# Ear Cleaning Problems



## Darth_Ariel (Jun 20, 2013)

Vader is awful about getting his ears cleaned, it takes two of us to pin him down because he gets flailing and mouthing so bad. One ear is significantly dirtier than the other, why we don't know but he's dug it until it's scratched open in a few spots. 

Any ideas for a way to get him to stop digging at it? We've cleaned it, it just gets dirty again from him shoving his foot in it with the scabs itching and is just a repeating cycle. I have the ear solution from the vet for our Floppy Ear's dirty ears, but all of these have alcohol to help with the drying so he just howls and rubs his ear against more stuff.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

I would take him to the vet for his ears to be swabbed. He could have a ear yeast infection which can be painful.


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

Definitey vet visit where they can sedate him and flush it good. he could even have stuff down in it that's irritating it and you can damage it by trying to do it yourself


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

When I've had dogs with ear infections (foster dogs), the vet told me to clean _daily_ with a solution of vinegar and water (i'm using 1 part apple cider vinegar, 2 parts water), and we clean *gently* with sterile gauze. She thought the alcohol solutions are too painful for a dog with bleeding stuff in the ears (makes sense to me!!!). We had to follow up daily with Otomax (RX ointment) for a while too. 

If there's an infection, you definitely want the vet to prescribe something to knock it out -- this does require a vet visit, as others have mentioned.

The vinegar solution has been _great_ at clearing out yeasty, crusty gunk from a senior foster dog who lived outside and had years of grime caked in her ears. It's gentle enough for daily cleaning and she actually _likes _it instead of fussing about it hurting. We are finally seeing some nice pink skin peaking through all the black crusties! Woohoo!!!

You might ask your vet if this is an option.


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## Darth_Ariel (Jun 20, 2013)

I can't get him in to the vet before the 8th because that's when he already has an appointment for getting fixed, but was hoping for that thank you Magwart! 

His ear wasn't bad before he kept thrashing during cleanings and us not being able to get in there to clean it, so I don't know if it got too much bacteria to create an infection or if it's just the dirt he's mashed into it. I'm hoping the vinegar will make it more gentle on his ears, nothing makes you feel more guilty than your puppy following you trying to do a walking face scratch to emphasize he doesn't like the alcohol solution in his ears.


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## Packen (Sep 14, 2008)

Sounds like ear mites or a yeast infection. If you can't goto vet right now then next best way would be to mildly soak a doubled up paper towel in 50:50 vinegar:water solution and gently wipe ear inside, go deep (daily).


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

ZYMOX

then change the diet


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## Eiros (Jun 30, 2011)

I second the Zymox. 

I think you can flush the ear with it rather than having to hold him and just getting what you can see... You could damage the ear if you try to go any deeper with a swab. If you put the liquid down into the ear they just shake it out, don't they? 


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

Since he's getting knocked down on the 8th, have the vet do a deep clean at the same time.

I'll second Carmen on Zymox. It is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral.

David Winners


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

I used Zymox when Rusty had yeasty ears as a pup. It cleared it right up (suggested for my MIL dog with floppy ears & worked great for her). I now use the Zymox ear cleaning solution as part of our grooming routine. 

I like that you use in dirty ears.

Amazon.com: Pet King Brand Zymox Otic Enzymatic Solution for Pet Ears, 1.25 Ounces: Pet Supplies


For routine use. I saturate a cotton ball and squeeze into his ear. He doesn't like the swoosh from the bottle but will lay down calmly for the cotton ball.

Amazon.com: Zymox Ear Cleanser With Bio-Active Enzymes, 4 oz.: Pet Supplies


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## Darth_Ariel (Jun 20, 2013)

Carmen, why the diet change? He's on a high quality kibble at the moment. 

I'll tell her to do a cleaning while she's at it, it's probably the only way to do a deep cleaning since he's so fussy about getting them done at all and have her give me some of the Zymox.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

Zymox doesn't sting so the dog will be more co-operative and it doesn't dry .
Vetericyn also makes a ear solution .

