Any dog owner who has taken Fido to the vet for smelly ears knows that canine outer ear infections (otitis externa) is an expensive problem to remedy. However, our family have developed a treatment for our dogs’ outer ear infections using inexpensive over-the-counter medications and common household items that costs less than twenty-five dollars. And since it works for our dogs, it may work for yours. So, if you’re interested in saving hundreds of dollars on vet bills and possibly alleviating your dog’s outer ear infections, then read on….
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for veterinary care. Before acting on this information, you should seek the advice of a licensed, trained veterinarian. Use this information at your own risk and discretion. We assume no liability for injury to you or your pet incurred by acting on this information.
In order to effectively treat and prevent otitis externa, it’s important to understand how and why it occurs in dogs and how to identify it. Bacteria and yeast infections can develop in the warm environment of a dog’s ear canal when the ear canal is damp, dirty, or both. Dogs with narrow ear canals, long ear flap that fall over and cover the ear canal, and those who love to swim or play in wet environments tend to suffer more often from otitis externa than other dogs. Signs that your dog may have otitis externa include constant shaking of the head, scratching the ears or rubbing them on the ground, keeping the head tilted to one side, a foul smelling odor or discharge coming from the ears, and inflammation and/or redness of the ear or ear flap.
Please note: there are other problems and conditions that may occur with your dogs ears that have symptoms similar to otitis externa and that may not be alleviated by this treatment. If you feel that your dog’s condition is not an outer ear infection, or if your dog’s condition does not improve or gets worse after using this treatment, discontinue this treatment immediately and seek veterinary care for your dog.
An effective treatment for outer ear infections involves three steps: cleaning and drying the ear canal, eliminating the bacteria and/or yeast causing the infection, and keeping the ear canal clean and dry to prevent further infections. To accomplish this, you will need to gather the following supplies: an effective dog ear cleaning kit (we use the three step R-7 brand ear treatment kit, but there are several other brands out on the market), a soft tipped oral syringe, a tube of Triple Antibiotic Ointment, a tube of Clotrimazole 1% anti-fungal cream, cotton balls, cotton swabs, a small mixing bowl, and a small spatula. The only item we purchased from a pet supply store was the ear cleaning kit; everything else we either bought from a local discount store or already at our home.
First, use the ear cleaning kit to clean the inside of your dog’s ears flaps and the outer ear canal. Since your dog has an infection their ears may be sensitive, but the ear canal must be clean for the antibiotic and anti-fungal agents to be effective. So gently but thoroughly follow the instructions on the ear cleaning kit to remove all foreign material and moisture from your dog’s ears using the kit, cotton balls, and cotton swabs. Avoid using the cotton swabs in your dog’s ear canal; use them instead to clean the creases and folds along and under the ear flap.
Next, mix equal portions of the triple antibiotic ointment and the anti-fungal cream in the mixing bowl and use the spatula to load the oral syringe with the mixture. Take the syringe and use it to carefully fill your dog’s ear canal with the mixture. Be careful to not insert the tip of the syringe too far into the dog’s ear canal, or you may damage the dog’s ear drum. Once the ear canal is filled with the mixture, gently massage the base of your dog’s ear to distribute the mixture throughout the outer ear canal. Apply more of the mixture onto a cotton ball and spread a light coating along the inner surface of the ear flap, making sure to get into the folds and creases of the skin. Repeat the application of the mixture daily for at least a week, and keep your dog out of wet environments during the healing process. You can place the syringe in a sealable bag and store it in the refrigerator between applications, warming it in your hand right before each next dosing.
Finally, begin a program of weekly cleaning for your dog’s ears using the ear cleaning kit after completing the week’s treatment. Also, use the ear drying cream from the kit whenever your dog goes swimming, gets a bath, or plays out in the rain. It’s important to keep your dog’s ears clean and dry to prevent a recurrence of infection.
Some final things to consider before using this method
It’s important to finish the treatment once your begin. One or two applications may bring about significant improvement on the condition of your dog’s ears, but if you don’t complete the entire course of treatment, you risk causing the growth of drug-resistant bacteria and/or yeast in your dog’s ears, which will require a trip to the veterinarian for more invasive treatment and medication.
Some hardy strains of bacteria and yeast may not respond at all to this treatment. If after a week your dog’s ears show no improvement, please take them to the veterinarian for an examination.
Also, it is vitally important that you keep your dog’s ears clean and dry after the course of treatment. Frequents uses of this treatment can also lead to the growth of drug resistant bacteria and/or yeast.
Hopefully, you will experience the same success that we did using this treatment method. We developed it in response to a severe outer ear infection that both our Labrador Retrievers developed during a wet spring. We love our dogs and would have gladly taken to a veterinarian for treatment, but we simply could not afford it. With the current economic conditions, I’m sure there are other dog owners now in similar circumstances. If that describes your situation, I hope this treatment helps your dogs like it helped ours.
