Ear problems?

[slleipnir]

Looks like plain ole ear mites to me. Autumn gets them and that's what her ears look like before cleaning. It always comes off with a washcloth though. I suppose you'd better see a vet for diagnosis and they will have something to clean the ears with if it is mites.

Like I said, it doesn't wash off....

[pnance]

It's weird that it doesn't wash off. Hunter had something that look almost exactly like that and was difficult to get off, but once I wet the area with ear cleaner then took a kleenax and soaked it in the ear cleaner I was able to remove it. If you can't get it off, I agree with the others, you should problem consult your vet.

[lv4dogs]

Nanook has those & it used to be worse, especially when he would dig a lot. Although he had no problems, no itching, shaking, whining, etc... because it was mostly just dirt. It took a little bit of work getting it clean again. I'd put a warm moist cloth on it for a while, repeaated until it was easier to scrub off. And I honestly think some of them on Nanook are freckles because there are some that NEVER come off.

Because Josie is shaking her head and holding it weird she may have something else going on, either a little dirt, a possible infection starting, even a loose piece of hair or grass in there.

I would suggest you try cleaning the spots like I stated above. Then to help with the actual ear problem I would clean her ears well with a ear wash/drying solution. I'd wait a day, and if she is not acting any better I'd repeat the ear cleaning and then add a little of the meds from her last ear infection (ONLY if it has not expired) for another day or 2. If she doesn't improve then I'd get her to the vet, if she worsens then I;d stop what your doing & get her to the vets.

Do the ears smell bad?

Ear mites look like coffee grounds IN the ear canal, they usually don't hang around on the flap unless it's a major infestation.

I don't think it's anything too serious as you said the ears are not red at all.

Good luck.

[slleipnir]

I did clean her ears out. The cloth was a little dirty, but the spots never came off at all. I don't think she's been shaking her head since I cleaned it. Atleast, she doesn't hold her ear down anymore. (that's what she does when she has an infection) One ear doesn't seem to be spotty at all. They don't smell...and her actually ear canal looks clean and pink to me.