Golden

[Tywais]

I have a Golden Retriever who has chronic ear infections. It happens so often the vet taught my wife the proper way to treat it. The problem has returned but my wife is out of town for several days and I feel as miserable as he does seeing him in distress. He keeps his head tilted to one side and often heavily shakes it. A very dark drainage is coming out and smells quite bad.

Doing research on the Internet seems to be contradictory information on how to clean it (besides taken to a vet). Will this combination work: Isopropyl alcohol, boric acid, vinegar and water. Use eye dropper to place in canal and gently rub it in then use cotton buds to clean it out. I know about problems using cue tips. Then soak the cotton bud in the mixture and wipe all areas around the ear and trim the hair off. Would appreciate any advise regarding this. At the moment can't take him to the vet - transport problems.

Some say not to use hydrogen peroxide, drys the ear too much.

[Jet Gorgon]

Know your distress, Ty. Floppy ear dogs often get ear infections. Mine did.

Never used hydrogen peroxide. The vet has drops for ear mites and infections, but as you cannot get there, maybe use saline solution on a cotton pad to clean the ear area everyday. The pharmacies might have some ear drops that will work, too. I'm sure the animal carers will have better suggestions. Hope you find a solution.

[elfe]

this sounds like a very severe ear infection, there are many types of bacteria and reasons. one of my german shepherds had the same when i took him in and had to have surgery, nothing else helped anymore, the infection was too deep inside and couldn't be cured with antibiotics, twice cleaning daily etc.

i would suggest until you can get to a vet, cut all the hair around ear as short as possible, use non-alcoholic cleaning solution, drip a bit into the ear and rub gently, try carefully with cottonball pieces and q tips to remove discharge. get some ear drops and apply. mind you there are different kinds of drops for different infections, some won't work for your dog so it is very important to have the vet check very soon. the ear infection causes horrible pain, maybe you can give some painkiller. get some negasunt powder to spread around ear and also little inside ear to keep off flies and kill maggots, as flies like to place eggs in smelly ears, maybe already maggots in his ears, that's why so much discharge, very possible. take to vet as soon as possible.

to all: always watch the ears of your dog carefully and keep them clean, once infected ( usually after mites could stay long time untreated or water got inside ear) it is very painful and very hard to treat, many times only surgery will help which is very difficult and includes a long and tiring treatment after.

[Tywais]

Thanks all for the responses. I know there are some cleaning drops that the vet gave us but haven't been able to find them yet, will look more today. There is an interesting behavior pattern with him. He is my wife's dog in the sense she raised and trained him and he is always more playful and excited when she is around. I believe part of that is he knows I'm the alpha of the house (don't let the wife know though)

However, whenever he is not well he hovers around me all the time and not the wife. Last evening, he pushed the screen door open (rare he will come in without being invited) and came in and lay down by my feet at the computer desk. If I walked somewhere he will be in lock step with me following me everywhere. This makes me feel even worse though in it appears he is looking to me to help him out of his problem. I'm going to use your advise and work on his ear when I get back. He didn't eat anything last night, not a good sign.

[ozymandious]

Some Vets carry an ear cleaning solution in their establishments that you can buy.

I bought from my vet one called OTI-Clens (pls excuse my spelling of the ingredients)

Prurified water

propylene glycol

malic acid

menthol citronella fragrence

salliciylic acid

benzoic acid

simethicone

Made by Pfyzer (SP?)

Be sure the solution goes in good then be sure to massage the base of the ear real well, along the cheek/jaw bone and kneed the area.

Then stand back as your golden will shake out what ever comes loose and then go in with the cotton buds/Q-tips.

I don't know the best home made remedy is....

If i had to guess maybe a high water-low isoprofic alcohol % mix (I'm not a vet or any expert)

[ozymandious]

Found a home remedy solution for Labradors but should work for other drop ear dogs

16 oz. bottle isopropyl alcohol (or witch hazel)

4 tablespoons Boric Acid Powder

16 drops Gentian Violet 1% Solution

Source: http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/ears.html

Get the dog to a Vet as soon as you can

[Tywais]

Found a home remedy solution for Labradors but should work for other drop ear dogs

16 oz. bottle isopropyl alcohol (or witch hazel)

4 tablespoons Boric Acid Powder

16 drops Gentian Violet 1% Solution

Source: http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/ears.html

Get the dog to a Vet as soon as you can

Thanks, that's one of the formulas I found too. Trying to contact her sister to see if they can arrange a vet visit. Worried about Songkran and if any will be open now.

