# Ears and bath



## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

I looked up ears and really didn't see anything that addressed my question so here goes. Sasha is sort of stinky. I know that GSD's really don't need too many baths but she is only 11 weeks old and her coat isn't mature. Her ears are also dirty. She does not have ear mites. They are just a little stinky. (I know this because I have dealt with ear mites with cats for years) Can I give her a bath and do her ears at the same time? How would the more experienced GSD owners approach this?


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

Does she have an ear infection? Stinky ear is a good indicator of that.

Are you asking what to clean her ears with?


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## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

Ear infection? What? OMG! What is that?


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

It has been a long day... I can't tell if that is sarcasm or serious

Has the puppy been scratching at ear, shaking head, or holding ear weird (may not apply since she is 11wks) Is there any gunk in her ear?

Usually a smelly ear goes along with a yeast infection in the ear.


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## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

sagelfn said:


> It has been a long day... I can't tell if that is sarcasm or serious
> 
> Has the puppy been scratching at ear, shaking head, or holding ear weird (may not apply since she is 11wks) Is there any gunk in her ear?
> 
> Usually a smelly ear goes along with a yeast infection in the ear.


Nothing like that. She seems fine. And no, I wasn't being sarcastic. I think it's just dirt. I understand being tired and taking things wrong. I want to thank you for responding. I suppose my posts come off a little wrong. Chalk it to me being a lawyer  I still need help and Sasha is my love. I want the best for her. That's all I care about here.


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## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

So yeast infection, mites, dirt? Should I just take her to the vet? I had hoped that I could figure it out but now I am not so sure.


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## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

****, I left work an hour early today because my 17 year old son couldn't be around after noon. I kept imagining Sasha alone in her crate for 6 hours with no one to take her out. I left work. I couldn't take it.


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

I would take her to the vet. If it's an infection they'll probably give you drops to help clear it up. If you wait, and it is an infection, it could cause more problems; if you take her, and it's not an infection, at least you'll have some peace of mind.


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

I usually clean Sage's ears after his bath. He REALLY hates having his ears cleaned and it stresses him out so I do it after so he can relax when we are done. You could do it before bath or during.

I bought a solution from the vet. I only use it if a regular kleenex isn't working (he doesn't mind that, just the solution)

Here is a thread with some info on making your own ear cleaner http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/health-issues/140391-ear-cleaning.html

If the smell returns or you notice her doing what I described above see a vet.

It is night, don't go to the E-vet for this unless she starts acting ill - you said she is acting fine right now.. vet can wait.

Clean her up and if smell is still there, vet


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## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

I am taking her to the vet just to be sure. I have never owned a GSD and it's been 20 years since I had a dog. I am on a steep learning curve. This is NOT sarcasm..

If it wasn't for this forum, I would have never gotten a GSD. If it wasn't for this forum, I would not have fallen in love with this breed. If it wasn't for this forum, I would not have been prepared at all and I wouldn't love Sasha so much. So, thank you for giving me the gift of this amazing breed. I spent a year or so reading your posts and falling more and more in love with this breed. Admittedly, some of your posts can be scary. I wondered if I was really willing to commit to such an obligation. You guys gave me the strength to take this baby puppy when the it came about. I think it was fate. So, if I come off as an know it all or an *******. Well, try to remember that I am a lawyer and worse, a prosecutor. :hug:


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

Prosecutor! :thumbup: 

I'm not going to lie, I took Sage to the vet for every little thing lol. First puppy and it was worth it for peace of mind. I would still clean her up now and if she still has a smell take her to the vet in the morning - again unless she starts acting very ill where an E-vet visit would be required.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Doing a bath and cleaning the ears at the same time is a good idea. There are many good earwash products avaiable, or you can make your own with vinegar and rubbing alcohol (half and half is fine). Place a few drops in the ear, massage the base of the ear really well, then clean out the dirt and wax with a cloth or cotton ball. Use a little more cleaner if you have to. Not only does this solution clean the ears, it helps dry the ear canal, and the vinegar leaves an acidic pH in the ear that yeast and bacteria do not like.

