[Lazy Daisy]

I new basset's had ear problems, but I feel like Daisy's is a weird case. Lately, I've had to clean her ears every day, and it's an excess of dark dirt...which is what it's been ever since I've gotten her.

I took her to the vet for an ear exam about 2 months ago and she had a slight infection, at least the vet said he found "bacteria" in the test results. So, I gave her ear drops and everything was good. Until I took her to get her shots and spayed (my permanent vet), which would be a month ago, and I told her about the recent ear infection, and she was concerned that it didn't completely clear up, and it was probably a yeast infection in her ear. There were no test taken, I just got the medication to give.

Now, her ears seem dirtier than normal, and she always groans and itches her ears. I called the vet to get some medication to see if it clears it up finally, I'm just not sure what to do, because if a test just shows an infection and its more than that, I can't afford to keep taking her back to the vet every month...I hope that's not a terrible thing to say, but I'm a college student and can't exactly afford random $100 visits.

I guess I'm just asking if there is anyone out there that has similar experiences, and possible how to PREVENT an ear infection, or irritation.
Daisy is an indoor dog, and doesn't get into lots of crazy things, so she's pretty clean too.

 

[Mikey T]

First of reccuring ear infection often have an underlying cause such as allergies and or seborrhea. If this is the case you will never get them under control without geting the intial cause under control as well. So dogs ear canel are consturcted in such a way they are even more prone to eaR infection.

The dogs ear has a section of horizontal ear canal simply puting ear cleaner on a pad and wiping is not geting the cleaner where it needs to go You need to squirt the liquid into the dogs ear. and massage it in at least two minute but longer is better. The let the dog shake it out and gunk should follow wipe and repeat if necesary.


Bacterial infections of the ear canal especial gram negative like psudmonas are very diffucult to treat because the can be especial resistant to most antibiotics. Also most ear cleaners are acidic which makes the bateria even more resistant to the antibiotics. here are a few articles.

Management of Otitis Externa

Pursuing the causes​

of otitis externa

THERAPY OF GRAM NEGATIVE OTITIS EXTERNA

All cases have a primary inciting factor for the inflammation which is a skin disease. Common primary causes include parasites, allergy and endocrine disease, although potentially any disease that affects the skin can affect the ear pinna and canal. In the author's clinic more than 70% of all cases of otitis externa have allergy as the underlying cause. In recurrent cases of otitis externa especially where complicated by Gram negative bacteria it is important to investigate and manage the underlying problem in addition to the infection.

 

[SophieB]

Do a search on here or Google "Thornit Powder" and your dog's ears should not have
ny future problems, unless there's some underlying cause!

Thornit Canker Powder - Dog's Stuff Grooming - The Best There Is........

I've kept it in the house for many years and never have any ear problems,
not with my current Bassets and my dear old Bassets no longer with us.


PS: Look at these topics on here.... http://www.basset.net/boards/search.php?searchid=11674