[BambinA]

1)Clean the pinna(s) (u can use gauze/cotton ball soak with H2O2 for getting debris off.

2)Clean the ear canal(s) from anatomy of ear in dog ..It's L shape..So u can clean at only Vertical cananl (dont worry can insert the Q tip all it's long ..)

**** and from the "L" shape .That why you will see recurrent infection. You may see the sign is improve but its only at Vertical canal **** for otitis externa i recommend you to use "antibioti ear drop for 3 mths

- ear cleanser solution .. you can buy from petshop .U can also use boric acid

3)antibiotic ear drop ..U can buy human product such as

- oto-3-thong

- s.m oto

(furaltadane HCl/Pokymyxin B SO4/Neomycin/Fludrocortisone and Lidocaine)

drop 2 times a day for 3 mth

4) Antibiotic = 2 weeks

- Norfloxacin 20 mg/kg 2 times a day (b4 meal)

or

-Sulfa-trimethoprim 30 mg /kg 2 times a day

5)Prednisolone 5 mg = 1wk

1 tab, 2 times a day ,after meal

The lesion will be improve in 1-3 days

PS. if you have any Question ..you can call me ..I will pm u ..(in case you wife want to consult with me)

Edited April 11, 2007 by BambinA

[Old Man River]

Thanks all for the responses. I know there are some cleaning drops that the vet gave us but haven't been able to find them yet, will look more today. There is an interesting behavior pattern with him. He is my wife's dog in the sense she raised and trained him and he is always more playful and excited when she is around. I believe part of that is he knows I'm the alpha of the house (don't let the wife know though)

However, whenever he is not well he hovers around me all the time and not the wife. Last evening, he pushed the screen door open (rare he will come in without being invited) and came in and lay down by my feet at the computer desk. If I walked somewhere he will be in lock step with me following me everywhere. This makes me feel even worse though in it appears he is looking to me to help him out of his problem. I'm going to use your advise and work on his ear when I get back. He didn't eat anything last night, not a good sign.

Tywais, you can get the OTIC solution at almost any pet shop, although not at grocery stores that sell pet supplies. In Bangkok, I have had no problem finding it and I would think the same for you in Chiang Mai. Also, there are several brands to choose from, although I don't know what the differences are, if any. Of course, take the dog to the Vet as soon as you can to get the antibiotics. Our golden had one ear infection, but now that we clean her ears out twice per week with the OTIC solution, she hasn't had any re-occurences.

[Tywais]

Tywais, you can get the OTIC solution at almost any pet shop,

Thanks for that info. Am going to try and locate it for future use. Still waiting to see if the sister can pick him up for the vets. Obviously I now have to learn the proper ear care for him.

Thanks Bambi also for the usual very useful and detailed information.

[Old Man River]

1)Clean the pinna(s) (u can use gauze/cotton ball soak with H2O2 for getting debris off.

2)Clean the ear canal(s) from anatomy of ear in dog ..It's L shape..So u can clean at only Vertical cananl (dont worry can insert the Q tip all it's long ..)

**** and from the "L" shape .That why you will see recurrent infection. You may see the sign is improve but its only at Vertical canal **** for otitis externa i recommend you to use "antibioti ear drop for 3 mths

- ear cleanser solution .. you can buy from petshop .U can also use boric acid

3)antibiotic ear drop ..U can buy human product such as

- oto-3-thong

- s.m oto

(furaltadane HCl/Pokymyxin B SO4/Neomycin/Fludrocortisone and Lidocaine)

drop 2 times a day for 3 mth

4) Antibiotic = 2 weeks

- Norfloxacin 20 mg/kg 2 times a day (b4 meal)

or

-Sulfa-trimethoprim 30 mg /kg 2 times a day

5)Prednisolone 5 mg = 1wk

1 tab, 2 times a day ,after meal

The lesion will be improve in 1-3 days

PS. if you have any Question ..you can call me ..I will pm u ..(in case you wife want to consult with me)

Bambina, while my golden hasn't had any more ear infections, I do worry about them as she is in the yard every day. As explained, we clean her ears out twice per week with OTIC solution. However, would it be advisable to put some of the oto-3-thong or s.m. oto antibiotic ear drops in once per month or more as a prevention?

