# Ear Infection/Cleaning



## LoveLucy (Mar 18, 2012)

OK, I wasn't sure whether to post this under "health" or "grooming." Lucy has her second ear infection (first one was right after I got her in February). She's going back tomorrow for her 2-week check, so she has been on the meds for 2 weeks. I've been using a medicated cleanser that's supposed to be good for both yeast and bacteria (sorry, I don't have the name of it) followed by a prescription ear drop (mometamax). I'm hoping there will be some improvement today, but she is still shaking her head frequently, so I don't know. Her ears LOOK and SMELL nice and clean and healthy--not like my previous dogs ears used to look and smell when they had infections. The "gunk" that the vet found was WAY down in the ear canal, so I can only hope I've been getting the medicine way down in there--I've been very diligent and really worked on it. So I have TWO questions:

1) This vet, who I really trust, seems to think that pulling the hair in the ear canal (which he says she has a lot of) is a double-sided sword, in that, removing the hair helps keep the ear clean, but he says removing the hair can also irritate and inflame the ear canal and cause problems. (sometimes I think he actually OVER thinks things, while my previous vet UNDER thought things.) Does anyone else have opinions on this? I'm sure the groomer takes out the hair at the opening, but, according to the vet, she seems to have hair all the down in her ear canal.

2) A side effect of all this medicating/ear cleaning, is that Lucy's ears are turning into slimy hanging clumps of grease. BOTH of the medications are greasy. Then when she shakes her head, the grease gets on her head. And then I pet her (I try to avoid the greasy parts, but well...you know how pettable these dogs are), the grease gets on the rest of her. I have actually bathed her 3 times, using Dawn (carefully, so as not to get it in her eyes) since this fiasco started. I am being VERY careful about putting cotton balls in her ears, and I replace with a new one everytime she shakes one out), but I'm worried all this bathing is making her ears worse. And even with all that, she is STILL greasy. Between that and her tear stains....well let's just say she looks like a neglected little dog. 

Anyone have any advice as to a non-greasy medication/cleaner that might help and/or how to get her CLEAN? I remember she eventually recovered from her last greasy episode after a few baths using Dawn (which my previous Vet recommended), but she's kind of gross to live with in the meantime. :mellow: Besides which, I worry about whether all this Dawn could possibly be good for her. She's a dog, not a greasy pan. I really appreciate any suggestions anybody has.


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## StevieB (Feb 2, 2012)

Steve came to me with nasty infections in both ears. My vet is also not an advocate of pulling out the ear hairs. I think the greasiness is from the medicine, not the cleaner, so I think once you're done with the medicine you won't have that problem anymore. The ear cleanser I use one from my vet and it does not make him greasy, I use it after his bath when he's still wet. There was a recent thread on ear cleaning started by Sammies Mom and it was really good, had lots of recommendations for ear cleaners so check that one out! You should be using the ear cleanser after her baths because it helps to dry out her ears. Hopefully that will prevent future infections! Steve hasn't had another one since we got rid of the first ones, and I don't pull out the ear hairs and I'm not overly careful when bathing him.


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## LoveLucy (Mar 18, 2012)

Thanks, Celeta. I'll go back and read that thread again. Unfortunately, THIS cleaner is also greasy, so I definitely need to change cleaners. It's a medicated cleaner that was given to me by the former vet, and this vet agreed that it would be good since it is medicated for both bacterial and yeast infection. He said her's was a combination. It's funny because she doesn't really scratch too much, it's mostly the head shaking. Poor baby. I guess I'll just let her slide her way through life until I get this taken care of, then I'll try de-greasing her with Dawn. Once her ears are healthy I'll switch to a non-greasy cleaner.


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## juzelzei (Oct 4, 2012)

Hello. Coton have ear infection before but his vet gave him a cleanser amd ear drop medication and after a few weeks everything is back to a normal ear.But sometimes he scartch his ears and i will drop him again a ear drop medication and his vet give him triotic ear med and it's anti itch too. try to ask your vet if he can get that instead. For taking a bath make sure you cover his both ears in your hand make sure it's tighly cover im doing that to coton and the water dont go inside his ears. And after bath make sure you dry his ears first with cotton balls or dry towel or use a blow dry but make sure its cold and dont let it close to his ears they will freak out and flip the ears so it will dry more. And when puting a medication rub the ears for 30 to 60 seconds to make sure the med went inside the ears. Hope this will help. For the greasy stuff just wipe it with warm water or just use wipes.


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## I love Lucy (Oct 25, 2012)

My dog's name is Lucy too! I have been using EcoEars for many years as a cleanser and to fight ear infections. It's not greasy and it works well. You can also use this after you give her a bath. I hope this helps.

