Author Topic: ??? - question about ear wax & cleaning  (Read 4888 times)

kristi

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??? - question about ear wax & cleaning
« on: March 13, 2006, 10:33:50 am »
Sampson has had frequent ear infections in the past - always in the left ear - I think it's because it's his prefered side to sleep on.
It's really expensive to take him to the vet to have it cleaned - min. $60 vet visit! :o
If it's infected, that's another story! :o
So I figure, being a college grad with multiple degrees - I'm smart enough to do this!::) 

I need some recommendation s here...
How often should I be looking?
I've been looking when I remember to.
How often should I wipe/clean? And what should I use to wipe/clean?
I've been wiping out the wax build-up - if I can see it - with a tissue.
When should I really wash them out? And what should I use to wash?
I'm currently using Epi-Otic cleanser & gauze/tissue.
When do I break down & take him to the vet?
In the past, I've been taking him when they get really stinky & don't improve after a wash & a dose of Otomax 15g.

Any help is greatly appreciated!
-k.
« Last Edit: March 13, 2006, 10:36:21 am by kristi »

Offline Kermit

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Re: ??? - question about ear wax & cleaning
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2006, 12:06:23 pm »
I can't believe your vet charges you that much for an ear cleaning. :o That's insane!

It sounds to me like you are doing everything right. My Nigel has ear issues because he has long hound dog ears. I clean them out with a paper towel when I can see stuff in there, I check every few days. They are typically pretty waxy. If they get too smelly, I use a standard ear wash from the pet store but not more than once a week or maybe less often than that.

You can buy a veternary quality otoscope in the Foster and Smith catalog- I was just looking at it last night, thinking about ordering. It's only $14.99. It has a little light and everything so you can see down in the ear.

Something you might consider is that if he is really prone to ear infections... is it possible he has a mild food allergy?? I'm not sure what you feed, but if it has corn in it you might want to rule that out as a possibilty and swtich to a food which has rice instead of corn, and mabe even switch your protein source too. There are some really awesome foods that have "allergy formulas" and a lot of times you will see skin and coat and ear problems clear up with the change of foods. Just something to think about.

Good luck!! ;D

Offline Boyle

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Re: ??? - question about ear wax & cleaning
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2006, 12:51:59 pm »
Nola ears used to be the nasty, gunky, smelly, yeasty, etc.  We we were constantly cleaning them with a 50/5-0 alcohol and water mixture.  His ears really cleaned up when we switched him to a grain-free diet so we figured our problem was food allergies. 

There is something called the Blue Power Ear Wash which you can make.  I got this info from MastiffWeb.  The archives are still open even though the board shut down.  You can do a search to get even more info especially the fact that this is blue and can stain.  The ear wash is supposed to greatly help.

Here's an ear wash recipe that works better than anything I've ever had. I've been using it on both mastiffs and you cannot believe how clean and pink their ears are now.

"BLUE MAGIC EAR WASH:

*16 drops of Gentian Blue Solution, (also known as Gention Violet) found at pharmacies in dropper bottles

*4 Tablespoons of Boric Acid Powder, (also found at a pharmacy)

*16 ounces of Isopropyl Alcohol

Mix all the above ingredients well....... shaking it works well..... pour into a large squirt bottle, (like a large water bottle with the pop-up squirt top, try to get a bottle that will hold the entire amount you have made). And this is very important: SHAKE IT WELL before every use, so the boric acid powder is distributed in the solution before you squirt it out. I squirt a very generous amount onto a thick baby wipe, (like Huggies naturals, non-scented wipes), I put enough on the wipe to make a big circle and it is sopping wet with the blue solution..... then I wipe the outer ear flap first, until the dog gets used to the coolness of the solution, and then proceed to working deeper and deeper into the ear canal, gently swabbing it out, and removing the brown build-up,.... I never squirt this solution straight into their ears.... if you have the wipe soggy enough with this solution, it will be enough to coat the inside of the ears just fine.... do not wipe it out, leave it dry in their ears .......
This can be done every couple of days for a week or so, then once a week, then once every two weeks, until you only need to do it once a month until you see no build up any more...... (this may take several months if there is a really bad ear infection), but eventually you will only have to wipe their ears with this every 3-6 mos...... it seems to put a very nice balance back into their ears..... and over cleansing for too long, can actually cause some problems.... so once the dog has clear ears, I back off and let their body take care of itself..... there should be a little waxy build up which is normal and healthy and protects the ear canal...... (of course I don't mean the gross black/brown fudgey stuff, that isn't normal in large amounts....). OK, I hope this works for you, as well as it has for me! I love it! You can also use this on skin abrasions.... little fungal infections on the skin .... it works good for that too!

