Anyone with a good treatment for Cocker Spaniel with chronic ear infection? I am using something new, from Jeffers.com, called Vetericyn Wound Treatment. It costs $35 a bottle and is working to keep one dog free of infection. The other (the worst case) is not getting worse, but I am always looking for something short of another expensive vet bill. Most vets put them on antibiotics and that only feeds the yeast infections. My new vet gave her cortisone, but I am afraid of long term use causing liver damage.
By Jeron from Dothan, AL
I was a little confused by your post. By "chronic infection" did you mean he has an active infection that won't go away, or do you mean he is gets new infections chronically? An active infection needs antibiotics, I don't know of any way to get around that. But if you are looking for a way to prevent infections I can suggest a routine and a product that works well for us.
Any of the "floppy ear dogs" (we have English Mastiffs) are prone to ear infections as dirt and moisture get caught under the flap. Any time the dogs are around water (ponds, creeks, lawn and garden sprinklers, and even regular rain) we make sure their ears are wiped out and bone dry.
About once a week we use a product made by Virbac Animal Health called Epi-Otic and thoroughly clean each ear. We only buy it at our vet's office so I don't know where to tell you to start searching for it. If I remember correctly, it's about $15.00 for 8 oz. One of our dogs will probably end up with a least one infection a year, regardless, but the other one (knock on wood) doesn't have any problems. Good luck! (11/30/2010)
By Cindy
I have had Cockers all my life. I worked for a veterinarian for over 27 years and Cockers are known for their ear infections. Cocker's ears do not get any air because the ear canal is always shut off to air because of the floppy ears. Your veterinarian can clean your dog's ears under anesthesia and apply any medication that is needed and send you home with an antibiotic. Please make an appointment for your baby as he/she is in a lot of pain. (12/01/2010)
By Sherri
Make sure you remove any excess hair from the ears. Lightly dust with ear powder to keep them dry. Loosely tie your babies ears up (on top of it's head) so the air can get into his ears. This worked on my floppy eared pals. Good luck! (12/01/2010)
By Ivy
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I have spent probably over $2,000 on her ears on vet bills and antibiotics in the last 2 years . They suggest ear surgery (ablation) which I hate to put a 10 year old dog through. I have taken her to 4 different vets, the antibiotics just make it come back with a vengeance, and that's after having culture/sensitivity tests done to get the right antibiotics to kill the bacterial (psuedemonas) infection. The last vet put her on prednisone and it really improved, but I am afraid to keep her on long time steroids,they cause all kinds of bad problems. That did seem to help more than anything.
The Vetericyn Wound Spray is awesome, antiviral, anti-fungal, and kills MRSA and Psuedamonas and other bacteria in 30 seconds. It doesn't harm the tissues and oxigenates the tissues which helps the healing by 60%. I am trying to get my vet to order the veterinary strength, he had never heard of it. This stuff is great and can even be used in the eyes. It's gotten rid of the yeasty infection the other dog had.
The girls are 10 yr old Cocker sisters and have both been treated by the same vets with the same medications. I am convinced the overuse of antibiotics has caused this. I keep their ears shaved, inside and out to keep the weight off their ears and have the worst one's ears taped up for the last 3 months. I use Keto8 Ear Flush from the vet and in the last 2 years have used every known ear ointment from the 4 vets. I have had many Cockers all my life (62 yrs) and have only had one dog that had to have a zip surgery done 35 years ago. I haven't tried the Zymox, but will get some tomorrow. Thanks. (12/01/2010)
By Jeron
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