[Guest]

Anyone have an ear wash recipe? Byron has lots of goop in one ear. We have him on drops, but what can I use to clean his ears? Any suggestions would be great. Thnaks!

 

[Sadeyes]

you can use,equal parts white vinegar and distilled water.Pour the solution gently into ears , let him shake the excess out, and then dry the inside of ears with cotton wool balls. Best if you make the solution lukewarm. Hope this helps.

 

[dean wickwire]

I use baby wipes for cleaning and the 50/50 vinegar/rubbing alcohol as a routine treatment --squirt some in the ear and rub it in about every 2 weeks or every month.

 

[Mikey T]

boric acid is another otic freindly anti-microbial antibacterial agent. FWIW the main purpose of acohol is not anti-mircrobial or anti-bacterial but as a drying agent to create an environment inhosbitable to nasty yeast and bacteria.

The thing is if you have reaccuring ear infections there may be an underlying cause that needs to be addressed before you can clear up the ears successfully. So outside causes of ear infections include allergies and Sehborrhea both of which basset hounds seem to be prone to.

some links
Efficacy of an Acetic Acid/Boric Acid Ear Cleaning Solution for Treatment and Prophylaxis of Malassezia sp. Otitis Externa
Acetic acid = vinegar

New Treatment of Malassezia Otitis Externa In Dogs

7 Steps to Treating Ears

NEW APPROACH TO PRURITIC OTITIS

Seborrhea
"Some breeds (West Highland white terrier, cocker spaniel, springer spaniel, Basset hound, Shar-pei) are more prone to the greasy form of seborrhea (seborrhea oleosa) with chronic ear infections and greasy skin,"

Atopy
" It is quite common, affecting around 10 per cent of dogs. Animals with this condition become sensitized to substances (allergens) in the environment, that are inhaled or absorbed through the skin (and which cause no problems for non-atopic animals). The resultant allergic reaction is primarily seen as extreme itchiness (pruritis).

The main allergens involved are house dust mites, house dust, human dander, feathers, molds, and pollens from trees, weeds, and grasses. Atopic dogs are also prone to seborrhea, secondary bacterial skin infections (pyoderma) and probably yeast (Malassezia) infections as well"

OTITIS EXTERNA
"Disease of the ear usually stems from over-production of wax as occurs in response to irritation. Allergic skin disease affecting the ears is one possible cause (especially in recurring cases); other causes of ear infections include ear mites, and foreign bodies (such as grass awns or foxtails), or hair growth deep in the canal (common in poodles and schnauzers especially). The moisture of the wax promotes bacterial growth and infection. Soon wax in ears is joined by pus."

 

[Betsy Iole]

If the dog has a lot of debris in one ear that won't clear, he may have an infection that needs to be treated by your vet.

 

[Guest]

We curently have Byron on ear drops provided by the vet. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Betsy Iole]

Then, for the time being, you'll want to follow your vet's instructions about cleaning and medicating the ears. You don't want some home concoction inactivating whatever the vet has given you to treat your dog.

 

[Guest]

Rusty & Stickers breeder uses regular Listerine for weekly ear cleaning! She's been using it for years. The only caution she gave was not to use it if the ear is red if they've been scratching. The alcohol would burn. I used it last week and will continue to???

 

[n. adams]

I use baby wipes for routine cleaning and I also buy OTC cleaning solution from Petsmart at a reasonable price.