[SOLVED ] Q. Ears are always waxy smelly and seem irritated. His skin always gets scabby and itchy and antibiotics clears it up but within a loath or so ...

it’s back

Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :

A. Ear canal infection is often part of skin allergy problems . If the problem comes back every month you should try and find out what he is allergic to. This may be a long and time-consuming process but it’s worth trying. The other options would be putting her on long term steroids therapy and see if this is going to help.

How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :

Ear Wax. When ear wax builds up too much in your dog`s ears, it can cause her ears to stink. The smell will not be as strong or sickening as it might be with a yeast infection or bacterial ear infection, but it will still be noticeable.

The most common sign of a mite infestation is a scab or abrasion at the base of the ear, which is the result of a dog scratching with his hind limb claws. Bacteria can infect the open wounds, leading to infection. In heavy infestations, ear mites may start to invade other parts of the dog`s body.

The shape of a dog`s ear canal predisposes them to ear problems. Moisture can get trapped inside the ear canal, which leads to infection and pain. Environmental, food, or parasite allergies can cause ear infections and itchy skin. Keeping their ears clean and dry can prevent dog ear infections.

An ear mite infection will cause your dog`s ears to itch, which often results in them shaking their head excessively, or scratching at their ears with their paws. Ear mites can also produce wax and irritation, so your pet`s ears may well look red and inflamed.

It`s important to visit your vet so they can rule out anything else that might be making your pet produce too much wax, like ear mites, an allergy or an infection. Your pet will need two types of ear drops: A drop to help break up all the extra wax in their ear. A drop to treat the cause of the problem.

Prescription treatment may include antifungal drops or an ear cleaner, and in difficult-to- treat cases, an oral antifungal medication. You may clean your dog`s ears at home with a vet-approved ear cleaner, but do not clean them for 24 hours prior to your appointment, as this can make a diagnosis more difficult.

In the meantime, there are some home remedies you can try to ease your pet`s discomfort, such as a warm compress, vinegar or hydrogen peroxide ear flush, and the use of natural anti-inflammatory agents like coconut oil or aloe vera gel.

Yeast Infections Seen in Dogs

Yeast infections can also be called “Malassezia dermatitis, or Yeast Dermatitis” and it usually occurs in a dog`s ears, between their paw pads, or in their skin folds. This condition can make the affected area of your dog`s skin itchy, red, and irritated.

Dog Ear Yeast Infection vs Ear Mites

Dog ear mites and yeast infections have similar symptoms such as itching, discharge, and redness. However, a distinctive characteristic of ear mites is the presence of dark granules resembling coffee grounds in your dog`s ears, which are not present in yeast infections.

infection, particularly recurrent infections, have an underlying abnormality of their metabolic or immune systems. This form of pyoderma is a frequent complication of environmental allergies, food hypersensitivities, skin parasites (mites, fleas) and endocrine diseases, like hypothyroidism.

The most common food allergens in dogs are beef, chicken, lamb and wheat. When do we suspect a dog has a food allergy? Any dog that has repeated ear and/or skin infections, anal glad infections/impactions and itching.

DON`T: Never put Vaseline inside your dog`s ears. Don`t use Vaseline as a way to treat hot spots or other skin irritations on your dog. If your pet has any kind of skin disorder, always consult with your veterinarian first.

Alternatively, for mild yeast infections I will recommend a homemade mixture of 1- part white vinegar to 2-parts warm water as a nice cleaning solution. Remember, before purchasing any ear cleaning solution, please contact your veterinarian for advice.

Never put olive oil, vinegar, shampoo, or any other substance in a dog`s ear. Also, avoid poking around with cotton buds in the ear, you will only work any wax and debris further in and potentially damage the eardrum.

Wondering how often your dog`s ears need to be cleaned? In general, once per month is a good rule of thumb. Breeds with long, floppy ears or dogs who swim frequently may need to have their ears cleaned every other week, or even weekly. After bathing or swimming, be sure to properly dry your pup`s ears.

Skin allergies and food allergies can cause dry, itchy skin and scabs. Avoid wiping off crusty scabs. Soften them with water or coconut oil and allow them to flake off on their own time. Give your dog a teaspoon of coconut oil mixed with his food each day to help maintain softer skin from the inside.

You can use anti-itching sprays and creams, bandage the area, or use a T-shirt to cover the wound. You can also use cold compresses or topical treatments to reduce the temptation to scratch. All of these measures will be effective, but only to a limited extent and only in the short term.

Various remedies that can be applied to improve your dog`s ear health and get rid of infections are: Coconut Oil: It acts as a great anti-bacterial and anti-fungal component that can be administered to the pooches in their infected ears.

