Yeast Infection in your Dog’s Ears
A dog can be plagued with any type of infection on any area of the body, but usually yeast infection affects a dog’s ears more than any other part of the body. Dogs that have floppy ears don’t get enough air circulation and dogs that do not get enough sunlight are susceptible to dog ear yeast infection. Yeast is developed in areas that are moist and dark. If a dog has had a bath, the area behind the ears needs to be dried properly. Putting the dog out in the sunlight will help to dry behind the ears.
Look for any excessive scratching behind the ear and notice any type of redness, swelling or discharge as well as any unusual odor coming from the animal. These are some of the signs of dog ear yeast infection.
Taking your dog to the vet is the best possible reaction to these symptoms. However, some dog owners have found natural methods that work even faster than anything that the vet may prescribe for the animal. So in cases where the problem still persists, you can opt for natural cure of a dog’s ear yeast infection.
Here are some options you might want to consider to cure dog ear yeast infection:
- The first step in preventing ear infections is cleanliness. Especially after a trip to the dog park or the beach, be sure to check your dogs ears to ensure that the are free of dirt, sand, or other debris. Yeast grows more when it is in a moist area. If you have a dog that has ears that stand up, it is easier to maintain because nature (sunlight) will dry it for you. However, if the dog has droopy ears, then more care needs to be taken to keep it clean and dry. Try to see if your dog will let you put a headband that pulls the ear forward so it can have a chance to dry properly. Do this when the dog is lying down. Trim any excessive hair growth behind the ears. Use diluted vinegar to wipe behind the ears.
A solution of vinegar and water or Hydrogen Peroxide and water is a good way to make a simple rinse for dogs with extra dirty ears. rinse the ears using either a 1:2 solution of white vinegar and water or a 1:1 solution of hydrogen Peroxide and water. Gently massage the dogs ears with a clean towel to break up and big chucks of debris, then rinse a few more times with clean water. - Change your dog’s diet to foods that will help to build up the immune systems. Dogs are pretty much like humans who get sicker when the immune system is low. Do not give your dog only the scraps from your leftovers to eat. There are different types of dog foods that target the immune system. Go to your local pet store to see what you can find. You can also give your dog Vitamin C and anything that will improve the health of your dog.
- Stay away from giving your dog too much antibiotics. Antibiotics are a friend to yeast infection in both humans and animals. The body has a natural flora balance and the antibiotics disrupt the flow to cause yeast to grow.
- Use anti-microbial herbs, if possible, which you can get at your local health food store. Pau d’Arco (pronounced pow-darko) is a great natural anti-microbial that you can try. Check with your vet first.
- Chorhexidine is a good substitute for prescription treatment as well as the ointment known as Cotramizole.
Your dog is depending on you to take care of its dog ear yeast infection. If you follow the tips above, it will help to cure dog ear yeast infection, but make sure you do your own research and get medical help when needed.
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Hi, I have a bischon Frise Holly who is 8 and she keep getting ear infections mainly in the right ear. She has many day surgerys to remove all the hair as they say she has a very small ear canal. They send off the tests and its always bacteria or yeast.
What can I use on her as you read all these reviews but do they really work?
Many thanks in advance
A vinegar rinse as a good place to start and, if it works, do it as regular maintenance on Holly. Vinegar treats dog ear infections in several ways:
Just be sure that your dog’s eardrum is not perforated. How would you know? Signs that your dog has a ruptured eardrum or middle ear infection can include
What can cause this?
How to Treat Dog Ear Infections with Vinegar
Make a mixture of half vinegar and half water and place in a squirt bottle. (Make sure you use a squirt bottle, not a spray bottle.)
Next, fill your dog’s ear canal with the mixture. Be careful not to let the solution get into your dog’s eyes.
Gently massage the base of our dog’s ear.
After massaging, allow your dog to shake his head. The excess vinegar solution will come out, along with any debris from inside the ear canal.
You don’t need to swab your dog’s ear but might want to wipe debris from the ear flap.
Apple cider vinegar is best but may stain white or light-colored fur. If your dog has white or light-colored, you may want to use distilled white vinegar instead.
Vinegar Ear Cleaning Schedule
Treat both ears (even if only one ear seems infected) twice daily for two weeks.
