My 1 1/2 year old mutt is continually getting yeast infections in her ears. The ointment we get from the vet is very expensive and was wondering if anyone knew of a home remedy. Supposedly this is caused by allergies. Thanks so much!
Kathy
When kids get swimmer's ear we use a mixture of equal parts alcohol and vinegar and put a few drops in a couple times a day. When my Shelties had chronic ear problems I used an OTC ear cleaner from the pet store, and swabbed their ears with q-tips wet with this to remove discharge. They hated it but it helped. I also had a pharmacist compound the antiobiotic drops the vet sold me in very expensive 1 oz bottles to provide a 6 oz or so bottle of identical medicine for a very small price. (05/04/2004)
By Linda
PLEASE DONT'T USE PEROXIDE in your dog's ears! You can cause worse damage than an ear infection. Research has shown that peroxide can INCREASE infection by driving microorganisms deeper into wounds, as well as increase scarring. Scarring on the ear drum can cause your dog to lose his hearing. Gently wipe the inside of your dog's ear with a cotton ball or soft cloth to remove debris (don't use swabs); rinse with a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water, rub the ear gently to distribute the solution and loosen any more debris, then dry well with another soft cloth.
By Patti
If you want to buy a product instead of a home remedy then I suggest you go to
1-800-PETMEDS
It is $15.99 plus shipping
Brand Name
Zymox Otic with Hydrocortisone (Petking Brands)
Active Ingredient(s)
Lactoperoxidase system plus Lysozyme, Lactoferrin, Hydrocortisone (1%).
By Linda
Are you sure it is a yeast infection? We thought the same thing and after many hundreds of dollars at the vet and medications, we found that instead it was caused by mites. The smelly ears are a true symptom of mite infestation. One sure way to know it is mites is by black gunk in the ear cavity. I'd be interested if you found anything that worked. (05/05/2004)
By Penny
I would try the vinegar/water solution also. I heard that grain in your pets kibble can contribute greatly to this ear problem. Have you considered switching to a natural raw diet for your dog? I haven't fed kibble dog food for just about 3 years now. (05/06/2004)
By Tammy
I'm sure your Dog has Ear Mites & he is miserable,take him to a Vet. The Vet will give you some drops that will take care of the Ear Mites. Esther (05/06/2004)
By ThriftyFun
My girlfriend's dog has had the same problem for years. Someone told her to feed the dog yogurt once or twice a week. It has worked for a year now. No more ear problems (06/29/2004)
By Fran
My lab had constant ear infections from yeast (smelled like sour milk). I found a produict called Veterinarians Best Ear Wash and Dry. This treatment worked wonders as a preventive. Have to cure the problem with otomax from vet first. My dog has not had an ear infection in the 8 years I've been using Vet's Best. (01/29/2005)
By Debi
High quality feeding program/nutrition will keep your dog healthy. I would visit www.greatdanelady.com and follow her suggestions. Our beloved dogs are suffering from years of bad diet filled with preservatives, carcinogens, and worse. Go natural- I don't mean bloody meat and dangerous bones, but a well thought, researched and consistent QUALITY diet. I am a regular person who has been following good advice and my pets are reaping the benefits. It is not a substitute for QUALITY vet care, which does not necessarily mean expensive vet care. Find someone who is up with the times and keeps up with the latest research. Use the benefits of science instead of always trying to hide the symptoms with medications.
By Maria
I've had this problem for a few years and only lately have I gotten a handle on it. Innova makes a food containing no grains..it's called Innova EVO. This is essentially a commercial version of a raw diet. Fact is, you cannot feed anything that encourages yeast growth. You'd be amazed at what you CAN'T feed. I now make my own biscuits out of garbanzo bean flour, and add pumpkin seeds etc for crunch. As for the diet, also cook chicken or beef in a slow cooker. I buy drums. Then I add a small amount of garlic and when it's cooked, remove bones, add a bag of frozen vegetables like broccoli, carrots...stir in and then let it sit for an hour.
