Questions!!

[cincbcat]

Ok, Sadie will be 1 year on the 31st...I've noticed that she doesn't want to eat as much as she used to lately. She only wants to eat about once a day now whereas when she was younger she'd eat twice a day. Is this normal? We just switched her over from puppy food to dog food a few weeks ago. I don't want to panic if it's normal for her appetite to change from age and not something else.
Also, her ears seem to have been bothering her the last week. She's constantly shaking her head, and they smell pretty bad!!  I've got the ear cleaner stuff from Petsmart, but the vet told me when she was younger that she'd be prone to yeast infections because most floppy earred dogs are...so is it most likely a yeast infection? I cleaned her ears out with the cleaner, which she absolutely detests, and for a day or so it got better but now it's back. Oh yeah, and her eyes are leaking this yellowish guck. Maybe the ears and eyes are related? Short of an intestinal bug, this is the only thing that's been wrong with her since we got her. I need advice :-)

[Nicole]

OH I KNOW THIS ONE!

My SIL has a yellow lab...he gets ear infections ALL THE TIME and boy do they STINK! WOOOOH GROSS! And there isn't any brown gunk. Jenn's right, ear mites are all brown and gunky looking...well, imagine tons and tons of mite poop...that's what it looks like. But, if there is just the smell and it seems to be bugging her, its probably an infection. I wouldn't put any of the cleaner stuff in there cuz the liquid can like, trap the infection and make it worse. That's kind of how they happen in the first place. Especially with doggies that get water in there alot like Newfs and Labs and stuff.

I'd take her to the vet and get her an antibiotic. It should clear it up really quick. Also, since ears affect eqilibrium, she might not be eating well because her tummy is kind of woozy from the ear infection.

Snotty eyes can totally be related...thin k about sick kids with ear infections. Alot of times they have snotty noses to boot.

[Gypsy Jazmine]

I don't know about the eyes but the ear problem is most definitely an ear infection...I would get her to the vet ASAP!...Those really hurt!

[longshadowfarms]

It is possible that she's having a reaction to the new food.  Sounds like a trip to the vet is in order, then take a look at ingredients that were in the puppy food compared to what you are currently feeding.  Corn is a common allergen but there are others.  The vet will know better than I do.  Even an increase in the amount of an ingredient that she was mildly allergic to before may have put her over the edge.  Does sound like it might be an ear infection and boy, do they hurt!