Ear canal surgery

Bearsmum

Bearsmum

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Hi, looking for some advice, experience or opinions if I may.
I've written previously about my cocker spaniels ongoing ear problems and unfortunately just when I was hoping things were settling down its as bad as ever.
She is booked in for surgery on Friday to have a lump removed which is now restricting the entrance to the ear canal and they have given me the option of performing a total ear canal ablation at the same time.
My concern is that this is quite invasive surgery and LB is 13 years old, however bearing in mind she will be in anyway do I go ahead and try to clear this up once and for all.
Anyone had this done and can advise on the outcome?
Many thanks
JD
 
Ina 13 yr old dog I'd just have the lump removed..Then,I'd start with deep ear cleans( epiotic) and use thornit powder once a month to get the ear hair out of the dogs ears and keep the airways free...it would be too invasive to put the dog through this type of surgery at this point in its life....
If you are rigorous with the cleaning regime you should see a big improvement in the ears..
If your dog is getting repeated infections do consider a swab test to see if it's yeast infection or bacterial..then treat accordingly.
Last year,I had to treat a yeast infection in my dogs ear, for the first time..new drug easotic worked wonders...stopped it in its tracks...I blame myself for not drying his ears after a bath...damp ears favour yeast ,as does a high carb based diet,.
 
Culture prior to surgery if at all possible!
last thing you want to do is open a wound beside an area chronic infection or resistent bugs.

I would try and get the ear fixed if at all possible if shes had ongoing issues and shes going under ga anyway.
Age is a number it predisposes to other conditions but advanced age itself would not make an extended anaesthetic more of an issue..she could live for many more years or die of a heart attack tommorrow.it comes down to quality of life
Recurrent ear infections are painful and affect quality of life.
If the anaesthetic is otherwise stable and safe then one op is not that much more invasive then the others....both will require the same healing time..and she will be recieving pain relief post op regardless.

It doe depend on why shes picking up recurrent infections though...resistent bugs(culture!) or due to having spaniel ears with poor ventilation which the operation should help with.

Its not an operation most vets suggest lightly so her ears must be quite bad.
 
In my experience (vet nurse) they seem to find the procedure very very painful so it really should be a last resort. However, if it heals they are generally much more comfortable. Would it be bilateral or just one side?
 
Hi, thanks for the replies.
Following several attempts at clearing the infection up with an ear flush, drops and normal antibiotics, she then had a swab six months ago which showed a complex infection that could only be treated by a couple of antibiotics. She then had three courses of those, along with rigorous cleaning.
Since coming off the antibiotics I have kept the cleaning up, including using thornit powder, trimming the fur and even gluing her ear back onto her collar to improve air flow.
She had another swab taken on Monday to see if we are dealing with the same infection, should have the results by Friday.
AH I'm not sure what you mean by bilateral, the vet described it as removing the cartilage under the ear thereby making the hole bigger to aid access and air flow.
JD
 
Bilateral is both sides,so both ears..
It does sound like you've tried everything to get her ears clear..with what you've just said I'd go with arus advice( she's a vet) ..especially checking the ears are infection free before the op is carried out.
Out of interest what infection was it?
My last dog had years of trouble with a bacterium ,proteus,which was resistant to 12 different antibiotics..it was a nightmare to get on top of it,so I hope your girl has a Lucky streak and gets better for her last years .
 
Given the history it's hard to see why not to go for the canal ablation - medical management isnt working.
 
Thanks again for the replies. It's just the right ear, the left is fine.
I'm not sure what the infection was last time it was swabbed, I think there might have been more than one, but will ask for the print out from the lab on Friday so I can let you know.
I've just got back home from two days in Perth and she's gone fruit loop at mum coming home! She definitely doesn't act like a 13yro dog, I just wish there was an option which wasn't so invasive, but if I can get her comfortable again, perhaps it will be worth it in the long run.
JD
 
You may find it useful if you are on FB to join the Deaf Dog Network and ask your question or even just do a search for ablation and contact some of the members that way. We have several members who have had dogs with ablations, they are usually seeking advice on coping with the resultant deafness but if you ask them for more details I'm sure they would discuss other aspects of it with you.
 
The organisms at present are Pseudomonas aeruginosa & Beta-haemolytic Streptococcus & a third still to be identified by the lab, so it looks like it's going to be a complex course of antibiotics to clear these.
Despite there still being an infection she is in today for the op, as we just can't get it to clear with just topical and oral treatments & she needs the lump removed anyway.
To say I'm nervous is an understatement, will know more this afternoon, but in the meantime some healing vibes for Hilfiger Butterfly Dream AKA LB (Little Bitch) would be much appreciated!

JD
 
Wishing you and your girl all the very best for the op...those are very difficult anaerobic bacteria to eradicate,so I hope the op helps her to aerate the ear and get kid of them. Will you let us know how she gets on?
 
Well, she's home and was very keen to get out of the vets and enjoyed a light chicken and rice dinner, a bit tired now though and happily snuggled in her Tuffie. We'll just have to see what the next few days/weeks deliver, but for now she's comfortable:

 
A little update on LBs op. She had her last lot of stitches out yesterday and the vets are very happy with her progress, everything is healing nicely (looked bit gruesome when they took the bandages off) and at present the infection is clear, just got to use the remainder of her course of antibiotic drops and then hopefully we can put this all behind us.
Hot day here in Norfolk, so this lunch time we went to the yard for a little paddle in the water jump at Blackwater!
 
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