Zymox is better than any vet formula - and was introduced to me by my friend who is a OVC vet and holistic vet - and has other medical certifications. 

change of diet because diet will contribute to yeast growth , overall immune health and resistance


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## Darth_Ariel (Jun 20, 2013)

I'll absolutely look into the Zymox, it sounds like a really good product and having a floppy ear dog as well I'm sure it'd be beneficial for him too. 

Are you saying to change it all together or keep doing different foods? 
He's only been on this food a short time since he was just moved onto an adult food blend.


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## volcano (Jan 14, 2013)

My girls ears arent responding to zymox. They have black gunk and shes scratched the ear so my homemade alcohol vinegar mix is a no go, it hurts her ear. 
A couple months ago the bottle of zymox was like a nail clipper- it put her into avoidance. What I did was put the zymox in a little tube and then she let me get it in there. Then masage the base of the ear and that should feel good to the dog and theyll learn to like the procedure. Now she doesnt mind it, she comes when I say "this one" and hold up a paper towel or zymox bottle, the only thing is the zymox isnt doing the job. I get in theer and clean a bunch of gunk out and its back the next day. My thinking is its a yeast infection on my girl and zymox is more for bacterial.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

There is an ear cleaning solution called "Malacetic Otic" which does not contain alcohol and so does not sting. It's really good at getting the oily, waxy gunk broken up. I used it on my Akbash dog who HATED having his ears cleaned--he didn't mind the Malacetic.

Zymox is great, too. I use the regular ear cleaning solution in my grooming salon. The only thing I don't like about it is that it smells kind of "mediciney", while the Malacetic smells really nice. And it does contain alcohol, so it shouldn't be used on raw or painful ears--it's more of a regular preventative for ears that are just dirty and not infected.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

zymox is anti fungal -- check your dogs ears to make sure it does not have ear mites .


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

I agree Carmen.

If Zymox isn't clearing things up, it's probably mites. Tresaderm is something I have used successfully to treat mites. You also have to treat the rest of the dog as mites will escape the ear canal and take up residence on the body of the dog. A pyrethrin shampoo works well for this.

David Winners


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

David Winners said:


> I agree Carmen.
> 
> If Zymox isn't clearing things up, it's probably mites. Tresaderm is something I have used successfully to treat mites. You also have to treat the rest of the dog as mites will escape the ear canal and take up residence on the body of the dog. A pyrethrin shampoo works well for this.
> 
> David Winners


Mites that live in the ear are not the same as mites that live on the body. Ear mites will not migrate to the body. 

Ear mites are also super uncommon in dogs. In my 20 years as a tech I have seen maybe 3 cases of canine ear mites. In cats, yes, see it all the time. But not dogs. 

Zymox is wonderful, but if the dog is overloaded with yeast and now has a secondary bacterial infection due to itching the ear raw and having open wounds, it is not going to be effective. Zu mix is great if used at the very very beginning of a basic yeast infection. This does not some like that. 

The dog needs to go the vet, have a smear done, and find out what kind if issue you are dealing with. You may need systemic drugs as well as topical. I would also ask for pain meds. It has to hurt and trying to get meds in and clear painful ears is unkind. 


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

I'm not disagreeing with your experience. My wife, who is a long time tech, has had the opposite experience. I have personally seen many dogs with ear mites in the working dog population, including one of my own. I have seen the white mites in the microscope myself.

My vet is the one that cautioned about mites migrating to the body of the dog. Several sources I have referenced agree.

Not trying to say you are wrong. Just starting that my experience is different than yours.

David Winners


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

David Winners said:


> I'm not disagreeing with your experience. My wife, who is a long time tech, has had the opposite experience. I have personally seen many dogs with ear mites in the working dog population, including one of my own. I have seen the white mites in the microscope myself.
> 
> My vet is the one that cautioned about mites migrating to the body of the dog. Several sources I have referenced agree.
> 
> ...


It could be regional, the ear mite thing. Some areas may see it in dogs much more than my area of the east coast. 


But I would love to see sources about migrating to the body. I have never heard that and all my text books for tech school and my vets have said it won't happen. So I am always open to learning. 

As for the pyrethrin/permethrin shampoo for mites. I would personally never use them. Too many side effects and they don't work on normal skin mites anyway. Not sure about ear mites. 

Not being difficult. Just different experiences. 


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