Dog ear cleaning,  Dog ear infection.

Question:
Could you offer any advice on sore, smelly ears? My four-year-old St Bernard has had never-ending ear trouble since she was six months old. She has had an operation on one ear to make the ear canal larger and allow more air in but it doesn't seem to have helped. She has also had numerous trips to the vet's to have her ears flushed out, but within two or three weeks the problem is back.

I am currently trying her on the homoeopathic remedy hepar sulph without much success. I am at my wits' end wondering what to do. Please help. She hasn't got ear mites.

Answer:
ltchy ears must be one of the most  irritating things a dog can suffer and the constant shaking can cause secondary problems such as aural haematoma formation (the development of a blood blister in the ear).

Some dogs seem to be particularly prone to ear problems and top of the list are those that have narrow ear canals for their head size, where the ear canals can't self cleanse as they should and wax builds up easily.

Regular ear cleaning is essential in such dogs and surgery to widen the ear canals can be very effective (although it can also allow the ears to get more dirt in them which can contribute to a vicious cycle of inflammation and pain).

Flushing ears can also cause a certain amount of irritation, so although it may be necessary, it can also contribute to the problem.

When treating itchy ears it's important to exclude mites and infections, which may involve taking a swab from the ear to check what type of bacteria, are present so that the most effective antibiotics can be used.

It's also important to identify those dogs that have ear problems secondary to allergies as they may need anti-allergy medication.

Once the most effective treatment has been found (which might even involve a consultation with an ear specialist) it may be that long-term treatment is required.

_{source Your Dog Mag.}