This build up can cause your dog`s ears to smell foul, but not rancid. This smell is usually similar to old trash. Ear mites should be treated immediately as they are able to spread from dog-to-dog. You might notice signs similar to ear infections such as ear scratching, head shaking, redness and head tilting.

Topical ingredients that are effective in treating yeast include chlorhexidine, miconazole, and ketoconazole. In difficult-to-treat or severe cases, oral antifungal medications are used. Oral antifungal medications used in dogs include fluconazole, terbinafine, ketoconazole, and itraconazole.

Dogs with yeast infections can eat raw, homemade, or commercial dog foods as long as they don`t contain certain problematic ingredients. Dogs with yeast infections should eat lean sources of protein, low-starch vegetables, lots of fiber, unprocessed foods, and natural sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

To date, two natural antibiotics stand out from the pack: manuka honey and turmeric. Manuka honey is considered one of the strongest natural antibiotics for dogs. It is used to treat wounds and lesions. Manuka honey also helps reduce inflammation.

Bacterial skin infections often occur in dogs secondarily to underlying skin allergies, hormonal (endocrine) disorders, or other internal disease. Through a combination of shampoo therapy and antibiotics, the prognosis for your dog`s recovery from a bacterial skin infection is excellent.

Often in dogs with food sensitivities, proteins from animal or plant-based ingredients in the diet are the cause. Beef, corn, dairy, and wheat are some of the most problematic ingredients. It may seem counterintuitive, but it can take a long time for symptoms of food allergies to become apparent.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Q. One of my pet’s ears seems very irritated. What I can use to clean it with?

ANSWER : A. Ear Irritation can be caused by a number of things ranging from allergies, ear infections or even mites. Dirty ears can also cause irritation and problems. Knowing the type of problem is best for figuring out how to treat it.

For plain dirty ears that do not have any odor, redness or leakage of discharge/debris, a simple over the counter canine ear cleaner can be used. Gently soak some cotton balls or a washcloth with the cleaner, and then use these to wipe out the flap of the ear and opening to the ear. Do NOT use Q-tips as these can become stuck or lodged in the curve of the ear canal and may cause injury to the ear drum.

If the ear is bright red or itchy without any dirt or debris in it, it may indicate an allergy. Sometimes an allergy medication can help provide relief in this situation. Your vet can give you the correct dosages of an over the counter allergy medication to use, or may recommend one specifically for dogs.

For infections and mites, changes to the ear such as bad smell or lots of debris and discharge, flecks of black or brown debris, or scabs and sores in the ear may be present. In these cases, it is best to have your vet take a sample of the ear debris to test for mites or infection. Your vet can then give you an ointment that is placed and left in the ear between ear cleanings. Most vets will then recommend cleaning the ears twice daily and then leaving in the ointment after for a period of ten days.

Ear mites ARE contagious to other pets, so if your dog does have them, it is best to treat any other pets in the house at the same time to prevent the mites from spreading around continuously.

Read Full Q/A … : How to Treat a Dog's Ear Infection Without Vet Help

Q. My dog is having ear problems. I have had her at two vets and they can not seem to find the cause. Can you help?

ANSWER : A. For a pet with chronic ear issues I would recommend checking her thyroid levels. Hypothyroidism can be a cause of chronic ear infections.

Then I would recommend having a bacterial culture of the ear debris to ensure the appropriate antibiotic is chosen to completely rid the bacteria in there. If there is resistant bacteria, the ear will appear to get better at first but then once ear meds are stopped they will thrive again and cause a re-emergency of the ear infection. Also longer treatment may be needed, for example instead of 7-10 days, perhaps 14 days continuously.

If all else fails, I would recommend a skull radiographs to look for signs of a narrow ear canal and/or an inner ear infection which will require not only topical antibiotic ointments put into the ear, but also oral antibiotics.
Most ear infections are caused by moisture in the ears, narrow ear canals, hypothyroidism or skin allergies. Each one has to be gone through systematically.

Read Full Q/A … : Dog has ear problems; flaking and smelly – Questions …

Q. Ears are always waxy smelly and seem irritated. His skin always gets scabby and itchy and antibiotics clears it up but within a loath or so it’s back

ANSWER : A. Ear canal infection is often part of skin allergy problems . If the problem comes back every month you should try and find out what he is allergic to. This may be a long and time-consuming process but it’s worth trying. The other options would be putting her on long term steroids therapy and see if this is going to help.

