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My standard poodle, Bella, has been plagued with ear infections off and on since she was about a year old. I, too, use the ear wash from my vet as well as the ointment and it seems like I am needing to do this too often. The "stuff" which we get out of her ear, which he has tested, is yeast.Yeast infections in poodle ears unfortunately are pretty common. Of the 6 poodles that I have had in my lifetime, 3 have had them.
My vet, like yours, feels there is a strong allergy component going on. Originally he thought it was something growing outside like the things that give us humans problems. When it continued off and on throughout the year (even in winter) he felt it might be a food allergy. I was originally feeding her Eukanuba but have switched over in the past several months to Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul as I really, really like the ingredients and the price is very good considering what a good food it is. I am in the early stages of thinking about changing again. I read up a little on the website for Solid Gold, and if I make another change I might try that.
I know the main cause with poodles is trapped water (Bella's ear canals are very small and it's hard to get water out once it's down there) and fuzzy poodle hair which can accumulate inside the ear. We, and the groomer, keep the hair fuzz pulled out at all times so I think in her case it is just a case of trapped water. I don't know if labbies have fuzzy hairs which grow inside their ears, but I am thinking probably they don't.
Our vet mentioned, as a last resort, that he could mildly sedate her and thoroughly irrigate and flush her ears. He felt, though, that the wax would just eventually return and also the yeast.
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