Ps. I think it's sold at Amazon.


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## LoveLucy (Mar 18, 2012)

I love Lucy said:


> My dog's name is Lucy too! I have been using EcoEars for many years as a cleanser and to fight ear infections. It's not greasy and it works well. You can also use this after you give her a bath. I hope this helps.
> 
> Ps. I think it's sold at Amazon.


Aww...thanks. I will look for it at Amazon. We both love a Lucy! Her vet appt. was good today--he even let me look at the inside of her ears on a big computer screen--his "ear-looker-atter" (yeah, I know those technical terms B)) was somehow hooked up to the computer. Anyway, they looked great, but she still shakes her head--probably to get all the medication out.


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## LoveLucy (Mar 18, 2012)

Do you have photos of your Lucy?


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## BradyLily (Sep 9, 2009)

Ok. So now I'm going through the same thing with Lily. I brought her to the vet about 3 weeks ago to have her teeth cleaned. The vet had to pull 5 of her bottom teeth in the front between her 2 lower canines because he said they were loose. So he cleaned her teeth and when I picked her up, her hair was very wavy. I asked why and they said she got wet from the water used when they cleaned her teeth. 2 weeks later, her ears smell like cheese!! I called the vet and he said she probably has an ear infection. I've had Lily for 5 years and never had an ear infection. I'm thinking water got in her ears when they cleaned her teeth. So, $32.00 later for the ear pump(meds) and her ears are so greasy!! I gave her a bath last night and she still looks like a punk rocker from the 80's!!! My groomer is coming tonight, (mobile groomer) and I'm hoping she can get the oil off her fur. I'm thinking I should purchase a small bottle of Dawn and give it to her tonight. Any suggestions??


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## Yogi's Mom (Jan 6, 2013)

*Hello From Pa--1 mo after i got Yogi His Ears Smelled And He itched them went to the vet to begin shots--this is what he gave me. Epi-Otic Advance cleaner Drying Agent--Well 2 weeks later went back vet put him on K-O-T drops very gressy and stained the hair pink....I jst Put up with it untill i felt he was better--he did kook scruffy!!!! But Itching Stoped And All Was Well--I didnt Bath Him While He Had This-Iwas afraid i guess. I Use J&J Baby Shampoo On His Face All The Time Even Daily Wash ups. About tear stains. Well I Found That Bottled Water Made A Big Differance for him.*
*Hope Maybe I Helped--GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!*


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## LoveLucy (Mar 18, 2012)

BradyLily said:


> Ok. So now I'm going through the same thing with Lily. I brought her to the vet about 3 weeks ago to have her teeth cleaned. The vet had to pull 5 of her bottom teeth in the front between her 2 lower canines because he said they were loose. So he cleaned her teeth and when I picked her up, her hair was very wavy. I asked why and they said she got wet from the water used when they cleaned her teeth. 2 weeks later, her ears smell like cheese!! I called the vet and he said she probably has an ear infection. I've had Lily for 5 years and never had an ear infection. I'm thinking water got in her ears when they cleaned her teeth. So, $32.00 later for the ear pump(meds) and her ears are so greasy!! I gave her a bath last night and she still looks like a punk rocker from the 80's!!! My groomer is coming tonight, (mobile groomer) and I'm hoping she can get the oil off her fur. I'm thinking I should purchase a small bottle of Dawn and give it to her tonight. Any suggestions??


The thing I found that works the best is the kind of Dawn that comes in a pump bottle and it delivers the soap in a foam. MUCH easier to distribute onto the ear fur and easier to rinse out. I found it took about three baths using the foaming Dawn, followed by conditioning shampoo and conditioner to have her back to looking like her normal self. I also am now meticulous about putting cotton in her ears when I'm bathing her. I keep extras by the tub so that when she shakes one out I can immediately replace it. I hate ear infections.


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## BradyLily (Sep 9, 2009)

LoveLucy said:


> The thing I found that works the best is the kind of Dawn that comes in a pump bottle and it delivers the soap in a foam. MUCH easier to distribute onto the ear fur and easier to rinse out. I found it took about three baths using the foaming Dawn, followed by conditioning shampoo and conditioner to have her back to looking like her normal self. I also am now meticulous about putting cotton in her ears when I'm bathing her. I keep extras by the tub so that when she shakes one out I can immediately replace it. I hate ear infections.


Thanks for the help Gail. :aktion033: I will stop on my way home from work and pick up the Dawn pump soap and give it to my groomer when she comes tonight. If she is still greasy, I will wait a day or 2 and try it again. This is the first ear infection I've had to deal with and I feel so bad for her. I will always use cotton balls when bathing her and make sure I tell the vet next year when she gets her teeth cleaned again!


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