Read Full Q/A … : Does my dog have an ear infection? How do I clean my dog's …

Q. Dog has dry ears and it itches him. Any recommended soothing lotions??

ANSWER : A. I will answer this question as if you are speaking of the inside of the ears (not the external). Most dogs ears aren’t dry unless they have other skin issues such as skin allergies, which can be seasonal or year around and caused by many different things, such as foods, environment, dust, grass, pollen, and products (shampoos, perfumes, etc). Check in the ears for waxy build up. The ears should be clean of any wax and dry. If they have build up, I would take a cotton ball, and soak half of it in a dog ear cleaning solution. This solution should be made specifically for dogs, and your local vet would most likely sell the appropriate brand.

I would address any possible skin allergies, if they do not have any other skin issues, then looking inside the ears and cleaning with a good ear cleaner (should be alcohol free—because alcohol is very drying) If the ear scratching continues regularly then bring him/her into the vet to have a proper ear exam.

Read Full Q/A … : 4 Ways to Diagnose and Treat Your Dog's Itchy Skin Problems

Q. My dog keeps shaking his head at night and is very anxious acting? We’ve cleaned his ears and putting ear drops in hasn’t helped?

ANSWER : A. It sounds like ear canal infection. I am not sure if you used ear drops to clean ears (they do not contain antibiotics) or ear drops from your vets to treat ear infection. In case you used ear cleaner only you should take your dog to your vets to get antibiotics. If you are using antibiotics drops and there is no improvement your vet may recommend taking a swab from the ear to check what bacteria, fungus or parasite is responsible for the infection and then pick the most effective medication.

Read Full Q/A … : Idiopathic head tremors – Oh My Dog!

Q. I have two problems with my 16 yrs old dog: he’s constipated and has a ear ache. What can I use to relieve these?

ANSWER : A. Constipation is a common problem in dogs that can be due to a number of things. However it is a good idea to make sure the constipation is not actually diarrhea, as some dogs can strain after a bowel movement, making it look like such. If constipation is present, adding a little pumpkin puree or plain yogurt to the diet can help make digestion easier and make stools easier to pass. However if symptoms do not resolve after a few days, it is best to speak with your vet.

For ear aches, it is best to have your vet examine the ear as many things including allergies, ear infections, mites and more can cause ear problems. If the ear is just dirty, then cleaning the ear gently with cotton balls or a clean washcloth and a dog ear cleaning solution can help. Do not use Q-tips as a dog’s ear has a 90-degree turn in it and placing Q-tips in the ear can cause damage to the canal or inner ear. However if the problem persists or cleaning does not help, it is best to seek care.

Read Full Q/A … : Dog Constipation Causes and Treatment – pets.webmd.com

Q. My dog has ear mites and mange. Have been using Revolution Selamectin on her for 40 days now, but ears are badly sore at the top, next to head

ANSWER : A. If the mites and mange have not begun to clear up yet with the current treatment, it may be a good idea to speak with your vet about attempting a different treatment. Ivermectin is typically the main treatment for mange, while a topical ear solution is used for ear mites, however there are some alternate choices if those do not work or your dog cannot use ivermectin products (it should never be given to collie dogs).

Mange and mites can take a long time to recover until the skin begins to heal, and even if the underlying mite issue is resolved, the skin may have a secondary bacterial or fungal infection causing the sores to appear. Additional treatment or testing of the area can help. Ear mites are also very contagious and can be passed back and forth from pet to pet, so if you have other pets in the house, treating them for ear mites at the same time can help break the cycle and prevent them from spreading back and forth.

In some dogs, Demodetic mange *can* be genetic, making it more likely to be chronically there for a longer period of time. English Sheepdogs and Shar Pei dogs as well as other dogs with large folds in the skin may be more prone to this type.

Read Full Q/A … : Best Ways to Get Rid of Ear Mites – GETRIDOFTHiNGS.COM

Q. My dog has a bad ear infection, his ear is leaking a smelly fluid. Can he take a penicillin to get rid of it?

ANSWER : A. If your dog has an ear infection it is best to have your veterinarian examine it. Ear infections, depending on their type are treated differently. The most common way to treat an ear infection is through daily cleaning of the affected ear and then placement of a medicated ointment that stays in the ear until the next cleaning. Oral antibiotics are sometimes used, but usually in cases where the infection has spread or ointment has not cleared it up.

Do not use penicillin to treat your dog unless instructed by your veterinarian to do so. Penicillin is a general antibiotic and may not be the right choice for treating this particular infection. The wrong dosage can also cause your dog to become very ill.

Read Full Q/A … : My Dog Has a Funny Smell Coming From His Ear – MedicineNet