(another tip: I typed the recipe on a piece of paper and taped it to the bottle it's in, so I have the recipe right in front of me the next time I need to make it, but it lasts forever, so you don't have to make it often..... and it's sooooo inexpensive! Also, place a big "SHAKE WELL" tag on your bottle too.... you must shake it well before each use, even between squirts!)



Offline jagersmom

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Re: ??? - question about ear wax & cleaning
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2006, 11:53:02 pm »
I'm going to have to try that! Jager gets ear infections constantly! Infact, he has one right now. This time though, it's his outter ear and not the inner ear. He constantly wants his ears rubbed. I was going to take him to the beach today but I figured with his ears bothering him, probably not a good idea to play in salt water. Do they make doggie earplugs? Once summer comes I know I won't be able to keep him out of the pool and I'd rather prevent than treat. Anyone have any suggests??
Dogs laugh.... by wagging their tails

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Jagermeister - Bullmastiff
Bacardi - DSH terror cat

Offline Senghe

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Re: ??? - question about ear wax & cleaning
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2006, 05:29:44 am »
How often should I be looking?
Once a week so you can catch any problems early
How often should I wipe/clean? And what should I use to wipe/clean?
Only clean if there is wax buid up. I use baby wipes for the ear leather or cotton wool moistened with ear cleaner. I like Zymox Otic ear drops as they were the only thing that worked on my shar-pei and saved me a fortune at the vets over the years. It saved my friend's pei from needing a resection operation!
When should I really wash them out? And what should I use to wash?
I don't like washing ears out as it always seemed to cause my dogs more problems. If they are scratching and tipping their heads, I'd put some Zymox in, massage well, let the dog have a good shake and wipe out any residue with cotton wool. Whatever ear cleaner you use, make sure the ears are 100% dry or you're asking for further infections. And don't use anything that fizzes or foams as dogs HATE that!
When do I break down & take him to the vet?
When I used Zymox on my shar-pei, I never had need to take them to a vet as any infections cleared up within 48 hours. So I'd say if there's no improvement after 2-3 days, maybe it's time to visit the vet.
« Last Edit: March 29, 2006, 05:32:49 am by Senghe »

Offline BarkleysMum

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Re: ??? - question about ear wax & cleaning
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2006, 06:58:06 am »
Barkley is prone to yeast infections in his ears.  Our vet told us to go easy on the cleaner that they provide as it is perfumed.  She recommended that the easiest (and cheapest!) thing to use on a regular basis is vinegar and water (who knew???).  She said a capful of vinegar to about 3 cups of water is the right mix...shake well.  She also suggested using cotton balls instead of paper towel as the towel is coarse and can scratch the inner part of the ear.  Don't go too deep on your own as you don't want to risk puncturing the ear drum.  We've followed that course with Bark for the past while, and he's been great in the ear area.  Good luck!
Sandy
Newly owned by Anna Banana, kind of owned by Sheba
and always remembering Barkley - crossed the Bridge on May 19, 2006.

Offline jagersmom

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Re: ??? - question about ear wax & cleaning
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2006, 08:10:11 am »
Thanks for the info! I'll have to try those suggestions. I know he hates the stuff the vet gives us. It's like a thick goop!
Dogs laugh.... by wagging their tails

Annette, mother to:

Jagermeister - Bullmastiff
Bacardi - DSH terror cat

Offline GreatDanz

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Re: ??? - question about ear wax & cleaning
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2006, 05:07:53 am »
With two natural eared danes I am always keeping my pups ears in tip top shape.

My favorite ear cleaner recipe is equal parts water, alcohol and organic apple cider vinegar.  Wipe the outside of the ear canal and all the crevices with a cotton square.  Pour some down the ear, massage as long as they'll let you, then let them shake it out. 

This recipe is great for keeping yeast infections away too!


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