LoveToKnow Dogs:Custom Dog Ear Advice

I'm so sorry to hear how uncomfortable your dog is. Let me first say that I am not a vet, so you're still going to need your vet's help to figure out the cause of the recurring infections and the facial rash. However, I do have some ideas to share with you.

This could actually be a food allergy. Food allergies can cause chronic ear infections as well as skin rashes that first appear on the face, and then gradually work their way across the entire body. A vet has to test for these allergies in order to find exactly which food(s) causes the reaction. Once identified, the food substance can be eliminated from the dog's diet, and the symptoms should fade within a month or so as the allergen clears from the dog's body.

As a second thought, an environmental allergy could also produce similar symptoms. Pollens, molds, chemicals in carpeting and other household products can produce infections and rashes.

There's also a chance there has been a slight misdiagnosis in your dog's case, and this is part of the trial and error process of reaching the correct diagnosis. If your vet believes this is a bacterial infection, it might actually be a fungal infection such as yeast. Fungal infections do not respond to antibiotics; they require an antifungal medication to defeat the infection. An antibiotic might help clear up a secondary bacterial infection, but since it doesn't address the fungus, symptoms recurr.

All three of these scenarios are worth discussing with your vet. If the possibility of allergies can be eliminated, there is a surgical procedure that involves removing the ear canals. This is the last resort for chronic ear infections that don't respond to any other course of treatment.

I hope these thoughts somehow lead to a resolution your dog's ear problems and rash. Best wishes for your pet's health. - posted by:Kelly

I'm sorry to hear about your dog's condition. It's so frustrating to know our pets are suffering, but not know how to help them.

First, let's talk about the ears. Has your vet ever flushed them out? This does a better job than normal cleaning, and it does the dual job of allowing the ear drops to get deeper into the canal where pockets of bacteria might continue to exist, as well as promoting better air circulation. If your vet has never flushed the ears, I think you should ask him to do so. Sometimes, even this treatment isn't successful in finally stopping a chronic infection. In the most severe cases, the canal is surgically removed to prevent reinfection. This is a last resort, but it's also something to discuss with your vet if deep cleaning and medicating don't resolve the infection.

When you call the vet about the recurrent infection, be sure to report the lack of stools. Your dog may not feel like eating because the pain in his ear is worse when he chews, but he might also have developed a case of constipation. Your vet will want to check him out either way.

Thanks for your questions, and I hope this info gives you a better idea of how to help your pet. Best wishes for his full and speedy recovery. - posted by:Kelly

I think this sounds like a deep and advanced ear infection. You mentioned you've treated your dog for an ear infection, but have you taken your dog to the vet? If not, you should do so right away. If you have, it's time to take your dog in for another check. The vet has the ability to flush out the ear canal to remove as much of the infection as possible so the ear medication can have a greater effect. This will also allow the vet to get a better look at what's going on inside the canal. If there is too much damage, the canal may have to be surgically removed, but let's hope it hasn't come to that.

Ear infections can cause excruciating pain, so please visit the vet right away. Best wishes for your dog's health. - posted by:Kelly

This could be related to a food allergy since you recently changed your dog's diet. Did the sores crop up while your dog was on the other brand? How long has it been since you switched him back to his regular food? It usually takes weeks for an allergen to be completely expunged from a dog's system before the allergy symptoms disappear, so it's not a sure thing that the food was the culprit. You said you noticed the sores today, but that they have crusted over and look less inflammed in the proceeding hours. I wouldn't rule out some sort of infection or mite infestation since your dog has been shaking his head. Dermatitis is often secondary to the initial cause of the irritation. Whatever the source of the sores is, the best thing you can do for your dog is let your vet scope the ears to see what is going on deeper inside. Ear maladies can be quite painful and irritating, and your dog may require medication to bring his ears back to full health.

Thanks for your question, and I hope your dog recovers very quickly. - posted by:Kelly

This a great question. Yes, it does sound like your dog has an issue with at least one of his ears. However, it is necessary to find out if this is due to an ear infection of some type, bacterial, fungal, etc., or if it is due to a parasitic infection. The best thing you can do is take your dog to the vet for an examnination. The vet will take a look in your both of your dog's ears, assessing the conditions and whatever debris might have accumulated in there. Next, he will thoroughly clean both ears and then take a deeper look. If the vet finds ear mites, he'll fill your dog's ears with miticide medication to kill off the infestation. If it turns out to be some type of infection, your vet will use the appropriate medication to relieve it such as an antibiotic or antifugal. You will likely be asked to continue cleaning out your dog's ears and applying the medication for about a week to completely get rid of the problem. When you do this, be sure you don't use the same swabs in both ears. Alway use fresh swabs on each ear and wash your hands between ears so you don't transfere bacteria/mites from one ear to the other.

As for Neosporin, it's good to use on sores, but I wouldn't try to use it in your dog's ears. At this point, you can't be certain you need an antibiotic, and the Neosporin won't go down in the canal very well. Essentially, you could just wind up reducing the amount of air flow in the canal and make the problem worse. If your friend finds a need to put Neosporin in his dog's ears all the time, it probably hasn't been effective.

