Ear Infection? Yeast?

[Lyn]

Yesterday I decided to clean Lola's ears and brush her teeth since I haven't done either in awhile.

Her left ear was spotless but her right ear is red and full of reddish/brown waxy gunk. So much in fact it took me quite awhile to clean it out. As of this morning it's getting yucky again and now she's shaking her head and scratching at it.

I hate taking her to the vet by myself.. her and her darn dog issues.  But I'm going to call and make an appointment and hope hubby is home that day, lol. She needs her rabies shot and heartworm test done anyway. But any ideas what this is?

[zchic]

Apple cider vinegar is good for curing yeast infections in ears. Dilute it about 50/50 with water and clean the ears with it making sure some actually gets in the ear. I alos use this in the water for my parrots if I suspect yeast in their crops. Works very well.

[Lyn]

I do use diluted apple cider vinegar for ear cleanings. That is when I'm not slacking. But I don't know if this is a yeast infection? Or something else..

Lola started the shaking and scratching after I cleaned the ear out. Before that she showed no signs of any issue. I'm almost wishing at this point I didn't clean it out when I discovered it. At least then it wouldn't have been bothering her as much until we could get into the vet.

Hubby thought it might be ear mites. So I checked all the dogs and the cats and noone else has the 'gunk'. Thank god!

[lins_saving_grace]

Grace has that browny wax in her left ear now too.  I'm treating it but am THIS CLOSE to taking her to the vet.  i'll get some of that vinager on the way home tonight though.   i get a damp cloth and dig it out of all the curvey parts of her ear and it seems to subside and not come back as heavily.  it's a slow clearing up process, that's for sure.  but it's less red and irriated.
Lady would get yeast infections in her ear more often too...it wasn't a brown color though that's why i think Grace might have  ear mites instead.  i had bee using an ear mite treatment for a couple of weeks though and nothing happened. 
I'm going to try that vinager solution before i take her in. 

[Lyn]

Just a warning though.. if her ear is raw the vinegar will sting. When I cleaned Lola's ear she didn't so much as flinch. But I got some in a cut on my finger and was about to start dancing around the kitchen swearing. LOL

[lins_saving_grace]

Grace is a tough little cookie.  she waits till i'm done then zooms aroud rubbing her head on everything.  the dog version of dancing around the kitchen swearing.  i've used peroxide too. 

[lins_saving_grace]

I found this site with information on Ear mites.

http://www.petrescue.com/library/earmites.htm

sounds like that brown "coffee ground" looking stuff is ear mites.  I have a cleaner for that but it didn't really do the trick. 

[lins_saving_grace]

i tried the vinager mix.  Grace's ear looks 75% Better already

[Butts Mom]

You didn't say or maybe I just didn't see if you did,but does it smell at all?? When we first got Butt he had gunky ears and I knew from the smell that it was yeast before I even took him to the Vets.A few of my birds are prone to yeast infections in their crops,so I know the smell as soon as they start to get one.I hope you can get it cleared up soon no matter what it is.

[lins_saving_grace]

i think it's ear mites.  it doesn't smell bad.  it looks like coffee grounds.  but the vinager smells.   

[lins_saving_grace]

how long before the mites are cleared up?

[lins_saving_grace]

I must be in the last leg of it then.

[Lyn]

Nope no microscope.

I just smelled her ear.. and ewww yeah it does smell. I can't really discribe the odor though. She's leaving it alone now, so I think I just irritated it when I cleaned it. 

Bubba's ears also have the same color gunk, just nowhere near as much of it and his ears have no smell. Hmmmm.. Plus Grace's ear doesn't smell. So I guess Lola probably does have an infection of some sort.  

I'm going to see if I can get into the vet tomorrow or friday. I'll you all know what it is.

Here's a pic of Lola's ear.. Not a great pic but you can see the color of the 'gunk'. Since I've been using the vinegar it's no longer red and inflamed.

[lins_saving_grace]

that's what Grace's looks like.  the brown stuff is less and less every time after the vinager and i have been digging it out with a vinager coated kleenex.  it's gotta be the ear mites.  but keep up the vinager solution and maybe that will take care of the problem. 

[zchic]

Our IW pup went to the vet today with yeast in both ears. It is a brown waxy buildup, the ear is red and warm to the touch. It smells sort of sour. In severe cases that I have seen when I volunteer at the Humane society and pound, the dog had hair loss and the ear was really swollen, like a sausage and very painful.
With ear mites I haven't seen as much warmth on the ears, and like someone else said it is more grainy looking, sometimes dry and flaky. They also shake their head a lot.
For the Yeast my vet gave me Mometamax 15GM, 8 drops in each ear. They already look less irritated.