPE trust me I am VERY picky about my animals food! They get great commercial food and some raw, and this is the same diet, it is the one ear, it gets red at first and starts to bother her, then it oozes green stuff.. she was at the vet last in november.. The allergies have been ok since august, and we are still not sure what caused her to react that time, but we know it was the river the first time, and then metal after that. I have given her children's benadryl for the allergies, but not sure that would help with the ear infection? It is ALWAYS just this one ear... I will go get the prescription on monday, just wondering if there is something to give her in the mean time. ohhh,... and yes we clean em! She RUNS and hides whenever I take out the 'kit' haha.. Thanks everyone! I appreciate the thought and care from you all!

[Kahne9Lover]

Hi fellow lab lover. My girl has many allergies,food and environmental. We have her under control by diet, wheat/grain free. Since you have recurring yeast infections, you need to be proactive in keeping the ears clean and dry. We keep Miconosol Lotion 1% (it comes in a bottle you can squirt right in the canal) on hand from the vet. It cleans the ears and is an antifungal. My vet has us use the lotion in conjunction with the meds to help get the gunk out and allow the meds to do their job more effectively. I've been told you can use apple cider vinegar to clean the ears in a jam, BUT I would ask your vet first to be sure. Call them, there should be something you can do for temporary relief for your baby. Good Luck

[TKW]

Dogs with floppy ears are prone to infection. My lab is no exception. I clean his ears when they start to smell with this home made solution and it works for him.http://www.zimfamilycockers.com/EarCleaner.html

I'd see the vet for his acute condition and make sure his ear drum is intact. Use this solution for maintenence. Food alergy is something I'll look into.

[lUvMyLaB<3]

thanks again for the help u guys, I so appreciate it, and I am thrilled that I was reffered to come here.. I'll jst clear this up.. when her allergies are bad she gets yeast infections in her ears. But right now, and often it is a bacterial infection. The prescription I get does clear it up, but I am wanting something for relief, and prevention.. and just this one ear. I do try to keep them clean, I guess maybe a better job, she hates it. And before this infection started they looked very dry and clean, perplexes me.... I just thought there must be some great home remedy to try...

[lUvMyLaB<3]

hahah TKW that is FUNNY we typed that last message at exactly the same minute! so I did not read it before I wrote although yours appears first! ) THANKS!! THAT is EXACTLY what I am looking for I am going to whip it up! just got back from shoppers drug mart and I will give it a try and keep you posted on how it works!

[lUvMyLaB<3]

We will be keeping our monday a.m. appt. regardless if they are better or not don't worry. We have been dealing with the allergies for a year and a half so we went down the road of food allergies already. She is not reacting to anything right now and actually her coat is in marvelous shape, so fingers crossed she will stay that way!! I will not change her diet for fear of it happening. Again it is just this one ear, and it happens a few times a year I'd say, I know my other dog likes to lick it.. gross... I think it is a moisture problem and the stuff just grows wildly in there, they must be more prone to them after they have had a few b/c it has been back, probably I'd say this is her 6th one.. her last ear infection was in the spring and then a bit in august when she lost all her hair from what I don't know.. she was covered in a rash too and it oozed a bit, but was not too itchy just LOOKED BAD! THANKS again!!!!!!

[hazelrunpack]

We, too, have a dog that licks the others' ears when they start accumulating wax. Lil Belle will lick them to the point of rawness and bleeding if we don't catch it in time.

There is a topical product we use called Synotic (fluocinolone acetonide .01%; DMSO 60%) that we use to reduce the irritation. Don't irrigate the canal with it--we just put a drop on the outside near the opening, then massage it into the chapped area. You'll have to watch that no one licks it off till it's absorbed--and of course, the more you can minimize the licking at any time, the better.

We use Lil Belle as our signal that we've not checked ears frequently enough She's usually the first to spot problems, although sometimes she licks just cuz her ears are itchy.

As for the infections, have you tried extra virgin coconut oil, yet? If you search this site using the keywords 'coconut oil' you'll find some interesting threads. It appears to work for some ear problems when used either internally as a supplement or when applied to the ear topically. If your dog has allergies, I'd be inclined to try it topically in the canal instead of as a supplement. Check with your vet first, though, to make sure the eardrum is intact.

[lUvMyLaB<3]

Went to our appoinment today! Her ears have been much much better, they hardly smell.. told the vet what i used and he said that he has heard of it before and should be ok if I don't do it too much.. there has been a vast improvement in her ears so I want to thank you all very much for the advice I just couldn't stand to see her suffer all weekend shaking her head like that! It is just a run of the mill infection.. ear is ok, no mites, no dirt,no BIG issues, just infected... again.. If we can just get Gucci to stop licking them....... He's doing it right now little booger butt!! He is right in her ears making this weird sound, he just might have to go to bed if he doesn't knock it off....