Golden Retriever with HORRIBLE Ear Problems. Help!

archibald1 · 03-29-2007, 05:01 PM

My family owns a four year old golden retriever that has had chronic ear infection issues for the last 1.5 years or so. We have consulted dog breeders and we have also tried many medicines including home remedies.

The inside of the ear looks as described: Dark blue (Slightly bruised maybe from the itching?), red, very irritated, scabbed & often bloody from dog's tendency to itch, and a bacteria-looking infection that has red dots & is yellow in color. In this awful package a terrible smell is also included.

Like I said earlier, we have tried many medicines and remedies; My aunt is a golden breeder and let us borrow the medicine she uses on her dogs' ears, for hers get frequent infections as well. We did NOT get our dog from her.

I would like to know a few things: Does this condition appear in almost all 'floppy-eared' breeds? Will this affect our dog's hearing in the long-run? Is there more I can do to prevent/treat the infections? Is there a dang panacea for this bothersome infection?!

This infection bothers my dog very much... He is always stopping to sit down to itch either ear, he is often releasing a terrible smell from his inner-ear, and he is ALWAYS shaking his head. I figure this could have a significant mental or emotional impact if the condition recurs.

Please help!
Thanks a lot!

cshellenberger · 03-29-2007, 05:17 PM

Breeds with floppy ears do tend to have more problems with ear infections. Have you had the ear cultured so you know WHAT type of infection it is? It could be bacterial, yeast, viral or a combination of any or all. Unless ther is a culture done, you may not be useing the right meds.

The dog may require Prednisone in addition to topical and other oral medications. You shouldn't borrow meds for your dog any more than you would for yourself.

In addition, sometimes, especially with Yeast infections, the root causes are food or seasonal allergies. Getting away from foods with corn, wheat, soy, by products, and beef will help to prevent and clear up such infections. All that I have named are common allergens in dog food.

Yes, I've had my share of experience with ear infections with my pug, bulldog and Mastiff. Changing to a high quality food helps, as does getting a correct diagnoses and treatment of the problem.

squirt1968 · 03-29-2007, 06:00 PM

I agree that a high quality food is number one for health. I feed some raw, I get it from my grange supply store and her kibbles WELLNESS. There are many good ones just don't look for them at the grocery store. Pet stores feed stores are a good source to check out. Maybe try a different vet?
Good luck Karen

Alpha · 03-29-2007, 11:14 PM

I've got 2 floppy eared dogs and we've never had a problem

*knocks on wood*

I've told the story before and I'll tell it again.

My parents adopted a Mastiff X from the humane society who had chronic yeast infections. At least once every month for a week he stunk and they had to hold him down and give him ear drops.

They moved up a step in food and they *magically* stopped. Hasn't had an infection in months now.

It is possible that this could affect her hearing if you let it continue without treating it.

I agree witch cshellenburger, get a diagnoses, fix the problem now and change the food.

archibald1 · 03-30-2007, 01:12 AM

Thanks a lot for replying, everyone. I will suggest getting the 'infection' cultured to my family. We are also putting him on new food next week!

Keep the replies coming!

Ginny01OT · 03-30-2007, 01:00 PM

My dog had terrible ear infections--I had them cultured and nothing unusual was detected post culture. Based on the recommendations from my vet I took away all rawhide. Except for raw meaty bones I do not give him any beef, he is on a lamb kibble (timberwolf organics) that I mix with raw food (natures variety prairie). The vet gave me oticalm solution to clean his ears, I use cotton balls--which I had to do daily when he had the infections and his medication was switched from Otibiotic Ointment to Tresaderm. The Tresaderm worked wonders. That all seemed to work and he has been ear infection free for almost six months now. (At this point in time I clean his ears once or twice a month but just putting the Oticalm on a cotton ball and wiping his ears, then making sure it is dry by using other cotton balls to blot out the moisture.