Narrow ear canal/repeated ear infections

[AnnieG]

Speak to AnnieG re her dog in the past having had the ablation - she said never again

Wilf is always in the water and gets bad problems in one ear - I do treat myself thuogh as the drops make his ears too wet. One thing I do do is just wipe round the ear with thornitt rather than put it in. He did have his ear flushe dout under GA when he was neutered and it was a yeast infection my vet found

My mum used to use baby oil to clean spaniels ears  - not sure if there's anything in its use

Penny's got an excellent memory.  I agreed to this operation for my old cocker Binnie for roughly similar reasons to yours.  It was over six years ago and surgical techniques may have improved but, at that time, it was a horrible, horrible procedure.  I will regret what we put her through for the rest of my life.  She died of a heart condition shortly afterwards and I believe the stress of the operation and its aftermath was a major contributing factor. We may have been unlucky but I would try virtually every other route before going down this one again.

[Michele]

I could make my own - have the Isopropyl alcohol, the colloidal silver and I use Boric Acid in jewellery making    Just need the gentian violet and a witches cauldron

I have the gentian violet and I am sure Michele has a cauldron - we could go into production.    I have seen a recipe for Thornit on t'Internet - it would be pretty easy to make your own if you could be @rsed 

Just kick starting the broomstick! 


Nic, I have used Aurizon on Meg's ears and it is pretty effective stuff.

[Nicola]

Speak to AnnieG re her dog in the past having had the ablation - she said never again

Wilf is always in the water and gets bad problems in one ear - I do treat myself thuogh as the drops make his ears too wet. One thing I do do is just wipe round the ear with thornitt rather than put it in. He did have his ear flushe dout under GA when he was neutered and it was a yeast infection my vet found

My mum used to use baby oil to clean spaniels ears  - not sure if there's anything in its use

Penny's got an excellent memory.  I agreed to this operation for my old cocker Binnie for roughly similar reasons to yours.  It was over six years ago and surgical techniques may have improved but, at that time, it was a horrible, horrible procedure.  I will regret what we put her through for the rest of my life.  She died of a heart condition shortly afterwards and I believe the stress of the operation and its aftermath was a major contributing factor. We may have been unlucky but I would try virtually every other route before going down this one again.

Oh gosh, thanks for that Annie    I'm so sorry that you lost Binnie   How old was she? From what I've read and know about it it is fairly severe surgery which is why I've been reluctant to even consider it up to now but I just feel that Tills can't go on with this continual infection and the really bad flare ups every couple of months. It's hard to know what to do for her.

I will speak to the vet about surgical options and maybe ask for a referral but before I do anything like that I'm going to try some of the other solutions which have been suggested on this thread, I'm so glad I posted it as I've had so many ideas and thank you to everyone who has pm'med me too

[Jessie_Pup]

Hope Tilly's ears are better soon.  Jessie has had a couple of really bad ear infections over the last year or two.  Had the usual drops from vets, have used cleanaurual soon as their is sign of browish discharge. Vets advise was to keep ear dry, no swimming in ponds, which Jessie loves real waterbaby. Also to keep the hair round her ear opening trimmed and clipped so that the air can circulate.  When I have the ear infection clear I just wipe round the ear opening with some aloevera wipes from P@H find some seem to irritate her and wipe dry with cotton wool.  Good Luck with Tilly hope you can sort it out without surgery.

[AnnieG]

Speak to AnnieG re her dog in the past having had the ablation - she said never again

Wilf is always in the water and gets bad problems in one ear - I do treat myself thuogh as the drops make his ears too wet. One thing I do do is just wipe round the ear with thornitt rather than put it in. He did have his ear flushe dout under GA when he was neutered and it was a yeast infection my vet found

My mum used to use baby oil to clean spaniels ears  - not sure if there's anything in its use

Penny's got an excellent memory.  I agreed to this operation for my old cocker Binnie for roughly similar reasons to yours.  It was over six years ago and surgical techniques may have improved but, at that time, it was a horrible, horrible procedure.  I will regret what we put her through for the rest of my life.  She died of a heart condition shortly afterwards and I believe the stress of the operation and its aftermath was a major contributing factor. We may have been unlucky but I would try virtually every other route before going down this one again.

Oh gosh, thanks for that Annie    I'm so sorry that you lost Binnie   How old was she? From what I've read and know about it it is fairly severe surgery which is why I've been reluctant to even consider it up to now but I just feel that Tills can't go on with this continual infection and the really bad flare ups every couple of months. It's hard to know what to do for her.

I will speak to the vet about surgical options and maybe ask for a referral but before I do anything like that I'm going to try some of the other solutions which have been suggested on this thread, I'm so glad I posted it as I've had so many ideas and thank you to everyone who has pm'med me too

Binnie was a lot older than Tilly.  She was coming up to ten when she had the operation.  But I really think it would be difficult for any dog, regardless of age.  I am, however, concerned that I might be worrying you sick about a procedure that may have improved since then.  Sorry if that's so. If it is the only option for Tilly (and I can well understand the problems you are having) then at least you have the advantage of brilliant veterinary surgeons near you.  If I knew then what I know now, Binnie would have had that operation in a proper veterinary hospital rather than the local vets.  And you can ask all the questions I should have asked, if only I'd known.  As you can tell, I still feel guilty.  Binnie was an absolutely corking little girlie and I really regret putting her through this. But history need not repeat itself.  Good luck.

