Bottom of her ears

[Becky and Wilson]

Not sure if I should put this here or in grooming so feel free to move it mods!

I noticed while stroking Paisleys lovely ears earlier that I felt some mats right at the bottom  so I got the brushes etc out and tried to get them out.  Well her fur is so thick that it's hard to find her skin most of the time but I finally managed to get down to the skin and what I thought was mats appears to be more like a build up of dead skin/scabs?!  I tried to comb some of it out (I'm sure it's not mats as the hair is not tangled at all!) and she started scratching at her ears, so it must be quite irritating for her.  then as I continued she started tensing her legs so it began to hurt her, then I made it bleed so I stopped! 

Just wondering if anyone else has come across anything like this and what it is and what I should do!

I feel terrible for not noticing it before!     It's on both of her ear, only right at the bottom near the skin.

Thanks for your help!

Becky

[EmmaA]

My last dog had something that sounds similar to this. I trimmed the end of his ear fur and gave it a good clean with hibiscrub everyday and it cleared up on it's own. I think he may have cut it on something and the scab just got a bit nasty because I hadn't noticed it.
However if it's on both ears it could be some kind of reaction or infection so may be worth a vet visit.

[Beth]

Jarvis used to get this a lot. His was due to the ears constantly being wet. If you give her a really thorough shampoo and scrub and then try to keep them clean it should go.

With Jarvis i also used to squirt oil into the fur and massage it in, they look a bit greasy but it really helped repel water.

[Jay06]

as beth said! 
Bailey also used to get this and i think it was due to ears dragging along the pavement and through fields and also through dinner before he got a spaniel bowl. Once a week i wash the ends of his ears and condition them then comb out - Beth's idea of oil is good, gonna try that!!

[Becky and Wilson]

Paisley's ears are almost always a bit damp!  where we walk there's a stream that they like to paddle in, well since her fur is so think she takes so long to dry that maybe it's started to cause problems!  I think a new walking route will be required for a while and I'll give her ears a good scrub with hibiscrub and hope that it clears up!  The oil sounds like a good idea too, either that or a snood will be in order!  

If it doesn't work I guess I'll have to trim the fur   I'm really hoping it doesn't come to that!  I'm hoping I dont need to take her to the vets as I'm worried they'll just get the clippers out and shave her ears!  They seem very inpatient at my vets and I cant see them taking the time to part the hair to get an only partial look at the problem! I love my babies ears!

[joanne_v]

Lily gets this. My vet shaved her ear and I was raging! I use malaseb every so often but hibiscrub is cheaper and will do the trick. I've trimmed her ears at the base slightly to get more air to them as they take so long to dry hence the scabby bits developing.

[Helen]

we get this with Jarv too - I shampoo with a tea tree shampoo, dry thoroughly and rub thornits into the ends of his ears.  I also trim/clip/thin as much hair as I can off the inside ear flap which seems to help a lot and means I don't have to trim the length of his ears down IYSWIM.

[Becky and Wilson]

Thanks for all the tips everyone!  I didn't think to put thornits on the ends of her ears!

She was out for a wee this mornng for 1 minute and her ears were soaking, it must be that which is causing it! 

[bibathediva]

We took Biba to the vets last week because of this..tried a week of shampoo..then hibiscrub but it just wasn't shifting and was starting to smell  ..she gave us A/B and some malaseb shampoo...i think the A/B were a precautionary measure as her ears had also stated to bleed when i tried to comb it out...after a week of washing them after every walk..what a pain that has been  ..she is just about clear..theres a bit left that i have had to cut the hair from so i can get to it...i think its just an accumulation of c**p they pick up with there ears...have noticed Lolas are going the same way so she has had a week of washing in malaseb before it gets as bad as Bibas 

[BabyB]

Henry is exactly the same - so I bathe them every 3-4 days with shampoo and conditioner.  His get like this as he drags them through Katie's wee if I can't get to the decking quick enough to wash it down