Ares's Ears

[Headneck]

Last year my dogs ears got real red and he was always flopping his head around. I took him to the vet and she gave me this stuff to clean his ears with once a week, and some drops to put in them everyday.

The reddness went away promptly, but he still flops his ears, but not as much as he used to. Sometimes when he is in the backyard I like to watch him when he doesn't know I am around. He does some of the funniest stuff when he doesn't know anyone is watching. But the other day while watching him I noticed him laying in the mulch just grinding his ears into it.

I now know why his ears are always so dirty, but how can I keep him from doing this? I joked about ear muffs, but he would remove them right away so that wouldn't work. Does anyone know of some product that might work? Something maybe he can wear when he is outside? Thank you in advance.

 

[Zoom]

My first thought is that he's grinding his ears into the mulch because there is either a really awesome smell right there that he's rolling in, or his ears still itch and that scratches them for him.

You *could* try having him wear an Elizabethan collar, but I woudn't really recommend it. Most dogs find a way to tear them off, and they interfere with normal play. They are the big white plastic collars you see recent surgury patients with, if you didn't already know.

Otherwise, take out the mulch if you can, watch him all the time when he's outside and call him away if he starts to grind, or just be very very dilligent in cleaning out his ears.

You may want to get him re-checked (maybe by a different vet) to see if there is a deep seated ear infection. I've yet to meet a dog that does the above behaviors without their being a health issue behind it.

 

[MomOf7]

See the Ear Wash thread.
Great stuff! I highly recommend it!
I own labs and they are known for ear infections.
This stuff not ony prevents ear infections but cures them as well!

 

[Headneck]

Yeah, I still clean his ears once a week and daily drops. I think I will give that ear wash a shot. The 2 mulch beds are built up with landscaping stones, so I am also going to build them up a bit higher and but a little garden fence on the inside of that. That should keep him out of there.

Someone told me that a lot of dogs that have ears that flop over the opening have problems like this because air can't get in there to ventilate as well. Any truth to that? Thanks again for the help.

 

[aelizilly]

Oh, I definitely think there's truth to that fact. My Beagle as a perfect example with his floppy ears. I stay consistent with his ear cleanings with the ear wash we got from the vet every few weeks. It's funny too that they always have one ear that has more predominant problems than the other. For Bailey it's his right ear. No matter how well I clean it, every time we have visited the vet, they tell me he has wax built up in that ear. It's a little frustrating. I am obviously not getting deep enough into that ear.

 

[MomOf7]

Yeah, I still clean his ears once a week and daily drops. I think I will give that ear wash a shot. The 2 mulch beds are built up with landscaping stones, so I am also going to build them up a bit higher and but a little garden fence on the inside of that. That should keep him out of there.

Someone told me that a lot of dogs that have ears that flop over the opening have problems like this because air can't get in there to ventilate as well. Any truth to that? Thanks again for the help.

Very true!
I have one cocker spaniel and when she has an ear infection, not only do I use the "purple potion" but I take hair from each ear and tie the hairs together with hair ties which keeps her ears propped up and allows more air flow. Works like a charm!

 

[Mordy]

You need to find out what's causing these ear problems, otherwise you'll always just be treating symptoms topically, but never resolve the issue completely.

What's this dog eating? And have you observed this to be seasonal (e.g. gets worse in spring/summer and better in fall/winter)?

 

[MomOf7]

She gets them once a year maybe twice. She has allergies and we are using Nutro Natural which has helped tremendously.
My dogs are always in the water and if there is water left in the canal it will cause moisture and you know what loves to grow in warm wet places!

 

[Mordy]

The question was actually for the OP, but Momof7, you might want to look into a better quality food. Nutro is a crappy quality product while at the same time outrageously overpriced.

 

[MomOf7]

Than what would you recommend?
I have looked and compared many dog foods and this one has worked well for us. No corn meal but corn gluten.

 

[Mordy]

It's not always just about the corn - in fact, many dogs don't have a problem with food that contains good quality corn in reasonable amounts.

Nutro is mainly just chicken or lamb flavored rice. On average, their products contain less than 30% meat ingredients, some products even less than 20%.

Corn gluten is the protein part of the corn kernel and if it is one of the main ingredients of a food it's used as a cheap protein booster to make up for the lack of meat.

This brand also includes generic poultry fat and artificial vitamin K.

I don't know your individual dogs well enough to make recommendations, I'm just letting you know that you are paying a lot of money for a food that's not of particularly great quality. You can get better products for around the same amount of money.

 

[Headneck]

I feed my dog Beneful. And the problem is seasonal it seems. Spring/Summer.
But it started when he was older, I never noticed him doing it when he was young.