Poor Novey - her ear is terrible

[lizbud]

Poor baby. Glad you found something to help her feel more comfortable
for now.If this keeps her from scratching the ears, it would be great.Will you
still take her in for antibiotics later? The skin in the ear does look swollen.
Hope Nova gets rid of her ouchie very soon.

[.sarah]

Poor baby. Glad you found something to help her feel more comfortable
for now.If this keeps her from scratching the ears, it would be great.Will you
still take her in for antibiotics later? The skin in the ear does look swollen.
Hope Nova gets rid of her ouchie very soon.

I am going to have her treated by the homeopathic vet unless if she is in a lot of discomfort again, in which case I will take her to our regular vet. I do not want her on antibiotics if I can help it. Her immune system is already very supressed and antibiotics would only supress it further.

Right now she is a lot more comfortable than she was before I put in the probiotic. If she starts scratching at it and whining again before the homeopath can see her, then I will take her to the vet. I just want her comfortable

[dragondawg]

I am going to have her treated by the homeopathic vet unless if she is in a lot of discomfort again, in which case I will take her to our regular vet.

In an ear that severely infected you could put any type of oil into the ear and that would decrease the amount of itching. Any coating that blocks the air from coming into direct contact with the tissue would provide relief from the itching and burning. However whether it be an OTC ear ointment or the probiotic ointment, coating the ear will do nothing to rid that severe of an infection. The time for probiotics, or for that matter a simple 1:3 diluted white vinegar solution is as a preventative, but not after the infection has set in. Note once the ecology of the ear is disturbed, repeated infection is likely. Thus there will be plenty of opportunity for preventative actions in the future.

Like humans if left untreated an ear infection in a dog can reach the inner ear causing more problems. You need to take your dog to the regular Vet. Most likely they will irrigate and clean the ear, and then give you a prescription for Clavamox to treat the infection from the inside out, and a tube of Ottomax which is an oil combining antibiotics for both bacteria and yeast, along with an anti-inflammatory. Even an ear that infected will likely clear up in 48-72 hrs max. In less severe infections the Ottomax alone can relieve a lot of the redness in just 12 hrs.

I do not want her on antibiotics if I can help it. Her immune system is already very supressed and antibiotics would only supress it further.

Antibiotics have absolutely no direct effect on the T or B cells of the immune system. Nyet, none, nunca! If your dog has a suppressed immune system due to a metabolic problem (e.g. Addison's disease), or due to cancer, then it becomes more urgent to treat with antibiotics. A suppressed immune system by definition is unable to fight off infections. That is why dogs with cancer will frequently subcumb to a secondary bacterial infection rather than organ failure due to the cancer itself. Again, if the dog's immune system is already suppressed, then antibiotics are required.

[*LabLoverKEB*]

Oh my, I'm glad to read and see that her ear is doing much better! Now that's a big difference!

[.sarah]

Dragon dawg - Her ears are an on going problem. We have tried Otomax, Animax, and all the other -maxs out there. We have tried oral medicines, everything. We've tried everything that our regular vet would prescribe. This is why I'm trying other alternatives.

I tried an olive oil/lavender oil mixture over the weekend and there was no improvement. The probiotics are providing her relief for now until she can be seen by the homeopath tomorrow. Homeopathic treatment works from the inside out healing a dog and making their immune system stronger - this is what Nova needs, not antibiotics. Allopathic medicine focuses on prevention and supressing symptoms, which has ruined Nova's health. She was healthy until I introduced some unneccessary things into her system as required/reccomended by my allopathic veterinarian.

I am a firm believer in homeopathy. My dogs have not done well with allopathic veterinary treatment, that is why I am switching.

I will not let my dog suffer, I am trying everything to keep her comfortable until she can be seen by anybody who can help her, though of course I have a preference as to who sees her. She has been doing better today though did scratch her ear until it bled again tonight. Unfortunately I don't have an elizabethan collar on hand to keep her from doing this. I've cleaned her ear several times today and put the probiotic in three times, which has helped a lot.

[IRescue452]

Wow, that's one of the reddest ears I've seen, and I've spent most of my life with cockers. Poor baby, I hope she gets better with the new treatments you try.

[Nomilynn]

If she will tolerate it, try taping an old tube sock on her back foot. This will help prevent her nails from really digging into her ear and making it bleed. She may just want to chew it off but if she will let you put it on her and keep it on, it will help.

[wolfsoul]

We sell this AWESOME stuff at my work. It's called Blue Thunder. It's ear drops that you just squirt right into the ear. It dries out any moisture in the ear and helps fight infection. It's all natural -- my holistic vet also sells it. If you'd be willing to pay for it, I'd be happy to send you some. I believe it's $6.75 for a small bottle, $10 for a bigger bottle, but I can't remember for sure. Everyone calls it a miracle worker, it's the best stuff we have used. It's not oily either. Any of the stuff the conventional vets around here use doesn't work well and just makes the dog all greasy. This goes right into the ear and dries up. From what I've heard, it's hard to find, so I'm not sure if you'll find it in your area. I don't believe they have a site, but I think we have some brochures at work if you want any information about it, like ingredients. I'll try searching online first.

[bckrazy]

Aww, those first 2 pictures made me cringe! Poor Novey, I hope you find what is right for her.