Best Dog Ear Cleaner For Multiple Symptoms
Cleaning your dogs ears doesnt require any special supplies, but not all ear cleaners are created the same. Liquid ear cleaners are better at dislodging waxy junk deep in a dogs ear so she can then shake it out. Instead of reaching for multiple ear cleaners to target ear wax, odor, and itchiness, use a safe, effective, all-in-one canine ear cleaner. Great Ears Multisymptom Dog Ear Cleaner wont deplete the skins natural lipid barrier while conditioning and moisturizing the ears. Best of all, its safe for use on adult dogs and puppies over 12 weeks.
Highlights
- Dogs with excessive waxy build-up may require a second application
- Suggest maintenance cleaning is one to two times per week
- Ensure your dogs ears do not require medical treatment before using an ear cleaner
Prognosis For Dogs With Ear Yeast Infections
Yeast infections are usually easy to treat with persistent treatment. In dogs with predisposing characteristics, such as floppy ears, allergies, or ear deformities, the condition is likely to reoccur since they are at a higher risk of recurrent ear yeast infections.
Many breeds, includingcocker spaniels and basset hounds, have floppy ears that cut off air to the ear and should be maintained to keep infections at bay. Other breeds need observation as well, such as poodles and schnauzers may have thick hair growth inside their ears that can block the flow of air in the ears and keep them overly moist. In addition, dogs that like to play in water are also potentially more likely to experience a recurring yeast overgrowth and infection.
Which Dogs Fall Prey To Yeast
Healthy dogs that are fed a nutritious diet don’t usually succumb to yeast infections. However, any dog can be affected by yeast overpopulation. The ones that are vulnerable are those that have existing health issues, are on antibiotics, or have been on steroids for a prolonged period.
Also, certain breeds are more likely to suffer from a yeast infection than any others, these include:
- American Cocker Spaniels
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When To Go To The Vets Office
If your dog is showing any symptoms of an infection or abnormal behavior, consult with your veterinarian for treatment options. The earlier it is diagnosed, the less expensive it will be. Ear infections can worsen over time, causing more complex conditions to treat and may even lead to permanent hearing loss.
While some dogs are usually cured within one treatment, other dogs may have chronic ear infections. This is usually due to underlying conditions that may not be obvious, such as food or pollen allergies, or undiagnosed medical conditions causing your dogs immunity to be compromised. Your vet will have the tools and testing available to diagnose the problem, so its crucial that your dog sees your vet as soon as possible if the infections keep coming back.
How To Treat An Ear Infection Without A Vet Summary
Now you have some options on how to treat dog ear infections without a vet.
Like I said before ACV and coconut oil both have antifungal properties, and these home remedies for dog ear infections are great tools before you start going to the heavier stuff like otc and vet prescriptions.
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Causes Of Dog Ear Infections
There are a variety of reasons that dogs may get an ear infection. Since ear infections are prone to recurring, its especially important to determine why your dog is developing ear infections.
If you can find the cause, you can help prevent another future ear infection.
A common cause of ear infections is water being trapped in your dogs ear. When the ear canal remains too moist, it becomes an ideal living place for bacteria and yeast.
As the bacteria and yeast grow, they lead to a nasty infection, usually noticed when your dogs ear starts oozing brown, smelly, gunk.
Left untreated, your dog may suffer permanent damage.
To prevent stagnant water from causing an infection in your dogs ear, there are several precautions you can take when they go swimming or have a bath.
- One of the natural remedies discussed later in this article, witch hazel, has properties that help dry out the ear canal.
- There are also commercial cleaners that can moisturize ears as well as remove excess water.
- In addition, when giving your dog a bath, you can utilize cotton balls to prevent water from entering your dogs ears at all.
Another common reason for dogs to get ear infections is foreign objects or mites. Whenever something is introduced into your dogs ear, they bring potential for infection.
Mites and foreign objects both cause irritation to the ear canal. Sometimes, the irritation can cause breaks in the skin.
Open and irritated wounds are the ideal place for infections to form.
Are There Home Remedies For Yeast Infections In Dogs
The only home remedy for yeast infections in dogs that has any scientific data to support it is a vinegar rinse. A vinegar rinse is able to help change the pH of the skin to make it less desirable for yeast. The proper dilution is essential to avoid irritation. You should only attempt this after speaking with your veterinarian for guidance and direction.
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/4 Dog Ear Infections Related To Yeast
Dog ears are nice, warm places. All you need is a little moistness, say from licked paws or simply a moments innocent wetting, and yeast will bloom. Youll know its there because youll smell it. Its horrible.
As with bacterial infections above yeast infections are often related to diet, in that you see so few of them in dogs fed biologically appropriate food.
