Hmm - ears, ear infections, perforated ear drums... Advice please!

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ecrozier

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Old boy (tri-pawd 9 year old rott) started shaking his head a lot and being a bit out of sorts early last week, I found a little sore in right ear so took him to vet. They had a look and said could see quite a bit of gunk in there but couldn't see the ear drum (possibly because of gunk) and prescribed 5 days of auralix to clear the nasty gunk so they could have a proper look. Had a look in left ear and pronounced no problems there. We did as told and returned to vets on Monday. Still head shaking, no better or worse really.
Vet looked again, still said no problem left ear only right, gunk a lot better but still can't see ear drum. Therefore now thinking probably perforated, so on a week of anti-b's and anti-inflams, but to stop the auralix on Wednesday. As of yesterday he's still head shaking just as much, but I think his left ear not right is now bothering him?! His left ear is sort of drooping, if that makes sense, and if you rub him on that side he groans and can't get enough of the itching..... I'm concerned that she is treating the wrong ear, simply because he had a few scratch marks in right ear on first visit - but he can't itch his left ear as no left hind leg?! Incidentally he's not scratching either ear now.
How common is it to have an infection in one/both ears? And if he has perforated his ear drum, how long is he likely to be in pain for does anyone know? We are booked in to see the same vet on Monday again but I am tempted to ask to see someone else - she doesn't seem to be very confident of whether she can or cannot see an ear drum in right ear :/
 
Well. Having argued with my vet over which leg my dog was lame on, and being proven wrong... :o I'm not one to listen to I don't think. :p Apparently horses (the basis for my lameness assessment) display the opposite way to dogs... :rolleyes:

I don't have any experience with dogs and ear infections (only myself!!) But
Anyway: I would think his eardrum should heal pretty quickly (as long as infection has cleared) I perforated my eardrum and it was excrutiating, but didn't last too long.

If you are worried, seek a second opinion. I would think that if he wanted to scratch his left ear he would find a way regardless of not having a hind leg. He may just have a build up of wax, as is quite common in drop eared dogs... My friend's dalmatian goes into a state of ecstasy when you rub her ears!

If he does have an infection in both ears (or left rather than right) then I would think the antibiotics would clear it up anyway.
 
I ended up losing the head with local vets after repeated visits with my old dog for his ears. Never sorted, they were hanging off him, green, full of gunk, none of the drops or tablets worked long term.
Went to another vet, he gave us EpiOtic ear wash, sorted it right out, and a course of Piriton. Ears as good as new.

Went back to local vets for something else, saw EpiOtic on the shelf, asked why they didn't suggest it 'they didn't know', told them about the Piriton, they said, oh yes, another client uses it, why didn't you tell me then???

Same place removed the ear canal of my friend's dog. He still has terrible ears and has to wear a bucket most of the time :(

Did she check or query an obstruction or allergy? The pollen count has been pretty high...and also query whether he is annoying his other ear because he can't reach the one that is bothering him.
 
Cavecanem, interesting, thanks. I might be being unfair but must admit I wasn't overly impressed by the examination, as she did look down his ear but he was (understandably) trying to use the scope to itch, and she couldn't really see much... But though she couldn't see an obstruction. No mention of allergy though! I think that might be much closer to the mark. Maybe I should try piriton. What sort of dosage did you use?
Absolutely agree that he is potentially worrying his right ear because he can't reach the left and its the next best thing... Z
 
We have ongoing problems with ear infections in our dogs, all 3 to an extent and all allergy related. 2 have had perforated ear drums since the beginning of the year and we don't know when/if they will ever heal. One dog has lost most of her hearing in the worst ear as a result but she is at last improving. I eventually got fed up with local vet and asked for a referral to a dermatologist who quickly identified the infection (both dogs had different) and found the correct antibiotic to treat them. We had good results within 2 months.
Our dogs don't tend to head shake or scratch apart from when drops applied but they do rub their heads on the floor which I would have thought your dog would too.
I am expert at looking in their ears now and know when they are infected, good luck with yours, I hope it doesn't get as bad as ours did :-(. We have been fighting this for 9 months now.
 
Thanks guys - cavecanem that's helpful as he is exactly 40kg. I will discuss this with vet on Monday!
Dizzykizzy that's awful poor you - what breed are they if you don't mind me asking? He does indeed rub his head on the floor....or sofa.... Or people's legs.... Whatever is convenient!
 
2 are GWP and the little one is a Korthals Griffon :-)
We are going to get vaccines for all of ours as the vet said piriton won't help them :-(
It has been awful, it has been a nightmare and everytime I think we might be winning one of them starts up again :-(
 
One of them is massively allergic to all pollens, her daughter is allergic to house dust mites and fleas and we don't know about little one yet. I think we have just been very unlucky :-(
 
It can be genetic - I now know (sigh, I now know lots of things!!!) that two of the dogs my dog is linebred to, have been implicated in producing ear and allergy issues.
 
Unfortunately yes, the consultant told us that 50% of Pippa's puppies will probably have allergies. She didn't show any sign of allergy until she was 5 by which time her pups were 2 years old. I am still in touch with most of them and as far as I know none of the others have shown signs yet but they have all just been 5 :-(
 
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