Help - goopy nasty dog ears.

My huskey mix has some sort of something that's not good going on in her left ear.  I noticed over the last few days that it was bothering her a little.  She was scratching and shaking her head. When I checked out her ears the left ear had some dry crusty old looking discharge in it but nothing really excessive.  The right ear looked pretty normal although she did have some chunks of doggie-ear wax.  So I just left things alone.  Last night she was really shaking her head a lot so I checked out here ears again and the left ear has a lot of runny, goopy, clumpy down in it.  I swabbed some out to check it out better and it's got kind of an opaque flesh colour to it.  It has a slight odor but nothing excessive.  I'm thinking yeast maybe?  I know it happens frequently to floppy eared dogs that like to swim (Lili is neither - she has well furred prick ears attached high on her head and she hates to swim).   We have had very little rain lately and as far as I know her ears haven't been wet at all.  That said, I know these things happen and sometimes for no apparent reason . . . .

Sounds like yeast to me. It's a very painful thing for a dog because of the swelling and loss of equilibrium, so I take em to the vet to get rid of it quickly. Yeast will also eventually  make the ear thick and hot.

I just found this recipe all over the internet... according to the comments, it does a good job. Just another treatment to consider. It is said to work whether bacterial or fungal (yeasty) in origin, but I can't vouch for that, as I've never heard of it until today!

If the ears are sore or irritated, do not use as it will sting. Most dogs will not object to even the first treatment. The Boric Acid Powder soothes the ear. The Gentian Violet is an anti-infection agent. Be careful where you do it - preferably outside - as it stains fabrics and white cupboards, etc.!

INGREDIENTS: (all should be available at a pharmacy)
16 Oz. Isopropyl Alcohol (or Witch Hazel, but I personally haven't tried it)
4 Tablespoons Boric Acid Powder
16 Drops Gentian Violet Solution 1%

Mix in a bottle and shake well (every time you use it). I apply with an eye dropper into the ear canal, massage gently for 60 seconds and wipe with a tissue. Apply a second time, wipe with a tissue and leave alone without massage. The dog will shake out the excess, which can be wiped with a tissue.

Schedule:
Treat twice a day for 1-2 weeks depending upon severity of ears
Treat once a day for the next 1-2 weeks
Treat once month (or even less frequently as needed)

The solution appears to work well on any and all ear problems from mites to wax to canker. After the 2nd or 3rd day you can clean out the ear with a Q-tip or cotton balls. The success rate for this treatment is 95-99%. Those who do not succeed have usually not done the treatment long enough or have not been regular about it.

Dogs on the verge of ear canal surgery have been returned to normal with only the regular follow-up treatment to keep the ear healthy. If an infection seems to be remaining in the treated ear after the above course of treatment, you may also have some Pseudomonas bacteria in the site. This can be eradicated by using a gentle flush of raw apple cider vinegar and water (warm). Use 2 tablespoons of vinegar to one cup of water, 2 x per week.

They have found the Blue Power Solution to be effective for treating fungus-type infections on the feet and elsewhere on the dog, for cuts on dogs or people and for hot spots. You may find other uses for this simple anti-infective agent. Remember it is for external use only and be careful not to get into the eyes.

Be careful.

Our family had a large dog who had some of your dog's symptoms, it was "diagnosed" as an infection.  We took the vet's word for it and just tried to treat it, for years.   It turned out, when we went to another vet, that he had cancer in his ear and by that time it was un-treatable, and he had to be put down.

Your dog probably just has something eminently treatable and will do fine, but you might also want to get a second opinion.

Could be mites.  Those are easily fixed, but remember that you have to repeat the treatment in a few weeks to get the newly-hatched ones.

Edited by WVgal - 26 September 2007 at 10:41pm