The thing is yeast LOVES carbs. Carbs are sugar to the body and thats what yeast eats. Carbs / sugar in your dogs diet would be cereal for sure, dental sticks but also fruit, potatoes, rice and the sweeter veg like carrots.
If your dog is suffering a yeast infection of the ear the best ear cleaner is vinega. While any will do, apple cider vinegar is the best. You want the stuff with the mother in it but you dont want the bits in the mix you put in the ears! Pour through some cloth and use it neat. Incredibly effective for yeast but also bacteria and really anything living.
Before using vinegar make sure there are no cuts in his ear. Dont worry, it wont kill him. If there was a little cut in there you missed, hell let you know.
They can get yeast infections in other damp spots too, eg fat folds on a bulldog and paws are a common one. You can use vinegar there too as long as his skin is not cracked.
Lastly, yeast hates garlic. Include a little fresh garlic in their food. Yes, garlic is safe for dogs. Half a clove per 15kg of dog is a good dose. Also keeps the flea and worms away!
Diagnostic Tests For Dog Ear Infections
As you can see there are a lot of different reasons your pet may have irritation or excess wax or debris coming from their ear. Your veterinarian should be looking into the ear itself with an otoscope to make sure the eardrum is intact and that there are no grass seeds present in the ear canal leading to the inflammation.
Its important that your veterinarian does an ear swab that will help diagnose whether the infection is bacterial, fungal, or infectious, like ear mites. Your vet will take a cotton swab and collect some of the debris, put it on a microscope slide, stain it and look under the microscope.
If your dog has recurring ear infections, your veterinarian may recommend sending a sample of the ear debris to the laboratory for a culture to rule out a resistant bacterial infection like Pseudomonas, which can be resistant to many types of antibiotics.
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How To Mix The Monistat Cream With Hydrocortisone Cream For Use
You should use the same amount of both creams. The reason you want to add Hydrocortisone cream to the Monistat cream is that it will help relieve your dogs excessive itchiness.
When mixing, use the same amount of Monistat & Hydrocortisone Cream
After combining the two creams, you will notice it has a thick consistency. Add several drops of water to the blend of these two creams to make it slightly thinner, add it to a dropper, and then carefully squirt the mixture into your dogs ears
Use this home remedy treatment for a week to get rid of the yeast infection for good. If the problem does not subside despite the constant use of Monistat /hydrocortisone cream combo, youll need to bring your dog to the veterinarians office.
Do make sure you are using Monistat when selecting an over-the-counter cream to treat your dogs yeast infection. Do not mistake this product for another product on the market, such as Vagisil. While Vagisil relieves itching, it is not formulated to eliminate fungus , so its not at all useful for your dogs yeast infection.
Water & Apple Cider Vinegar
Organic, unrefined, all-natural Apple Cider Vinegar is a popular household item that can help fight and prevent ear infections. Add only a small capful of ACV to 2 cups water and stir. For an ear infection, gently pour a small amount of the mixture into the canal and massage the ears. Then take a cotton ball and gently absorb as much as you can. For preventative care, simply clean the outer ears with the same mixture and apply it with a cotton ball.
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How Can Yeast Infections In Dogs Be Prevented
Unfortunately, its not 100% possible to prevent yeast infections. There are so many factors that can contribute to them, but sometimes theres nothing you can do to keep one from forming.
But, there are certain things you can do to lower your dogs risk. These preventative measures can help your dog to get infected less often. They can also help to keep infections mild and comfortable to treat.
Coconut Oil For Dog Ear Infection
If you have a dog, you definitely want to keep coconut oil on hand. Not only can this product help dog ear infections, but it has plenty of other health benefits as well.
To use coconut oil to help treat or prevent your dogs ear infection, put a small amount of coconut oil at the entrance to their ear canal.
Next, massage the coconut oil down into their ear.
Not only can this help promote healthy skin in your dogs ear, but the coconut oil can smother and kill any ear mites that have found their way inside.
Plus, the coconut oil can act as a moisturizer and soothe the skin.
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What Causes A Yeast Infection
Yeast is a type of fungus naturally present in the environment and on the skin that grows and multiplies in warm, moist environments. There are many different types of yeast but, usually, only one type of yeast causes infections in dogs – Malassezia pachydermatis. Yeast can only be seen microscopically.
Yeast infections occur when there is an overgrowth of this yeast that is normally present on the skin. There is usually an underlying reason for the overgrowth to occur, such as allergies, oily skin, or immune-mediated disease. These infections are not contagious from dog to dog but these dogs with chronic underlying conditions may be prone to frequent yeast infections.
How Can Ear Infections In Dogs Be Prevented
To keep poochâs ears healthy, regularly check for discharge, odor, and swelling. After your dog bathes or swims, gently dry the outer part of the ears as well as you can. You may also use an ear cleaning medicine that has a drying agent.