If you're going to take her to the vet to check her ears, DON'T clean them right before. The vet will want to see and smell whatever gunk is in there to determine which kind of infection it might be (if any). 

Puppies do get dirty, and dirt tends to stick to the inner ears, so it might just be dirt. But a puppy's ears shouldn't be smelly--I'd take her to the vet if they smell funky.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

Just wondering, what food are you feeding? That can make a difference in her ears and her smell.

I'd def get her to the vet to check the ears. A bath wouldn't hurt either, I like to bathe puppies a lot when they're little so that when they're adults, the few times they do get them (Though I still bathe my dogs a lot more than most people) they are ok with it.


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## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

Sasha has an appt. with the vet in the morning about her ears. I am probably just over reacting and it's just dirt. Anyway, I won't clean them until the vet looks at her.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

JulieBays said:


> Sasha has an appt. with the vet in the morning about her ears. I am probably just over reacting and it's just dirt. Anyway, I won't clean them until the vet looks at her.


Don't think of it as over reacting. Think of it as a socialization lesson for Sasha! The vet won't just look at her ears, so it's a good lesson for Sasha being examined (by the vet) when she is feeling good.


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## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

Lilie said:


> Don't think of it as over reacting. Think of it as a socialization lesson for Sasha! The vet won't just look at her ears, so it's a good lesson for Sasha being examined (by the vet) when she is feeling good.


True!! I didn't think of that. She needs to ride in the car more anyway.


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## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

It turned out to be a yeast infection. It would have gotten worse over the weekend if I wouldn't have taken her in. Thanks guys.  I had no idea that dogs got yeast infections in their ears.


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

Glad you found out! I also try to do a weekly or every other week ear cleaning when I dremmel the dogs nails. I use sensitive baby wipes in their ears and clean out the gunk. I also have a prescription for when we first got Lexi and she had an ear infection. I have also used tea tree oil to loosen up the gunk and then wipe it out. 

I think I am personally going to try the vinegar/rubbing alch mix. Our GSD/Bull Mastiff mix has notorious nasty ears and they aren't infections. She runs up and down our dirt/woodchip hill and the dirt collects. Plus we have had so many problems with her scratcing bc of little tumors when she was a baby she has a few scars on them she tends to open occasionally. Im hoping that home made mix deters some of the gunk.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

JulieBays said:


> It turned out to be a yeast infection. It would have gotten worse over the weekend if I wouldn't have taken her in. Thanks guys.  I had no idea that dogs got yeast infections in their ears.


Good deal that you took her to the vet and now you know what kind of infection it is. Now that you know what a yeast infection smells like, you will know what to do should it pop up again. Yeast does tend to recur, so give her ears the sniff test every week or so and take quick action if that funk starts coming back.


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

Freestep said:


> Good deal that you took her to the vet and now you know what kind of infection it is. Now that you know what a yeast infection smells like, you will know what to do should it pop up again. Yeast does tend to recur, so give her ears the sniff test every week or so and take quick action if that funk starts coming back.


:thumbup: ditto


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## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

Freestep said:


> Good deal that you took her to the vet and now you know what kind of infection it is. Now that you know what a yeast infection smells like, you will know what to do should it pop up again. Yeast does tend to recur, so give her ears the sniff test every week or so and take quick action if that funk starts coming back.


LOL. Yes, I now know what to look for.


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## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

If you would have asked me 20 years ago that I would be smelling puppy ears to make sure that everything was okay, I would have laughed in your face. Somewhere over the years, I have become...what?


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

I check  daily so put me a few rungs below whatever you think


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## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

I know this is off topic but the thing is that she reinforces my loyalty too. I am not sure who is training who? For instance, I woke up at 4 this morning and decided to put her in my bed after she did her business.. We went to sleep very well until the alarm went off. I got up, turned it off and laid back down. I ended up with a face full of tongue. Tongue? Really? All I have had from her was teeth? Where did all this licking come from? I decided that she probably should sleep with me more often. :wub:


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## AddieGirl (May 10, 2011)

aww, our pup sleeps with us every night and I swear, it is SO hard to get out of bed in the morning when her sleepy eyes are staring at me and she is so snuggly and warm. 

Glad you found out what was going on with her ears!


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