in the am

Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :
A. you can give meloxicam in dose 0,2 mg per kilo in the first day, then 0,1 mg per kilo. don’t give ibuprofen, acethaminophen and other human meds. before giving any pill contact your vet if it’s possible.

How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?

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

Dab a cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide and add drops of coconut oil for your dog`s ears; it is an effective cleanser. Apple cider vinegar and equal parts water can be used to clean the ears against infection, but do not use this if the ear tissue is raw.
Dog Ear Infection Signs

Ear infections are painful for pups. You`ll likely see your dog scratching at his ears or shaking his head. Other symptoms include red, irritated skin inside the ears and brown, yellow, or green discharge. Ear infections can also be super stinky.

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.
Never put anything in your dog`s ear without veterinary instruction. Your veterinary team can help you find the ideal treatment to treat the infection and give your dog much-needed relief. Itchy, uncomfortable ears can be caused by everything from ear infections to allergies and ear mites.
Oil of oregano is a natural antibiotic. To use if for your dog`s ear infections, add one drop to ½ oz of warm pure aloe vera juice. Clean the visible parts of the ear with a cotton ball soaked in the mixture. Apple cider vinegar can help reduce the itch and discomfort of an ear infection.
If your dog has an ear issue, your veterinarian may suggest a change in your dog`s food. In some cases, your veterinarian may recommend a therapeutic hypoallergenic dog food to help limit exposure to potential allergens. Such dog foods may include Hill`s® Prescription Diet® brand dog foods.
Natural remedies for ear infections are olive oil, hydrogen peroxide, apple cider vinegar, and essential oils. But we do not recommend ever using these products in your dog`s ear! While they are natural this doesn`t mean they are safe.
With treatment in the early stages, an uncomplicated ear infection will typically clear up within just a week or two. If your dog`s ear infection is more severe or is caused by an underlying health condition, treatment may be more challenging and may take months to resolve.
They may use a medicated ear cleaner or apply a topical medication. In more severe cases, the vet may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications or oral antibiotics for your pet. Your vet will likely prescribe a topical medication to your dog.
Although an ear infection is not a veterinary emergency, it does require medical treatment to resolve and can be painful for your pet. Ear infections commonly lead to inflammation of the outer ear, a condition called otitis externa.
If you`re concerned about your dog`s ears or eyes, speak to your vet. Never use human ear or eye drops on your dog, unless prescribed by a vet.
For a quick and easy option, combine equal parts of water and apple cider vinegar, and use a dropper to apply it to your dog`s ear. Another great option is to mix a few drops of lavender oil with coconut oil and apply it to your dog`s ear using a cotton ball.
Your veterinarian will thoroughly clean your dog`s ears using a medicated ear cleanser. Your vet may also prescribe an ear cleanser and a topical medication for you to use at home. In severe cases, your vet may prescribe oral antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications.
Yogurt contains alive bacteria, such as acidophilus. It helps maintain the right balance of the normal yeast in your dog`s system. If you want to apply it to the infection, dab a small bit of unflavored yogurt that has active strains of probiotic bacteria on the ear.
An Excellent Probiotic For Their Gut

If that was not enough, the probiotics found in yogurts can help your dog to fight yeast infections, which can result in ear and skin problems. Furthermore, probiotics may help your dog`s body to absorb nutrients and boost immunity.

It`s important never to give paracetamol to your dog unless your vet tells you to – it can be very dangerous if it`s given incorrectly.” Claire explains that you should always head to your vet for advice, including if your pup accidentally digests a painkiller.
A dog`s ears are extremely vulnerable to infection, and vaseline may seal in bacteria and yeast, making problems worse. In short, never put anything into your dog`s ears that is not explicitly made for dogs, such as dog ear-cleaning wipes.
If it does not and blocks your ear, put 2 to 3 drops of medical grade olive or almond oil in your ear 3 to 4 times a day. Do this for 3 to 5 days. It is recommended you use a dropper while lying your head on one side for a few minutes to let the oil work its way through your ear canal(s).
Olive oil, mineral oil or coconut oil—oils are relatively safe to use, and olive oil can kill ear mites by smothering them though it takes many weeks to clear ear mites with this method. However, as before, if your pet has a serious ear infection, she needs proper medication to resolve the infection.
Ear infections are painful. Many dogs will shake their head and scratch their ears to relieve the discomfort. The ears often become red and inflamed and develop an offensive odor. A black or yellowish discharge commonly occurs.
Yellow, brown, or bloody discharge. Redness & swelling of the ear canal. Pain. Itchiness.
NSAID options that are approved for use in dogs include carprofen (e.g. Rimadyl), deracoxib (e.g. Deramaxx), etodolac (e.g. Etogesic), firocoxib (e.g. Previcox), meloxicam (e.g. Metacam), robenacoxib (e.g. Onsior), and mavacoxib (e.g. Trocoxil).
Redness and swelling of the ear

The longer your dog`s ear infection goes on untreated, the more likely you will be to see swelling and redness of the ear. This is a sign that the infection is worsening and needs to be treated right away, so go to the vet immediately if you notice this symptom crop up.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Q. EnglishBulldog extremely painful red inner ear Do you have a remedy for pain to get us through the night until I can take him to his doctor in the am
ANSWER : A. you can give meloxicam in dose 0,2 mg per kilo in the first day, then 0,1 mg per kilo. don’t give ibuprofen, acethaminophen and other human meds. before giving any pill contact your vet if it’s possible.

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.

Q. I have a 3 year old female Shihtzu she has started doing alot of reverse sneezing at the minute she has a sore ear at the moment is it coming from it.
ANSWER : A. Is your dog being treated for the sore ear? Because the only way I could imagine an ear infection causing reverse sneezing would be that the ear drum had been ruptured, which can definitely happen in chronic, serious ear infections. More likely, probably, is that both conditions (the ear infection and the reverse sneezing) are caused by allergies. So they’re not really related from the standpoint that the ear problem is causing the sneezing, but they’re both coming from the same cause. Make sense?

If she’s not under a veterinarian’s care for this, I’d strongly encourage you to get her there. The ear problems can become chronic and recurrent, and can cause hearing loss. Allergies can be frustrating to treat, but a good vet will work with you to figure out how to help your dog. Good luck, let us know if you’d like to consult about this problem.

Q. My Pug’s nose is red and he doesn’t have a yeast infection. He is taking medicine for that. It seems to get worse when he goes outside. Any ideas?
ANSWER : A. Redness or irritation can be caused by a number of things including yeast infections as you mentioned, but can also be caused by allergies to the environment, or even cold or hot weather. Dogs with short fur can often get sunburns on the skin, and the cold may also irritate or cause redness when outdoors. Allergies to pollens or other outdoor allergens may also cause redness on the body or nose. An allergy medication from your vet is usually all that is needed to clear this up.

If the redness is happening just when outside, it may also be that your dog is digging or nosing around in something that is irritating. It may be a good idea to watch your dog a few times while he is outside to see if there is anything he enjoys exploring. The redness could just be irritation from that.

However, if you are concerned about the redness, it is always a good idea to bring it up with your veterinarian to make sure there is not a more serious cause behind it.