ear infecton?

lillie20 · 07-05-2009, 05:53 PM

My dog is just finishing antibiotics for skin infection. I now believe he has developed an ear infection. Head shaking, scratching, etc. What should I do now, is already on antibiotics which maybe caused it. Not sure if yeast and how to treat?

Xie · 07-05-2009, 06:26 PM

Generally ear infections in dogs are not the same as ear infections in people. People get ear infections within the middle ear (otitis media), so antibiotics taken by mouth are the only way to get rid of them.

With dogs ear infections are generally of the outer ear (otitis externa) and need a medication meant to be put into the ear. With dogs ear infections can come from a variety of sources including getting the ear wet (has your dog had a bath recently?), from long floppy ears that don't allow good air circulation (extremely common in labs and beagles and breeds with ears like that), and recurrent ear infections can come from allergies.

The medication that your dog was on will do nothing to help with an ear infection. I would have your dog seen by a vet so you can get the proper medication prescribed as it could be a yeast, bacterial, or mite infection. Each of those infections require a different medication.

ptoot · 07-06-2009, 10:02 PM

I have a gsd that gets frequent ear infections and have had success with a drop or 2 cooking oil in the ear to make him more comfortable until I can get into the vets office.The oil seems to help the ear drain better as odd as that sounds.Good luck!

daleB · 07-07-2009, 11:45 AM

Hello,

Well there is a number of questions that I would ask you if I met you at a pet store or event.

The first question I would as is the age of your dog. Then I would want to know what you've been using as a food.

The reason I ask that is because a bit of a red flag goes up when you say that your dog is getting infections and the infections are jumping around.

First a skin infection and then a ear infection? I'm not a vet nor do I want to be pretend to be one. However, I've had similar conversations with 1000's of pet owners over the years.

Your dog may be trying to tell you something.

I myself am suspect of the over use of antibiotics for the sake of an antibiotic. You may need to dig deeper than treating the symptom and look at treating the source.

How long have these infections been going on. Is it during a certain time of year? There is a lot to consider.

I worry that just treating the symptom without getting a line on the source may end up with you chasing your own tail.

Also, excessive use of antibiotics are having a big impact on creating resistant strains that don't respond to them.

Just my thoughts.

lillie20 · 07-07-2009, 08:27 PM

Initial infection was due to injury, cut on skin. Only had one ear infection and is over 2 yrs. Noticed today, ear seems to flutter. Not sure what that is? Going to vet in am.