ear drops - dogs

danih

What do you use?

I have a cavilier king charles - so floppy ears & less air circulation. He regularly has an itch and a dark discharge.

He is due a vet visit for jabs and full check up, inc ears.

I'm hoping to get a pet shop product that isn't as strong as the vets prescription products, to manage his ears while the problem isn't too serious.

Fosterdog

It depends what the problem is.

A friend has a bassett x with long flappy ears, she uses shop bought wipes once a week and uses a hair scrunchy t gently tie his ears back for around an hour after to allow them to dry and air to circulate. She also moves his ears while he's sleeping and positions them so there is better air flow.

He spent the first couple of years with constant ear infections but since she sticks to this routine he has been clear for three years.

If it's an infection causing it or mites then it will need proper treatment and nothing shop bought will work.

gettingready

Do not get a pet shop stuff - talk to the vets and see what they recommend and then order from online pet pharmacy like:

www.animeddirect.co.uk

you will pay much less than at the vets and will not risk any c..rap they sell in pet shops damaging yoru dog in any way

codemonkey

If its just the general gunky brown stuff that long eared dogs get, we use Thornits ear powder. You have to put a bit in a couple of times a day and it stinks but it does seem to help. Was the only thing that worked on my lab.

danih

No sign of infection.

It is that brown gunk - hard to see, but don't want it getting any worse. Will look out for that powder.

Fosterdog - thats the idea I'm after, preventative.

krlyr

Thornit seems well recommended, but in this case I would seek vet advice.

It may be worth looking at his diet, I've heard several cases of dietary allergies causing recurring ear problems, which cleared up completely on change of diet.

Fosterdog

danih wrote: »

No sign of infection.

It is that brown gunk - hard to see, but don't want it getting any worse. Will look out for that powder.

Fosterdog - thats the idea I'm after, preventative.

Just to add to my last post, my friend doesn't clean inside the ears, just a freshen up on the outside, only medicines prescribed by a vet should be put inside the ear canal.

Do you trim any excess fur around the area? keeping it cut short will help airflow.

Ozzuk

I used I think it was olive oil spray from the local pharmacy after talking to the pharmacist there.

Obviously he's not a vet though..

However, I'll second the comment about diet, I was using it as my Rottie X was having intermittent ear issues but I couldn't see anything. After talking to a few people I switched his food from auterky chicken and rice to a better quality Field And Trial Salmon food, costs a lot more but he loves it and rarely has issues with ears now, if at all.

manda1205

codemonkey wrote: »

If its just the general gunky brown stuff that long eared dogs get, we use Thornits ear powder. You have to put a bit in a couple of times a day and it stinks but it does seem to help. Was the only thing that worked on my lab.

Another vote for Thornit. Our labs ears can get quite gunky and after an expensive trip to the vets who gave ear cleaner and anitbiotic drops, still didn't clear up her scratching and the gunk. I searched internet and Thornit comes so highly recommended. I was sceptical at first but it worked with in days, it does make your whole house smell like a dentist but its worth every penny! As soon as I notice any build up I put a little in and it gets rid of it in a few days. I got mine from Vetuk.

chris_n_tj

Another Thornet Powder user here. We use it to help keep ears clean and it also helps to give a bit of grip when pulling out the hair in the ear. PS this doesnt hurt, and helps keep the ears clean. x

teddysmum

It's fine to use ear cleaner, but you have to first of all be sure that there is no ear infection. I have cavaliers and only clean if the ears look waxy and, then. only once every couple of months.

My current ear cleaner is Johnson's, but if you use Animed, you can email and ask which product they recommend (They are vet owned and answer very quickly).

Lots of people seem to recommend Thornit , but a vet on a cavalier forum said that she would not use it, as , especially if there is infection, the powder can cause more problems.