As for a solution... take 1-160z bottle of isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alc), add 4 tablespoons of boric acid and 16 drops of GENTIAN VIOLET...available at Alleon pharmacy on the net. Shake each time you use it. Fill ear canal and clean out, then add a few drops and repeat. You'll be finding lots of brown goo..which I originally thought were earmites..but NOT ! Do this daily...don't let up. You need to be aggressive because left untreated the dog can actually get a compound infection that can kill it...as I'm told it can enter the brain. Jerry<romanczak @ yahoo.com> (12/09/2005)
By guest
My dog had chronic yeast infections and nothing we did helped. So finally I switched her to a food that was fish and potato, and the yeast cleared up. You could try it...the fish helps to lower the pH of the dogs body thus making it hard for yeast to grow. (06/21/2006)
By Rebeka
Boric acid is not something that you should be putting in your dogs ears. I have worked as a pharmacy tech and that was some thing that people would ask for because its a rat poison. I know that a lot of older people would use it for diffrent reasons but you should talk to your vet before you start mixing things together and putting them in your dog. They cant tell you its not feeling good to them. (06/22/2006)
By 2beagles
Hi,
My dog has had yeast infections in her ears and on her paws almost constantly for several years. I have been to many vets and have bags full of medication
that will only work for a while, then it's back.
I found one thing that has actually been working
for months now. It is an ear drying solution
calld CleaRx by DVM. Instead of trying to cure the yeast infection, this seems to create a dry environment that doesn't allow the yeast to grow
in the first place. Still trying on the paws, but this
half the battle anyway. Good luck! (09/17/2006)
By Jan S.
I have a golden retriever with ear infections. the only issue we have thus far. We use Granules and BacPak from Nzymes.com. It was recommended by the vet. They used it on their horse. Its been great. Its reasonable too. When we stop using it we end up going back b/c he gets an ear issue. I wont stop using it now. I couldnt handle the crying I heard when I took him to a clinic for his ears and they released black goo over and over. My heart sank. (01/22/2007)
By KC
I usually never post anything, but this time I have something that really works. A dog groomer in town gives out this recipe. If your dog seems to have painful ears AND/OR a reddish-blackish substance comming from the ears it could be a yeast infection. The home-remedy is made with:
16 oz Isopropyl Alchohol (70%)
4 Tablespoons Boric Acid Powder
16 Drops Gentian Violet Solution (1%)
I got the items from behind the pharmacy counter, and they were rather inexpensive. The ingedients should be mixed, warmed, and shaken. The latter two steps will need to be done every time. I applied the solution to a cotton round and wiped the ear. She advises pouring it into the ear; however, my dog did not like that. I applied it twice a day for two weeks. It was like a miracle. I have heard testimonials of others who spend hundreds on vet bills only to find this home-remedy to be the cure-all. You will thank me later. (01/29/2007)
By jessica
CHANGE your dogs food! If your dog is eating bad commercial dog food, his/her immune system will suffer! I did a lot of research on dog food and now I feed my 9yr old terrier real chicken and vegetables. He is acting like a puppy again! And has no more lumps that were developing on his chest before. Commercial dog food will cause your dog to age faster! And you will have lots of vet bills! Remember: IF YOUR DOG ISN'T SICK, the vet doesn't get paid! (05/09/2007)
By Jillyn
My Chinese Crested has been prone to them since he was a pup. What I found important is always dry his ears after a bath. Take a Qtip and gently clean. A yeast infection always smells, if there's substance dripping and it does not smell it likely to be another issue. The key to treating it is clean his/her ears twice a day with a Qtip before applying your remedy. If you don't clean it will never heal. Also make sure that his/her paws are clean and yeast free, yeast infactions can be transferrred to their feet when they scratch their ears. Then you have a situation where it keeps getting passed back and forth. My vet prescribes Surolan. It works wonders, he's usually cured in about 5 days, it's only about $15 and a bottle goes a long long way. If you visit your vet once, get them to prescribe it and subsequently get your prescription re-filled at your local pet pharmacy or through one of the on-line pharmacies. You can also use this on his feet. Make sure to clearn the webbing between his toes.
Why play around with wacky experiments, trust your vet and do realize that it's not costly to treat with trusted and tested drugs. A mere $15.00 and your pet will be much more comfortable in a week.
PS. This bottle will last you around 4 or 5 episodes (around a year). (05/19/2007)
By Nicole
I also have an on-going battle with my Golden Retriever's ear infections. I have noticed that what she eats does help keep them down. I also was told by someone about feeding vegtables and chicken and to cut out wheat. I didn't have time to cater to my dog to that extent, so I looked at the ingredients of retail store dog food and low and behold, I found one. It is called Natural Way by Sunshine Mills (It is endorsed by Lassie, whatever that means). I am certain it has helped because my husband went out and bought the old brand (with wheat) and we have had the worse case infection since she was reintroduced to wheat. After getting her back on track with the vet's regiment of meds and changing back to the Natural Way food, she is now on a road to recovery!
