Hi Amy
,
I wish I had a sure-fire solution to Bear's ear infections. We're dealing with one right now. Interestingly, he seems to get them in his left ear. If it's really bad, he gets symptomatic in the right ear as well. But mostly it's his left.Â
The anti-bacterial drops from the vet - Vet Solutions Clotrimazole - don't work at all. We're trying a different drop - Zymox OTIC Enzymatic Solution - which seems to be helping some. It has hydrocortisone in it as well, which helps with the inflammation and 'itchiness', I think. It's supposed to treat both bacterial and yeast infections. We also use a sanitizing wash at least once a week with or without infection symptoms. After 2+ years of the same kind of cycle you refer to with Jake, Bear is finally used to my squirting and digging around in his ears. He sits patiently for me, poor thing. Â
I haven't heard of Listerine, though I agree, it does seem harsh. A co-worker recommended Monistat - yes, the yeast infection stuff for women - which makes sense in a weird way, but I'm hesitant to try it.
I hate not knowing how to help Bear -- both because it really seems to trouble him at times, and because I know that untreated infections can lead to hearing loss. It's amazing how sensitive a 170-lb dog can be. But I'm convinced it's environmental and seasonal allergies, nearly impossible to single out.Â
I'm hopeful that the OTIC solution will work for Bear. I'll let you know. Good luck with Jake!
Jennifer
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