Thanks for your question, and I hope your dog feels better soon. - posted by:Kelly

This is a good question, but one that need to be answered cautiously.

It is always safest to consult your vet about any pain medication you want to give your dog. Some human meds are okay for dogs within reason, while others can do real damage.

Both aspirin and acetominophen are sometimes prescribed to help dogs in pain, but each carries risks. Aspirin can irritate the stomach and even cause ulcers. Acetominophen can cause liver damage. It's important that these medications are given in low doses to avoid problems, and for this you need your vet's help in calculating the correct dosage for your dog's weight.

Ibuprophen should never be used for dogs because it causes severe stomach distress.

Now that we've addressed medication, I'd like to talk about your dog's chronic ear infections. Sometimes vets recommend surgical removal of the ear canal for dogs that truly suffer chronic ear problems. If your dog has been getting infections for years, you may want to discuss this possibility with your vet.

Thanks for your question, and I hope you find this information helpful. Best wishes for your dog's speedy recovery. - posted by:Kelly

Generally speaking, the ears of most German Shepherd pups will begin to stand around eight to ten weeks of age. However, there is usually some flopping while the pups go through their teething. This usually occurs somewhere between four to five months old. Once teething is accomplished, the ears usually come up and remain that way.

All of that is the generalization. In reality, different bloodlines can begin perking up earlier or later. Some even have perpetual problems with getting the ears to stand. In most cases, if the ears aren't showing any signs of perking up by five months old, it's a good idea to consult a vet about having them taped upright to encourage the cartilage to firm in the standing position. If an owner waits much longer than this to address the problem, the ears may never stand erect on their own.

Thanks for your question, and I hope you find this information helpful. :) - posted by:Kelly

Sorry about that. I accidentally deleted my reply to you. You'll find my answer posted with your similar comment at Dog Skin Problems.

Thanks for your patience. :) - posted by:Kelly

I'm so sorry to hear about what your dog is going through. It is very curious that both your dog and your sister's dog developed problems after starting on the Beneful. It's possible the entire situation could be related to a food allergy, but it usually takes more than two weeks to see the reaction build up and show symptoms. I'd ask your vet's opinion about whether the food might have been the cause.

I recommend you allow the specialist to do a deep scope of the ear. Just as you suspect, your vet also wants to know if there has been permanent damage to the canal. The scope will reveal exactly what is going on. Keep in mind that I'm not a vet, but I do know a breeder who had a Chihuahua that developed a massive ear infection. Even after recovery, she always carried her head with a tilt. Hopefully, the vets will be able to cure your dog's infection and prevent his tilt from becoming permanent.

I think you'll find the following articles will give you a better idea of the inner workings of your dog's ear.

• A Dog's Ears
• Dog Ear Infections

Thanks for sharing your situation, and I do hope it has a happy ending. Best wishes. - posted by:Kelly

I'm sorry to hear that your dogs are being plagued by flies. Here is a link to a veterinary supply that sells various repellants.

VetVax.com

Read closely, because some are for horses while others are for dogs. I don't know if any of the repellents made for horses would harm a dog, but that is something you can check on with your vet.

As for treating the ears, it's important to clean them with mild soap because flies transport germs. Bag balm is a good product for providing a protective covering to sores, but it might interfere with applying the repellent. My advice is to choose the product you want to try, and then call your vet for further advice before you order it. Hopefully this will allow you to bring your dogs some much needed relief. It would also be good to let them spend part of the day indoors if that is possible.

Thanks for your questions, and I hope you're able to quickly get the situation in hand. - posted by:Kelly

It sounds very much like your dog has an ear infection. Although you are seeing pus near the flaps, it could very likely be oozing up from the canal below.

Ear infections that have reached the puss stage are usually rather advanced. They can be quite irritating and often very painful. This is basically why your dog has been shaking and rubbing so much, trying to get some relief.

It's very important that you let your vet examine your dog. The vet will probably want to flush out your dog's ears to remove most of the bacteria and pus. Once this is done, the vet can take a better look inside if the canal hasn't swollen too much. Your vet will probably fill your dog's ears with medication and give you an antibiotic to keep him on for seven to ten days.

Left untreated, an ear infection can do so much damage that it can affect a dog's hearing, so it's important to have your dog examined, given the extent of the symptoms.

Thank you for your question, and I do hope your dog is feeling better soon. - posted by:Kelly

Although your dog's ear is not a red as it was, the fact that it has not completely returned to normal coloring indicates that there is still some level of infection/infeststation going on inside.

Personally, I would take your dog back to your vet for a follow up visit. Twelve days is a long time to treat this type of illness, and it may be necessary for your vet to flush out your dog's ear and take a closer look at what's going on.

Thanks for your question, and I hope this suggestion brings you closer to a cure. - posted by:Kelly