Hi Everybody,
I'm so pleased to have discovered this very friendly, informative Forum.
I was wondering if any of your Cockers has suffered yeasty problems and constant chronic ear infections? My orange roan, Jack, has very tiny openings to his ears, which greatly restricts the flow of air, causing horrendous, painful problems from bacteria. I rescued him at 6 months old and took him straight to my Vet for a health check and this is when I discovered the facts.
At times, the pain is horrendous, despite regular visits to the Vets and various treatments. Periodically, he is put under anaesthetic to give both ears a deep clean, which helps for a little while, but isn't a cure. After years of trying I despair that there is one. On two occasions the ear drums have ruptured and he came very close to having the ear canals removed. Fortunately, he was spared these painful procedures, because miraculously the ruptures repaired themselves. He's prescribed antibiotics and washes on a regular basis. At the moment, he's also on a month's course of steroids. The idea is to go for a blitz in an attempt to eradicate the problem, or at least extend the distance in time between very painful episodes. To be honest, I'm not too confident about the use of steroids for dogs. At his worst, I have to sit up all night with him and massage his back, which gives him some comfort.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to pin a Cocker's ears back please, to increase the air flow and cool them down, please? I've tried everything I can think of, but nothing has worked. I thought a pair of tights with the legs cut off might do the trick, but my Jack was having none of it. He did look a picture though.
Pegs are not suitable, because his ears are too sore to take the pressure.
For a year, in consultation with my Vet, I cooked all his meals, but I can't honestly say things improved. I also tried Thornits on the outer ear flap and I would say that did help a little.
Any advice would be most welcome. Sometimes, I think hands-on owners who experience firsthand, problems like these, can be extremely helpful. I'd be so grateful for any advice you may be able to offer me. x