# Ear Infection Symptoms?



## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

I think Ella may have an ear infection. Before anyone says anything, I already have a vet's appointment for tomorrow morning. I would just like someone to let me know if that is what this sounds like for future reference, and to see if this is going to be a waste of money taking her to the vet tomorrow.

Since Monday or Tuesday Ella has been scratching around her ears a bit more, particularly the right ear. She also keeps shaking her head so her ears flap around. It looks like something is irritating her. I looked and they look normal during the day, but when I've checked in the evenings they look darker than normal, more pinkish/reddish than their normal color. I can't see any obvious build up. I also didn't see anything like a tick or something similar. Wednesday night her right ear smelled funny, but I didn't smell it the next morning (admittedly a bit allergies may have prevented me from smelling it). Normally she will let me handle and look at her ears no problem, but today she keeps ducking and trying to prevent me from checking. She isn't doing the scratching and head shaking all the time, but definitely more than normal. She also seems a little more clingy yesterday and today. Her eating, drinking, energy level, and potty habits are the same as usual.

Her head has been getting wet more often recently. She keeps sticking her head in the shower just about every day. After she does this I'm going to try drying her ears after, which I haven't been doing. I also changed her food about a month ago because she wasn't eating the previous one. She doesn't eat this one much either so I'll end up giving another one a try which was recommended by a nutritionist. That has been the only recent change.

Does this sound like a possible ear infection? Like I said, I already have a vet appointment for tomorrow morning because I want to get it checked before taking her to the lake for a couple of days. Don't want to get stuck with an issue there where I don't know the local vet or anything.

Thanks.

Katie and Ella


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

sounds like when my guys have an ear infection.


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

Oh, yes. Glad you're taking her in. They can get started really deep in the ear canal before showing anything nasty where you can see it/smell it, so the earlier, the better, right?
Especially before you take her a lake where it would be getting wet constantly.

The head shaking is almost always a sign, for my dogs...


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## CRS250 (Dec 31, 2012)

When my pups get ear problems the number one thing that tips me off if they are not itching is the smell. If there is any noticeable odor or wax build up than a good ear cleaning is called for, I know other folks here have had success with home made washes but I buy and suggest epi-optic. If your pup needs to go into the vet for a check up, by all means. However if you just need an ear cleaning this is something you can and should do at home according to my vet. My vet said I should do so any time I notice symptoms, and at least once a month. I have been doing it every 2 weeks since that visit.

There is a good video here that shows the process:






My guy does not care to stand still for the cleaning, so I soak a cotton ball in the solution and put them in the ear while dripping wet, squeezing the ear as shown to get the liquid into the canal. After about 2 minutes of rubbing, I let him shake and wipe any wax off the outside, then dry the ear with a towel. He'll roll for a few minutes but after an hour or so it is pretty clear he feels a lot better, itching goes away and the smell of the epi-optic fades in 12 hours or so.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Yes, to me it does sound like a possible ear infection. 

I use to have a Cocker Spaniel that had ear problems frequently. I got in the habit of checking and cleaning out my Goldens ears weekly because of this. 

I always make sure my guys ears are dry after they've been swimming or they've had a bath. My current boy is the only one that has problems with his ears off and on, but I still check and clean both of my Goldens ears once a week. I usually check my boy's twice a week at least. 

I use the Healthy Ear recipe as maintenance. I have had better luck with it than the prescription ear meds from the Vet. I also use Virbac Epi Optic Advanced Ear Cleanser, I got it from my Vet. It's got a drying agent, like this one the best of all the ear cleansers I've tried over the years. 

Virbac Animal Health â€” EPI-OTIC® Advanced Ear Cleanser | United States

Here's the Healthy Ear Recipe-



> Healthy Ear Recipe (from Arcane)
> 
> 1 tube Monistat (generic is fine)
> 1 tube Polysporin (use the real deal - it's inexpensive)
> ...


Petguide.com once posted info and a video for cleaning out your dog's ears here on the Forum, the info can be found here-

6 Ways To Properly Clean Dog Ears - PetGuide


I use this method, I no longer flush their ears out with the Cleanser as my Vet instructed as my boy absolutely hates it. Instead, I soak a cotton ball with the Epi-Optic Advanced Cleanser, put the cotton ball in his ear and then rub his ear. Next I take a clean cotton ball, wipe his ear out. If there's still debris, I repeat until it's clean. Then I use the Healthy Ear Recipe above as needed.

Hope you get answers tomorrow at your Vet appt.


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## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

Thanks. Our only family dog before her, a sheltie, never had a single problem with his ears, so this ear infection thing is new to me. 

Should I try to dry her ears when they get wet? She always looks like she tries to do it herself. Since the first time I saw her get her head wet she rubs her head (her face and ear area) on the carpet, her bed, the couch, the grass, whatever is available.

For the future, is there any certain type of ear cleaner I can get to prevent this? And how often should I use it?

Thanks again.

Edit: The last two were posted while I was typing. Thank you.