(06/06/2007)
By Judy Bruland
I had the same issues with a dog of mine many years ago. I finally went to a holistic vet who said allergies. Great, I knew that. What I didn't know is the main allergens of dogs are corn, wheat, beef and soy. So I eliminated those (don't forget the raw hides are beef) and WOW, no more ear problems! Now you have to be paitient, it took about a month before it really was working, but the rest of her life she did not have any ear problems, unless she managed to get ahold of something beef. I kept the others out of her diet, but I am certain her allergy was beef.
S (08/05/2007)
By sandy
I watched my puppy suffer since we got her. We have a bishon Frise and I heard that was typical for dogs with hair in their ears. I tried the vet drops and that never seemed to work, I tried changing her diet and nothing worked. I then spent the day on the internet looking for herbal cures. I even went and bought stuff for women yeast infections as a last resort. I talked to the vet and groomer and druggist and none of them suggested that of course. I then found something new at Petco called Natural Care and it contains Yucca, Aloe Vera, Chamomile, Clove Oil, Tea Tree Oil, and Echinacea. It comes in a ear wash and then a more solid gel you put in their ear afterward. I gave her first some baby benadryl to stop the itching and then tried squirting the stuff in her ears, of course the wrestling match was on so I thought I'd better turn it into a pleasant experience so I took cotton balls and soaked two of them then squeezed the liquid into her ears. Then wiped each ear out with the cotton ball, then took q-tips to get in the crevices, brown goop would come out, then put the gel on my finger and spread it in her ear and massaged her ears. I did this every day for about 10 days, Magic, her ears cleared up, she quit itching, (I stopped the benadryl after a couple of days) and there were no more bloody sores from scratching. She is a much happier dog, no more head shaking and digging. I haven't even taken her to the groomer to have the hair pulled out. I would definately recommend this treatment. The clove oil seems to numb the ends of my fingers so I'm sure she gets the same benefit. I'm only doing the treatment every 2-3 days now and will continue (09/19/2007)
By Deborah Reinertson
Giving dogs or cats people food can cause major allergy issues! If that's an issue, ease up on the people food, and follow up on either vet Rx treatment or the advice you get from those vets, and see if that helps! (10/24/2007)
By Sonya
Someone wrote on this page that vinegar, with it's antibiotic properties, clears up dog's ear infections. It has worked 100% of the time for me. I bathe my dog, ending with a rinse of undiliuted vinegar (he was standing in a small puddle of vinegar in my bathtub) including pouring some vinegar directly into both ears. I used one gallon. My dog is dismayed by the taste in his mouth when I do it, but by morning, both ear infections are completely gone. I read here that sometimes an infection can be carried on the paw or in a dog's nails and then spread to the ears when s/he scratches the ear, and this can also be the reason for recurring infections, so this treatment treated the infection and it's cause. I also washed his bed at the same time. One gallon of vinegar is much cheaper than vet costs, prescriptions or online medications. Hope it works as well for you as it is for me. (12/08/2007)
By molly w b
I would NOT recommend full strength vinegar directly into a dogs ears.
I have used Witch hazel this way, but it did nothing.
I took me Black Lab to the vet for ear infections.
They took him into the back room whilst I waited. When they returned with him he was sneezing, eyes watering, foaming at the mouth, in obvious discomfort and stinking of VINEGAR. They said he probably scratched his ears and some of the medicine got into the cuts. Then They sold me some ear "medicine/cleaner" whose main ingredient was cider vinegar. When I used it on him (once) I had the same results i.e. sneezing, eyes watering, foaming at the mouth, in obvious discomfort and stinking of VINEGAR.
While this stuff worked..I don't wait to hurt my buddy so I threw it away.
Then I came up with this procedure.
White Vinegar seems to be the one to use. Start by trying to dilute 1 teaspoon vinegar into 2 cups water.
Mix and soak a couple cotton balls with the mix. Sqeeze excess. Carefully insert (don't let the cotton go into the canal just some of the mix) and massage for a count of 10. GET THE COTTON BALLS out of the ears and WAIT five minute. Allow Dog to shake and massage to try and loosen up wax.
If you Dog shows no discomfort , do it again for a 30 count and this time follow up with a couple dry Cotton Balls to absorb moisture and/or a cotton ball with Sweet Oil (available at any drug store for about $1.00) to help soothe.
And of course LOTS OF "GOOD BOY / Girl"and a special treat for being so cooperative.
If that works OK try to increase the vinegar to two or three teaspoons.
If the pup has discomfort from the vinegar, Dry Cotton balls, message, watered cotton balls, repeat and lots of "I'm so sorry's" Followed by a treat and a call to the vet. Ask them not to use vinegar (12/26/2007)
By Roy's Dad
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