For maintenance, dog ear infections are treated once or twice weekly.
If you don’t see an improvement in your dog’s ear infection within a few days, contact your veterinarian.
Hugs to Holly.
source
My dog has a yeast infection in her ears is it okay to make this solution and put it in her ears?I can’t afford the vet right now but she’s in so much pain and irritated and I don’t want to make it worse doing this if I’m not supposed to
Yes, it is okay to do this.
I have a retriever/Pitt bull that has a very tight ear canal making it hard to clean ears. Two days ago he went out for his early morning potty and came back in shaking his head and tilting head. His ears are filthy and smell weird. Not like an infection smell. I have tried cleaning ears but he is a very big guy and its hard to get him to relax. He is having a hard time sleeping shaki g his head consistently and I am unable to clean out his canal where the bulk of the smelly black gunk seems to be. He is miserable and I’m in tears not able to afford a vet. Please can I get some help or advice on how I help him. Its breaking my heart seeing him like this.
It’s important that he not keep shaking his ears as he can break a blood vessel in his ear and end up with an ear flap filling with blood; something called an Aural Hematoma.
Here are some remedies you might try to clean out his ears. Maybe someone can help you by holding your dog to calm him a bit.
1. Mixture…
6 oz. isopropyl alcohol
1 1/2 oz. boric acid powder
mix thoroughly
add 2 oz. vinegar (Apple cider vinegar is best but may stain white or light-colored fur. In that case, you can use white vinegar.)
mix thoroughly
add 1 tsp. Betadine antiseptic
Add some to your dog’s ears, massage the ears at the base, then let the dog shake the excess out. Be someplace where it will not matter if the solution stains anything. The betadine in the soultion can/will stain things.
2. Vinegar acts as an antiseptic. So it helps reduce the pain and discomfort that your dog is experiencing. Take 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water, mix it well and pour it into a spray bottle. Now, use this mixture to wipe out the excess debris from the visible areas of the ear. (Apple cider vinegar is best but may stain white or light-colored fur.)
3. Take the fresh juice of 1½ lemon and mix it with 1 cup of warm distilled water. Strain the liquid. Put 10 drops of liquid once daily to the irritated ear. Gently massage the ear in a circular motion, and then remove your hand and let your dog shake its head. Fleas are driven back by citrus; hence, this treatment keeps your dog’s ear clean and infection free.
Note – Dropper or syringe should be placed at the entrance of the ear canal. It should never be put in the ear canal.
4. Baking soda can eradicate a fungal infection. It has a neutralizing property. Add baking soda (1 teaspoon) to 1 liter of water and place it in a spray bottle. Now pour this mixture into the infected ear. Do this for 5 to 7 days.
5. Mix equal proportion of ACV(Apple Cider Vinegar) and hydrogen peroxide. Pour this solution into the ears of the dog. Rub the ear’s base gently. After that, clean the ear with a cotton ball. It will safeguard the pet from bacterial and yeast infection.
6. Prepare a solution by mixingwitch hazel and ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) in equal proportion. Use a dropper to pour the solution in dog’s ear. It will relieve the pet from discomfort.
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Do not use rubbing alcohol for cleaning as it can inflame the tissues.
It isnt a yeast infection in the ears, they seem fine right now.
My dog has bad skin infections especially in the webbing. He has been tested and has severe food allergys and his skin gets sores. What do I do? Can I use the amoxicillan I have. Simplicef works well is the amoxicillin comprable, is cephalexin better, augmentin? Help, I cant afford the vet and dont know what to do. Leaving to go out of town tomm. Can someone help me plz.
Thank you,
Irene
Amoxicillin, cephalexin or augmentin (which is amoxicillin + clavulanate) will work for skin infections. There is also a liquid product called Septiderm which is a great topical.
Have you changed his food? That will help tremendously.
just to add to simple solutions. I have an Aussie who is plauged by ear yeast infections. lately nothing has worked even the cleaner and meds the vet gives me. so I used hibiclens. its a pre-surgical soap that kills everything. I put some on a q-tip and gently clean her ear. within a day you start to notice a difference. day 2 its almost gone. day 3 its almost completely cleared up. cost about 10 bucks at a local drug store and works wonders! also works for skin itchies!