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My 2 1/2 year old mut has had an ear infection for months now. She has drops from the vet and has been on antiboitics for as long as 6 weeks. When she takes the antiboitic the ear does appear better but when she is off the antiboitics the ear becomes infected again. She is constantly scratching and shaking her head. It kills us to see her in pain. The vet suggested I bring her in every week for a ear flush. Since every week is too much for my little girl I take her every other week to get the ear cleaned. We have tried to do the cleaning and drops ourselves but it's a nightmare for all of us. The vet can't tell me is its mites, bacteria or allergies.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I can't bear to have her go thru this every day. I fear she'll lose her hearing if we can't clear this up soon.
What your vet needs to do is a culture. When she's OFF antibiotics for a few days, ask your vet to do a culture of her ear and to send it off for bacteria and fungi. After so many antibiotics it's not unlikely that she's got some resistant organism in there that needs either a completely different class of antibiotic/antifungal medication OR she needs longer or combined treatment.
If this were allergies, it would be more likely affecting BOTH ears.
my malti-poo is 4 years old and has been going through the same thing since 6 months old. One ear only and they call it an allergy.
I flush her ear,we do rounds of antibiotics,try various foods; the list is endless.
Her ear stinks,is crusty and has black gunky wax every day.
I'm at my wits end and I can't tell you how many vet visits she's endured.
3 and 1/2 years later and still no answers.
My 2 1/2 year old mut has had an ear infection for months now.
- The fact that this has been going on for months without being resolved and your current vet has not suggested an ear culture (if it's fungal all these antibiotics are for naught).... I can't help but think you really should seek a second opinion.
What your vet needs to do is a culture. When she's OFF antibiotics for a few days, ask your vet to do a culture of her ear and to send it off for bacteria and fungi. After so many antibiotics it's not unlikely that she's got some resistant organism in there that needs either a completely different class of antibiotic/antifungal medication OR she needs longer or combined treatment.
If this were allergies, it would be more likely affecting BOTH ears.
Not always....my bulldog was getting a yeast infection in only ONE ear and we meaning me & vet finally attributed it to a food allergy. Once we switched her food she has been fine.
We went to a duck & sweet potato with no corn fillers etc etc...all though it costs a little more it still is cheaper then all the vet visits. I swear I was making his corvette payments for awhile there lol
- The fact that this has been going on for months without being resolved and your current vet has not suggested an ear culture (if it's fungal all these antibiotics are for naught).... I can't help but think you really should seek a second opinion.
I am inclined to agree that you need to have the dog seen by another vet. It sounds like your current vet is happy to continue treating the symptoms without bothering to find the cause. The truth is it can be any number of things that will cause this.
Not always....my bulldog was getting a yeast infection in only ONE ear and we meaning me & vet finally attributed it to a food allergy. Once we switched her food she has been fine.
We went to a duck & sweet potato with no corn fillers etc etc...all though it costs a little more it still is cheaper then all the vet visits. I swear I was making his corvette payments for awhile there lol
I purposely did NOT say always, if you re-read my post. It CAN happen, but it's less common than affecting the ears bilaterally.
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- The fact that this has been going on for months without being resolved and your current vet has not suggested an ear culture (if it's fungal all these antibiotics are for naught).... I can't help but think you really should seek a second opinion.