If your dog has hair in the opening of their ears, ask their groomer to trim or tweeze it. You can do it yourself if your dog will let you, but you need to be very careful. Only pluck hairs that are easily visible. Never insert any object into the ear canal unless your vet has shown you how to do it safely. Otherwise, you can damage the eardrum and cause severe problems.
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Types Of Yeast Conditions In Dogs
All yeast are fungi, and they live on the bodies of both dogs and humans. For the most part, these fungi are usually harmless. Its the overpopulation of fungi, or yeast overgrowth, that causes health issues.
There are additional yeast conditions or fungi that can trespass into the bloodstream and create difficulties in the liver, eyes, lungs, brain, and bones. Yeast conditions can occur on your dogs paws, ears, skin, and nails. Dog paw and ear yeast conditions are diagnosed the most and are not life-threatening.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Yeast Infection On A Dogs Paw
When yeast becomes overgrown, it can gather in one specific area of the body, like a paw.
The yeast tends to invade whichever area it decides, and that can create a lot of irritation for your four-legged friend. Being able to notice some signs of infection early can allow you to get treatment for your dog that much sooner.
Some of the most common symptoms of a yeast infection on the paw include the following:
- Itchiness You may notice your dog biting at or rubbing their paw against something
- Inflammation If your dogs paw is red between the toes, it could be a clear sign of dog paw fungus
- Loss of hair around the paws
- Thick, greasy skin
- Bad smell A yeast infection will give off a musty odor. Some pet owners call it Frito Feet, as it can mimic the smell of a corn chip.
- Swelling around the area
Itchiness is usually one of the earliest signs of a yeast infection on a dogs paw. Pay attention to any changes your dog is making in how they treat their paws. If theyre doing a lot of chewing, licking, or rubbing, it could be because their paws are itchy.
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Types Of Ear Infections In Dogs
Not every infection is created equal. Treatment depends on whats contaminating your dogs ears and how deep the irritant has traveled. Here are the most common types of ear infections:
- Yeast infections This is one of the most prevalent types of ear infections in dogs. Yeast is a fungus that usually lives in the ear. When the yeast population overgrows, inflammation and unpleasantness occur. As if the discomfort and itchiness arent enough, the smell of a yeast infection is often foul. Luckily, this ailment is treatable at home.
- Bacterial infections Germs are another common irritant that can drive your dog nuts. Similar to yeast, bacteria love dark, moist places. Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella spp, and pseudomonas can overtake the ear and cause an infection.
- Mite infestations This issue occurs when Otodectes cynotis, a parasitic mite, set up shop in your dogs ears. These pesky creatures feed on the wax and oil in the ear. Although these mites dont bite, they cause extreme itchiness. This irritation can cause your dog to scratch excessively, exacerbating the issue.
Causes Of Yeast Ear Infection In Dogs
There are numerous reasons why the delicate environment within your pet’s ear can be thrown off and result in a yeast infection, some of the most common causes include:
- Trapped moisture – especially in dogs with long floppy ears
- Feeding your dog sugary snacks
- Not cleaning your dog’s ears often enough
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Will Dog Ear Infection Go Away On Its Own
Otitis externa can progress to otitis media, and in some cases, that could develop into otitis interna. So its important to deal with ear infections promptly before they become more serious. In severe cases, your dog could develop facial paralysis, deafness, or symptoms of vestibular disease.
Youll need to be patient with the healing process when youre dealing with chronic ear issues in your dog. As your dog releases toxins through her ears, remember that this is an important part of healing. The ears are one way your dogs own healing power gets rid of toxins. You dont want to suppress that process. Any drug or herb that can stop symptoms fast is likely to suppress them. This drives them deeper into the body where they can cause more serious issues later.
The recommendations above will give you some natural tools to manage both acute and chronic ear infections in your dog.
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A Quick Note On Aural Hematomas
One potential side effect of an ear infection is an aural hematoma.
If your dog is shaking their head or scratching excessively, it can damage the blood vessels inside the ear flap, leading to excess fluid buildup. You’ll be able to spot this condition immediately because your dog’s ear will puff up like a balloon.
This condition is not emergent, but can be very uncomfortable and will only increase how much head-shaking your dog does.
Unless you have dealt with aural hematomas before and know how to drain them yourself, you should take your dog to the vet to have the condition treated.
Some vets will recommend quilting your dog’s ear using multiple sutures to hold the walls of the flap together after the ear is drained. While this may be necessary for dogs that chronically suffer from this condition, it is usually not required for first-timers.
With a lot of care and attention and plenty of warm compresses, it is possible to encourage a drained aural hematoma to heal on its own without excess scar tissue.
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