[BambinA]

However, would it be advisable to put some of the oto-3-thong or s.m. oto antibiotic ear drops in once per month or more as a prevention?

I think it's not necessary to use antibiotic ear drop for preventing the infectection because

1) waste your money

2)ATB will kill normal flora in ear

[Tywais]

Finally found the cleaning solutions my wife stashed away. One is from the doctor called Auro-Kleen and has:

Alcohol

Propylene Glycol

Glycerin

Salicylic Acid (Asprin)

Lactic Acid

Tea Tree Oil

Another I bought is Sleeky Ear Care Lotion and has:

Propylene Glycol

Malic Acid

Benzoic Acid

Salicylic Acid

Have the cotton swabs and cue tips already and will try to do the job now. Don't know how still he will be trying to do it. Another worrying thing is he won't eat now - maybe just too miserable?

[bina]

if not eating, take his temp and check for fever... sorry cant remeber temp for dog, just for goats at moment! .. . your golden not eating means that it hurts terribly, maybe abscess and needs to take antibiotics and not just ear cleaning...

u can use human antibiotice pills on dogs; plus ear drops that are for ear infections for children...

pm bambina for which anti biotic pills u might have in the house and start them now. today.

give some kind of aspirin or ibrofren/optalgin/dyparone (not paracetamol)

there might be some ear drops for babies that releive the pain as a topical anesthetic (something with the word 'caine' at the end)...

for homeopathic, try calendula oil

bambi,i think norflox the same as baytril??? baytril for animals is sold in most large animal /agriculture shops i saw in thailand maybe u can find oral solution (its broad spectrum antibiotic usually used when ntohing more specific works: can be used on dogs but not sure if there are pills, its usually oral for fowl and injectable for ruminants dogs etc)

and treat for ear mites; clean ears after swims, etc. same as childrens' ears

[BambinA]

if not eating, take his temp and check for fever... sorry cant remeber temp for dog, just for goats at moment! .. .

about 102F

give some kind of aspirin or ibrofren/optalgin/dyparone (not paracetamol)

Paracetamol is ok for dog but not for cat ( 10 mg/ kg dog) .. hepatoxic .. dont use it often

there might be some ear drops for babies that releive the pain as a topical anesthetic (something with the word 'caine' at the end)...

yes... its local anesthesia drug .. make nump ... ohh but not for COCAINE

bambi,i think norflox the same as baytril???

No .. Generic name = Enrofloxacin (5mg /kg)

Brand name = Baytril et al(Baytirl is for injection)

Go to the drug store and ask for the generic name"norfloxacin" there are 100 200 and 400 mg in tablets

Ciprofloxacin(25mg/kg) is other generation(fluoroquinolone group) .. more expensive.. but u can start with Norfloxacin

This ABO is good for gram negative bacteria ..(this kind of bact makes flatid smell)

Edited April 11, 2007 by BambinA

[Tywais]

Things are looking good now. My wife drove back from Chon Buri last night and just arrived. He was in good spirits again upon seeing 'mom'. Soon as she opened the car door he jumped right in knowing he is going to the vet. They're on there way now. Thanks to all for the information and support and will be showing this information to her in order to better deal with the problem in the future and use preventative measures.

--A relieved Tywais

[draggons]

Hope the pooch is ok now.

I have a 6 month old golden and the wife cleans his lugs out on a daily basis.

[Tywais]

Hope the pooch is ok now.

I have a 6 month old golden and the wife cleans his lugs out on a daily basis.

Thanks. He is nearly back to his old self now. 2nd visit to the vet today to remove all the dead stuff killed with medicine from the first visit and has one more visit to go. He's eating again and even playing with his toys again. The vet gave my wife a supply of drops and other things to continue the process at home.

It's funny how he behaves regarding the vet. He jumped in the car and knew he was going to the vet but when he gets there he starts shivering and shaking and tugging - at the amusement of the other customers. He is a quite large golden and took two helpers and the doc to keep him still for the cleaning.

I showed her the messages and pictures on here and discussed a preventative measure program to follow from now on.

[kayo]

Good news Ty/ :tywais:

That smiley was supposed to be

Edited April 20, 2007 by kayo