My Lab and ear infections

[Cook1]

Ok, so I have a lab who keeps having ear problems. Everytime I take her to the vet it's around $200 a visit, now at 2-3 times a month going in, yeah that really adds up to be a lot. I clean her ears every day, and every day there's this black tar crap in em. I know it bothers her because she shakes her head a lot and will sometimes scratch her ears until they start to bleed.

Any ideas on things I can do to help without taking her to the vet as often?

 

[Kelvrick]

Did you clean her ears every day before the infections started?

 

[Cook1]

About 2-3 times week before all this started. But once it did start I took her to the vet, they gave her a shot and some pills that helped and I started cleaning her ears every day, this was about 4 months ago. Getting a bit short on cash....course I would never cut out her vet visits when she needs em, just more cash then I would care to give to a vet every month.

 

[eigen]

Question: Do you have any other dogs?

 

[Cook1]

Nope, she's the only dog. And she's more of an inside dog...runt of the litter, sleeps inside on a goose down comforter and my 3 pillows. But an inside dog in that sense, found that she's a great jogging companion and I also found....when I want to go swimming, don't take her....she thinks she's helping me but I swear she's drowning me!

 

[Kelvrick]

Do you think you might be cleaning the ears improperly and you're causing the ear infections? What does the vet say to do?

I'm just thinking the vet said to give her the pills and such and didn't mention anything about cleaning the ears.

 

[Cook1]

I've always cleaned her ears the same way since she was a pup. She's turning 6 now, just put some of the ear cleaning solution on a cotton ball and swab inside the ear. My aunt has a lab and does it the same way. Just thinking there has to be something else I can do to prevent all this.

 

[Azraele]

Is it possible the dog has ear mites?

 

[dman]

Originally posted by: Cook1
I've always cleaned her ears the same way since she was a pup. She's turning 6 now, just put some of the ear cleaning solution on a cotton ball and swab inside the ear. My aunt has a lab and does it the same way. Just thinking there has to be something else I can do to prevent all this.

See a different vet? Maybe ask for some alternative treatment options from the existing vet?

And free bump to see if anyone else can help.

 

[Rage187]

Originally posted by: Azraele
Is it possible the dog has ear mites?

thats my theory.

 

[jacko49]

I'm quit sure that you caused unknowingly the infection by cleaning it (too good)
just take it from my doc:"u should clean Ur ears only with your elbow".
this applies to your best friend 2.the vets wont tell u this as u r a great customer.

 

[bloinkXP]

Consider an allergy test for your dog.

Our lab mix has the same problem in the left ear...never the right. My wife cleans her hear once a week, but sometimes it really hits hard.

-d

 

[andy2812]

Ask your vet to give you Otomax. Put a couple of drops in each ear for a few days and it will clear it up. I use it all the time on my dog.

 

[rezinn]

Different vet please.

 

[torpid]

Well... I only have a cat, but I had a similar problem. Here are the suggestions I can offer:

1. Most important, try a new vet. With this in mind, common causes in cats are:

2. Food allergy
3. Ear mites
4. Yeast infection

My cat ended up having a yeast infection. The vet missed it the first time because it was early in the gestation period. Fortunately both exams were free. Some goo cleared it up.

[added]I know dogs can get them too because the product given to me was actually for dogs, but the vet had read some success stories when using it in cats.

 

[VWhed]

My Weimaraner has had an ear infection, and I clean his ears about once a week. The vet has us use Melaseb to flush the ears and Animax to treat the ears. Not a sign of trouble since. What part of the country do you live in that a vet visit runs $200? My last visit was $30 and included a heart worm pill.