# ear + dirty environment suggestions



## richardVAL (Sep 13, 2014)

Hi, 

My dog loves to play in the dirt and sand, were always around parks deep in sandy and dirt trails.

I don't want to give up going to these types of environments for playing/ exercising time. can someone give me suggestions pls ?

Can I possibly start cutting the fur right near the ear hole so that it starts growing longer ? has anyone ever tried that ? 

thanks


----------



## Traveler's Mom (Sep 24, 2012)

Hi,

Since it appears no one has responded to you, let me give it a shot.

No, cutting the fur will not make it grow longer. Going on to the original issue, can you explain why you are worried about dirt in your dogs ears? If it is because he is getting pieces of gravel or something larger than just grit, I can understand your concern and maybe just putting some cotton balls in the ears while playing would solve the problem. If your concern is more along the lines of just not liking the inside ear flaps to be dirty, my suggestion would be to let the dog be a dog and get his fill of fun. When you get home you can gently wipe out his ears with a soft cloth dampened with water or wet down the cloth with an cleaner specifically for ears like Zymox. HOME

Lynn & Traveler


----------



## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

No, cutting the hair won't do anything. These guys are pretty hardy and their ears are designed to keep stuff out/be self-cleaning. Why do you think you can't have the dog in those types of environments? Unless the dog has noticeably goopy ears or some indication of infection, it's really not something you need to worry about. If he DOES have ear crud, it's likely not due to the environments he's in.


----------



## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

My dog gets dust/dirt in his ears from diving after balls and (badly thrown) Frisbees. I have doggie wipes that I use periodically to gently wipe down his ears.


----------



## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

Russell is always getting dirt and sand in his gigantic ears. If Carly wouldn't roll him around on the ground all the time, it wouldn't happen. I have to clean them out periodically, or he'll start hanging his ears off the sides of his head like a donkey.


----------



## richardVAL (Sep 13, 2014)

Traveler's Mom said:


> Hi,
> 
> Since it appears no one has responded to you, let me give it a shot.
> 
> ...



hi thanks,

its because my dog has gotten two ear infections so far since i have adopted her (and shes less than 8 months * age) , the first time i had to bring her to a vet because it got REALLY nasty in the ear, and for the second which is still currently active, i have been giving this ear med i got from a pet store which is NOT working very well at all and has been there for weeks her scratching is also making it worst. ( looks mildly red and very tiny bumps not very many though )

i figured since the dog is constantly in these types of environments that it may be the case, I MOST CERTAINLY do not want to take her out of these types of envorinments because she loves it but i was asking to know if there was method to keeping their ears clean because i thought these ear infections might be common , i guess i was wrong must have had water go into her ear some how??


----------



## richardVAL (Sep 13, 2014)

LoveEcho said:


> No, cutting the hair won't do anything. These guys are pretty hardy and their ears are designed to keep stuff out/be self-cleaning. Why do you think you can't have the dog in those types of environments? Unless the dog has noticeably goopy ears or some indication of infection, it's really not something you need to worry about. If he DOES have ear crud, it's likely not due to the environments he's in.


must have been water from a bath most likely.


----------



## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

My sheperd had 2 ear infections this summer when he was in and out of the plastic pool during hot weather.Warmth and moisture will cause infection.Now that it's cooled off his ears still get dirt and sand in them but so far so goodHe won't let me clean his ears anymore(he hated the drops) so I am currently trying to recondition him by touching his ears gently while grooming or petting him when he's feeling mellow.The vet provided me with an anti bacterial lotion to clean them.In hindsight I wish I had made ear cleaning a daily thing to avoid the aversion he has now.


----------



## ugavet2012 (Apr 15, 2010)

Ear infections do not come from dirty areas or water!!! This is a huge myth! If your dog is PRONE to ear infections then yes being wet a lot can make it worse, but it's not the cause! This is allergies, allergies, allergies. Whether it be to food or environmental, it is from allergies plain and simple. The ears are just an extension of skin, which is method through which dogs and cats express allergies. I will never understand why vets don't explain this. I find people all the time breeding dogs who get horrible multiple times a year ear infections and had no idea that it came from allergies which are at the very least partly genetic, then wonder why the son or daughter they kept has horrible ear infections too. 
My dogs swam for 8-10 hours a day for a week on a beach vacation and no one got an ear infection (because they do not have allergies!).

https://www.acvs.org/small-animal/otitis-externa


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

ugavet2012;6208009My dogs swam for 8-10 hours a day for a week on a beach vacation and no one got an ear infection (because they do not have allergies!).
[URL said:


> https://www.acvs.org/small-animal/otitis-externa[/URL]


My boy swims nearly daily in our pond. (*knock on wood*) He's never had an ear infection. 

OP - very good chance your boy has staff. You really need to take him back to the vet.


----------



## richardVAL (Sep 13, 2014)

Lilie said:


> My boy swims nearly daily in our pond. (*knock on wood*) He's never had an ear infection.
> 
> OP - very good chance your boy has staff. You really need to take him back to the vet.


i looked into the staph possibility and the images i found were pretty disturbing it had me worrying for a sec but her ear looks nothing like it , i will post a picture if you guys would like to help me

also thank you all for all the replies very helpful website ! :hug:


----------



## richardVAL (Sep 13, 2014)

two pics of her ear, ear infection is 3 weeks approx

dark area, seems to be some bruising ?? possibly 
little bumps almost look like bug bites possibly just allergic skin reaction.
some ear wax, 

note; she scratches her ear when im not looking and i have not been so good about consistently cleaning with ear solution up until this week ( this is what im using -> Kinetic Hy-Otic Ear Rinse at PETCO )


2 picture below (attached) taken after cleaning with "solution"


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

You need a prescription for the ear medication to get rid of it. I believe it's allergies too.


----------

