The best way to reduce ear infections in dogs is prevention. I have a beagle who had ear infections 2 years ago. For people with beagles, watching for ear infections is an important concern. The drooping ears of hound dogs do not allow for air to circulate properly within the ear cavity. This lack of air flow, combined with the heat that stays trapped within the ear, causes moisture. And moist areas are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, yeast and fungal infections.
Canine ear infections are most commonly caused by bacteria or yeast. Ear mites, excessive hair, moisture or wax, foreign bodies, allergies, and hypothyroidism can all be contributing factors in the development of an ear infection. Because the ear canal in dogs is mostly vertical (unlike a human ear canal that is horizontal), it is easy for debris and moisture to be retained in the ear canal. [source]
Her ears had a dark, smelly discharge (like mud). She often scratches her ears and sometimes cry due to irritation. Here are some symptoms that your dog has an ear infection: (1) Scratching of the ear or area around the ear. (2) Brown, yellow, or bloody discharge. (3) Odor in the ear. (4) Redness. (5) Swelling. (6) Crusts or scabs on inside of the outer ear. (7) Hair loss around the ear. (8) Rubbing of the ear and surrounding area on the floor or furniture. (9) Head shaking or head tilt. (10) Loss of balance. (11) Unusual eye movements. (12) Walking in circles. (13) Hearing loss. [souce]
Thankfully, I have learned about Otiderm ear drops which helps in treating ear infection. It costs 400+ PHP if I'm not mistaken. Below I have listed what are the steps that I did to get rid of my dog's ear infection (please note that I am not a professional; I am just sharing our experience with regards to my dog's ear infection):
1. First step is to clean your dog's ears. I used a cotton ball and Hydrogen Peroxide (Agua Oxigenada) 3% Solution. Please be mindful in doing this because sometimes our dogs' ears are so infected that cleaning their ears would be painful for them. My dog sometimes cry while I clean her ears but I make sure that I take my time and just make her relax first. Massage her ears and make them feel that every thing will be okay.
2. After cleaning with Hydrogen Peroxide, I then move on to putting 3-5 drops of Otiderm in each ear. Massage it in their ears for at least 5 seconds to prevent them for shaking the antibacterial drops off their ears.
3. Pat their head and give some treats so they would know they did a good job!
In our case, it only took us 2 days and her ears already turned infection free. I just clean her ears once a week with agua oxigenada for maintenance. And now, it's nice to know that whenever my dog sees my getting cotton balls, she will start getting excited and come to me quickly, lay down, and allow me to clean her ears. 🐶❤️ I hope this would help you in some ways. Let me know if you have other tips in cleaning your dogs' ears and comment below if you've tried Otiderm ear drops in your dog(s).
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