[BabyB]

Morgan was diagnosed with Pyoderma and narrow ear canals when he was 6 years old - he'll be 11 yrs on the 10th August 

His allergies are caused by a multitude of things, but he's not a water babe which is quite good (although he loves having his fortnightly bath).

We keep it check with a monthly auto-immune injection, malaseb shamppo (can be used in the ear too).

His ears and feet we particularly bad recenctly so he was given three types of tablets as the ear swab showed some bad infection on top of the Pydoderma - he was also given steriods to help sort his inflammed feet.

For his ears our vet is more than happy for us to use Thornits too

It can be a nightmare to keep them sympton free, but on the whole the mixture of malaseb and thornits seems to do the trick 

[Nicola]

Binnie was a lot older than Tilly.  She was coming up to ten when she had the operation.  But I really think it would be difficult for any dog, regardless of age.  I am, however, concerned that I might be worrying you sick about a procedure that may have improved since then.  Sorry if that's so. If it is the only option for Tilly (and I can well understand the problems you are having) then at least you have the advantage of brilliant veterinary surgeons near you.  If I knew then what I know now, Binnie would have had that operation in a proper veterinary hospital rather than the local vets.  And you can ask all the questions I should have asked, if only I'd known.  As you can tell, I still feel guilty.  Binnie was an absolutely corking little girlie and I really regret putting her through this. But history need not repeat itself.  Good luck.

Don't worry about worrying me at all Annie, I'd rather know all the ins and outs from people who have experience of this surgery. I am so sorry you lost your girl though  

BabyB it sounds like Morgan may be fairly similar to Tills. I was back at the vet with Rodaidh this afternoon (don't ask!!) and was talking to him about Tills again and I think they're going to refer her for allergy testing when I take her back, she has another appointment on the 10th of August so I'll see where we go from there.

[BabyB]

Binnie was a lot older than Tilly.  She was coming up to ten when she had the operation.  But I really think it would be difficult for any dog, regardless of age.  I am, however, concerned that I might be worrying you sick about a procedure that may have improved since then.  Sorry if that's so. If it is the only option for Tilly (and I can well understand the problems you are having) then at least you have the advantage of brilliant veterinary surgeons near you.  If I knew then what I know now, Binnie would have had that operation in a proper veterinary hospital rather than the local vets.  And you can ask all the questions I should have asked, if only I'd known.  As you can tell, I still feel guilty.  Binnie was an absolutely corking little girlie and I really regret putting her through this. But history need not repeat itself.  Good luck.

Don't worry about worrying me at all Annie, I'd rather know all the ins and outs from people who have experience of this surgery. I am so sorry you lost your girl though  

BabyB it sounds like Morgan may be fairly similar to Tills. I was back at the vet with Rodaidh this afternoon (don't ask!!) and was talking to him about Tills again and I think they're going to refer her for allergy testing when I take her back, she has another appointment on the 10th of August so I'll see where we go from there.

Def. ask for the allergy test - Morgan's was taken by a blood sample.

One option was to move his ear canals  or to operate to make them bigger, but Tom (the vet) said he wouldn't recommend it and it doesn't always work, so he/we didn't want to put him through an op because of it 

I'd keep an eye on her teeth too.  Morgan had to have 12 out (yep 12) because of problems with his gums (teeth were fine and dandy, and teeth brushing is done too), but Tom thought they were related too.  His nose also gets 'bobbly' where the oil produces too quick on it so the skin can't come off as normal - so it builds up and looks bobbly.

I'll have a look and see if I can find the vet bill for the tablets and let you know 

This is our Morgan 

[Nicola]

Thanks for that. Actually Tills has perfect sparkly white teeth, I never brush them but she gets chicken wings etc. There isn't a hint of tartar on any of them so I think she's just lucky in that sense... at least she has something going her way

The ear canal surgery is what I'm trying to investigate just now but it is pretty full on surgery which is why I'm also reluctant to put her through it

[Lily Freya]

Having had a dog go through the op for the ear canal.....I am now overly protective of the others.

I found a great product, that I use daily.......just as a part of grooming, called Four Paws earwash.  It has a really pleasant smell, but it brings all the gunk out.  I use this daily as a general ear sweep.....then Thornits once a month.

I was told Freya had narrowing of the ear canal, and would eventually need the surgery just like Lily, but she is fine now.

[sharonmansfield]

Hello Nicola, what a nightmare so sorry to hear of poor Tillys problem it must be so frustrating. My young blue roan has narrow ear canals and she loves the water too. She has only had one flare up so far this year luckily and that was after swimming in a river, we went for a very long walk and it was hot and they spent loads of time in the river and stream, I guess the hot and damp was the ideal conditions as Bella got a bad ear too and she does not usually suffer.
I don't have a solution sorry as so far the conventional treatments have worked on her. Just wanted to give you my support. Its hard to watch them keep scratching, groaning and shaking their heads knowing you are doing your best to help but that they are still being bothered by it. Poor Tills and poor you.

[babushka]

Hi Nicola. Don't know if you already have heard this, but I did read somewhere that Beet pulp in food is a know allergen for ears. It's in the majority of dog foods including AG. (just a thought, might be worth avoiding)