jmwolff

Just got back from our Vet check. Both dogs had infections in their ears (yeast) and the female also bacterial. The female also has some eye infection. In addition to the dry skin irritiation they told me about, she has some kind of rash in the folds of her neck, so she needs some special shampoo.

Plus all the other routine bloodwork, frontline and heart guard....that was a WAY more expensive visit than I expected.

Kirska

The first one is usually one of the worst. My mutt's first vet visit I was expecting maybe $150 turned out to be almost $450.

Bassets and long eared dogs in general get ear infections a lot if you're not really strict about cleaning them. I end up just keeping the yeast ear infection medication on hand all the time.

__________________
Mom to Anabelle and Lila, 9 (?) and 8 years old rescued ladies and Harley, 11 year old Corgi/Beagle/Basset/?? mutt

"Saving just one dog won't change the world, but it surely will change the world for that one dog." - Richard C. Call

jmwolff

My last bassett never had a single ear infection in 11.5 years and we rarely cleaned his ears...guess he was one of those "tight" bassets

vb3

Our two dogs are totally different on their ear cleaning needs. Layla could go for months without her ears getting very dirty, but Rosco needs his cleaned at least once a month, more during the summer when he is outside a lot.

gsally

Vet bills times two! Yikes! Maybe you could find a Vet who gives at least a small discount for the two hounds.

jmwolff

LOL yeah I wish...so far the discount I found was $10 less on the office visit on the second dog. I think what really killed us was the lyme titers and the heartworm titers. The lyme titer was expensive, so was the lyme vaccine...but since the one guy had a tick on them I guess it was better to just do it and get it over with.

On the bright side, I figured out how to get Pencil to eat...put the food in the crate...only now she ate Boppers too while I was typing lol.

SophieB

What a pity you had such an expensive trip to your vet... we all suffer from vets' extortionate fees but I'm sure it will be worth it for the many years of pleasure your hounds will bring you! Can you get 'Thornits' powder where you live as it's excellent for keeping Bassets' ears healthy. If you Google it you'll see much to support its use!

This is from the Champ Dogs website........
"Get a teaspoon and poke the narrow end into the Thornit powder so you have a little "mountain" of it, that is no more than a good "pinch" and tip directly into the ear canal. If the entrance to the canal is very hairy then rub a little thornit into the hair first , leave a few minutes and it plucks out painlessly ( or snip short with scissors) so you can clear the canal and the powder will actually go down it.

Once you put the powder in, massage gently for a minute or two. If my dogs have waxy ears or think they may have mites I do them twice a day for a week and then wait for a few days to see if it has worked. Its not often I have to do it for longer. I always do both ears even if it appears there is a problem in only one.

I dont use any liquid/drops in the ear during the time I am dosing with the Thornit. The Thornit will send any "gunge" up to the surface and I lift it off very gently with a damp cotton bud, but I dont go inside the canal, just around it and the "creases". If I was using Thornit daily for 10 days or so with no improvement or the ear was red and swollen a trip to the vet would be wise I think - though Thornit has always cleared up any ear probs my dogs have had. Its brill!"

Info here:
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&q=Thornit+Powder+for+dogs+ears&aq=f&aqi=&aq l=&oq=Thornit+Powder+for+dogs+ears&gs_rfai=&fp=fdf a1fab6e124257

jmwolff

hmmmm that thornit looks interesting...I may have to pick some up...looks liek you can get it on ebay.

SophieB

After I first heard about this old gamekeeper's remedy a few years ago, I have used it and none of my Bassets have had to go to the vet for their costly antibiotic stuff like it my pre-Thornit days! I bet if it didn't lose them a lot of money vets would also be dishing it out!!!!

Thornit Ear Powder - CATS_Eye and Ear pet healthcare

gsally

What exactly is in the Thornit Powder, I clicked on the link but didn't see an ingredient description anywere?