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

I think it is always a good idea to take them to the vet if you suspect an infection. Before you put anything into the ear, you want to make sure they haven't perforated the eardrum-that changes how you treat the ear.

For my guys, if the ears are dirty/gunky, but no head shaking/scratching, than I will clean them at home. If they have head shake/scratching, then I'll take them in.


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## brendadavis44 (May 6, 2014)

Coconut Oil For Dogs
This is what I use to clean Kiners Ears.
Feel better Ella <3


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## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

Good news is that Ella does NOT have an ear infection. The vet believes that she has seasonal allergies. Apparently if I hadn't brought her in then it probably would have turned into an ear infection. Vet looked in the ear canals and the canals were both fine. The allergies also make sense because the whites of her eyes were a bit red and she has been scratching a bit more recently, not any one particular spot.

So she gave me Zymox Optic to put in her ears once a day for 10 days. For the allergies they gave me Hydroxyzine 50mg tabs. Supposed to start with 3 times a day for 14 days, then continue through allergy season if it helps. If she is too drowsy with this dosage they said to drop to 2 times a day.

After Ella finishes the treatment I'll use the stuff suggested on here for maintenance. I'll see which one works for her.

Hopefully these allergies don't become a problem 

Edit: They also suggested trimming the fur around her ears so that they can dry out faster.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

ktkins7 said:


> Thanks. Our only family dog before her, a sheltie, never had a single problem with his ears, so this ear infection thing is new to me.
> 
> *Should I try to dry her ears when they get wet? She always looks like she tries to do it herself. Since the first time I saw her get her head wet she rubs her head (her face and ear area) on the carpet, her bed, the couch, the grass, whatever is available.
> *
> ...


Yes. It's a good idea to dry them as best you can after she's been swimming to avoid an ear infection (and good to dry off their whole body to avoid hot spots). But definitely dry in and around the ear - gently inside, of course, just with the towel on your finger, sort of massaging around a bit. You'll probably find that she will love it.


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## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

Just a quick update. Ella's ears appear to be getting better. They no longer smell and don't have the redness to them any more. Still shakes her head, but I think the medicine they have me giving her irritates her when it drips down (at least its a gel type stuff so its not too bad). I'm going to continue using the ear meds for the rest of the 10 days to make sure its all good.

Also so far so good with the HydrOXYzine HCl. I've definitely noticed a reduced itching and her eyes aren't red at the bottom like they used to be. Just debating whether to drop down to two doses a day for a combination of that it makes her a bit sleepy and for convenience. Vet said it was okay to drop down to two doses if it made her too tired. I'm going to wait a couple of days though because we just got back yesterday afternoon from a busy couple of days in New Hampshire at the lake so she's probably tired from that.

Carolina Mom - for that Healthy Ear Recipe, is Polysporin the same as Neosporin or are they two different things? I don't recall seeing Polysporin around here. I'll take a look around for it though.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Thanks for the great update on Ella, good to hear she's doing so much better and it wasn't an ear infection, although allergies can be a bit trying. 

No, Neosporin and Polysporin are not the same, here's the difference in the ingredients. 

See the differences between the two below. 

Neosporin Original Active Ingredients: 
- Polymyxin B Sulfate 
- Bacitracin Zinc 
- Neomycin 

Polysporin Ointment Active Ingredients: 
- Polymyxin B Sulfate 
- Bacitracin Zinc

I usually have trouble finding these ingredients locally, I live in a Tourist area many miles from a city with major chain and big box stores. Most of our businesses here are family owned. Therefore, I end up ordering things I need online such as the ingredients for the Healthy ear recipe.

If you have a Walgreens, CVS, any type of Drug store in your area, they should carry it. Also Walmart, Target, KMart, etc.


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## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

Thanks. I'll take a look around see if I can find it. I too live in a bit of a touristy area (population doubles in the summer), but because Connecticut is small there isn't much that is far away. I've got a few places I can check before ordering online.

I hope these allergies don't end up being a pain. The vet said that they are seasonal allergies. Besides the ears, she was scratching a bit and her eyes were red. It's not like she was scratching herself raw or anything. I'd prefer not to have to keep medicating her, but I want to do what is best for her and keep her comfortable.


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

Glad no ear infection....that is a good thing. We run our dogs in hunt tests and I hunt ducks with them, so getting wet in dirty water is a real common thing. We use 'swimmers ear' every time after they get wet, including baths...it does the trick preventing any infections. You can get it cheep, at any drug store, our kids used it when they were little as they swam so much their ears got soar. You just squirt some in the dogs ears and rub the side of their head to mush it around real good. They do not seem to mind it either.

Our male has bad allergies, when we put him on a grain free kibble, he has improved 100% *
*​ http://www.petfooddirect.com

Good Luck


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## CRS250 (Dec 31, 2012)

Glad to learn the issue is clearing up for your pup.

Our older boy was having problems with what looked like an eye infection when he was around 8 months. Ended up taking him to a specialist who diagnosed him with seasonal allergies. She said for the majority of dogs the severity of symptoms decreases after about 1.5 - 2 years.


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