Question:
So Joey has gone through two rounds of ear drops and daily ear cleaning and he is still having problems. :( Before I left for Van I shaved the inside of his ears and cleaned them really well hoping it would help.

Last time I took him two weeks ago - just before I went to Vancouver - one of his ears was looking better - but the vet said he should continue the drops just in the left ear for two weeks. The ear drum in the left ear was apparently quite swollen still - and continue with the ear cleaning every few days.

So on our follow up visit - hubby took him. He has a yeast infection in both ears - and now both ear drums are swollen and he is back to ear drops in both ears - and we/hubby are cleaning them daily. He is also steroids for a few day - as that will apparently reduce the swelling in the ear drum..... Here is the thing though the vet wasnt sure whether the ear drums were swollen or he just happens to have narrow ear drums. The steroids make him hungirer and thirstier too - and he seems to pant more than usual.

Joey is scheduled to go back on Thursday to see if the steroids worked to get the swelling down. The vet said if the ear drums are swollen then the drops wont be that effective.

It is possible Joey might just have to put under anistesia (put to sleep temporarily) just to see they can clear it up that way.

Answer:
What meds is Joey on. Buddy is the king of ear infections and I have found the only thing that really gets it cleared up is Baytril tabs and otic drops. They are strong and really get to the infection. Another good thing that Joey will not be thrilled with is clipping his ears on top of his head so the air gets at them. Dogs with heavy long ears tend to be breeding grounds for infections especially if you do not catch it early. I use a loose clothes pin and some foam on the end so it does not hurt him.

Answer:
Thanks Masitiff -

Joeys ear drops are called Suolan (miconazole, ploymyxin B, prednisolone acetate) and his pills are called Novo - prednisone. I was thinking of putting a scrunchy on his ears to let them air out a bit. Time for the ear drops again.

Answer:
I have used the Surolan and I find it does not work for Buddy but if you ask your vet for the Baytril you will see how quickly it clears it up. We do not even bother with the other stuff anymore. But I will warn you it is expensive but you will not be having to keep taking him back for more stuff. I know when I get Buds the drops and the pills run about 150 but Joey is considerably smaller so it will not be as pricey but worth it. I have been through so many different things. Lots of money wasted and prolonged uncomfort for my boy.
PS I add a couple of tablespoons of plain yogurt to Buds food everyday

Answer:
My 2 goldens have ear problems and our vet has perscribed Otomax and it worked just fine. They have ear problems because of them being allergic to their food we were giving them, we changed their food and we give an alternate food for allergies plus we make our own to add to it, most commerical dog foods out there that you buy from Walmart or grocery stores are mainly made of corn and wheat which my dogs are allergic to. Just a thought that maybe your Joey is allergic to his food??? Russte

Answer:
I love otomax.

If it's not the food or other allergies causing it, maybe anti-yeast probiotics would help? (I know I'm really pushing the probiotics these days ) I got some for Jemma and they actually help. I got human anti-yeasty ones...

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Okay tell me more about the anti yeasty ones prin are they good for dogs who are prone to ear infections for hijacking

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Charley's ear act up when he's around something he's allergic to. We went through a round of antibiotics to clear the last 'head cold' up and now he's getting benadryl on a 'prevent rather than cure' program.
We're (the vet and I) are thinking he's may have allergies to plants, pollen, dust, smog and/or cat dander... Its her opinion that its not worth testing for given he doesn't get very sick, just stuffy (you can hear it when he breaths) and his ears get red, so we're trying benadryl for a few weeks and will re-visit if there's no sign of improvement

Answer:
I got them at a natural food store. They're called "Udo's Choice Super 8 Hi-Potency Probiotic"... And it says "8 Specific strains to improve yeast balance".
They have it on their website (along with a gazillion other supplements and things ).
http://www.florahealth.com/flora/hom...s/tg8.asp#1958

I empty only 1/2 a capsule onto each of my doggies' food in the morning and the stools get firmer and Jemma's rashy thing cleared up pretty quick without side effects from the antibiotics.

Answer:
Thanks I will check the site out. How much do your kids weigh? Bud is 160 so do you think a whole capsule?

Answer:
Yeah, Jemma and Boo combined are 147... The human dose is 2-3 caps a day, but I'm cheap and these thingies are expensive, so I just tried a half to start and the stool got even firmer, even in the heat, so I figured it was enough... I put a couple of drips of water on the food just to stick the bugs onto a few kibbles so it doesn't go through to the bowl.

Answer:
Being a spaniel and having ongoing problems with skin(that includes ears), one thing I wished I knew about years ago with Buddy, is that many cockers are hypothyroid,

vets do tend to recognize the symptoms as being auto immune related tend to just keep treating the symptoms with steriods such as prednisone, which daily use eventually claimed the life of my boy. Sadly I never learned about thyroid disease until I had got into greyhounds some 10 years later,

Thyroid disease is also an auto-immune disease but treatment for hypothyroidism is with replacement thyroid supplementation which does not have the major side effects that prednisone has, so I strongly recommend that owners with cockers first check to see if their dogs are hypothyroid if they are noting a a lot of skin and ear problems

http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-...oidDisease.htm

Answer:
Thankfully Joey is just on the predisone for a few days. It makes him super hungry he follows us around and is trying to steel food from our plates and hands. Joey is sort of like this anyways but now it is more pronounced.

We will check out the Udos super 8 too - Joey would probably just use a little bit as he is a little fella.

I am leaving again for training in a few hours but will reply to this thread when I get back on Friday or Sat.

Answer:
OG, thanks for that post. I did not know there was a connection.

My last husky got ear infections repeatedly. It wasn't until we moved here that the vet diagnosed her as having hypothyroidism but because of other symptoms and not her ear infections. But after reading this, I just realized she never had an ear infection after going on her thyroid medication.

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