Dirty ears

[Karen]

That should be fine, just be gentle, and don't go into the ear canal itself. Does he have "up" ears or "down" ears? Has he been to the vet yet?

[tikeyas_mom]

I bought a really great ear cleaning solution from my local holistic vet Called Blue Thunder. It has helped my Black Labs ears alot. All you do is drop a few drops of the liquid into the dogs ear canal, massage it, and then let the dog shake.. We would love to know more about you and your dog, What color is he? Congrats on adopting him, you'll really enjoy this site I'm sure.

[WELOVESPUPPIES]

PICTURES PLEASE. I also own a Boxer named Duke , we also have a female named Champ. They are an awesome breed. We must see pictures Welcome to PT. I think you can also use a vinager and water 1/2&1/2 solution. I usually just use a Q-Tip or clean them with the damp towel after they have had a bath. You can get solutions at Pet stores and even from your vet.

[Pam]

Welcome to PT! As you have probably guessed, we all love pictures here. When you get the opportunity, we'd love to see some pictures of Duke and hear all about him! Regarding his ears, I would suggest a visit to your vet first. If it is yeast (what my Bella gets) you will need a more specific medication. Your vet will swab the inside of the ear and look at it under a microscope.

And......any friend of RobiLee's is a friend of ours! Please do tell her we need to see and hear more of her and her girls!

[Taz_Zoee]

Welcome to PT. I'm sure you will find this site addictive. I'd love to see pictures of Duke! Zoee has a boxer friend named Tessa she likes to play with.
As for the ears, Bruce (BF) used to have to clean out DJ's (RB Cocker) ears all the time, because Cockers are prone to icky ears. But like others suggested a vet visit would be a good thing to make sure there is nothing more serious than just dirty ears going on.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Hmmmm......hard to reply without PICTURES!

Welcome to PT

[finn's mom]

I bought a really great ear cleaning solution from my local holistic vet Called Blue Thunder.

I think this is the same thing, and I made it at home last night. Hope it works out as well for us as it did for the guy who posted it on another forum. Not sure how much Blue Thunder cost, but, I bought enough to last probably for years, and it cost me about $12. Here is the recipe.

Here is the recipe for anyone interested in trying it:

Blue Power Ear Treatment

16 oz. bottle isopropyl alcohol (or witch hazel)
4 tablespoons Boric Acid Powder
16 drops Gentian Violet 1% Solution
Mix all ingredients in the alcohol bottle & shake. (make sure you shake before every application).
Treatment: Fill ear with solution & massage gently for 30 seconds and wipe with a tissue. Fill a second time and just wipe without massaging. The dog will shake the excess out. Be careful, the Gentian Violet could stain. I use a eye dropper to fill the ear.
Treatment:
2 times per day for the first 2 weeks
1 time per day for the next 2 weeks
1 time per month thereafter

If you are concerned about the alcohol burning the inside of the ear (it could if the dog has been scratching its ear), then you can substitute the alcohol with witch hazel.

All ingredients are available at a pharmacy. The Boric Acid is usually in the First Aid section where you find the alcohol. The Gentian Violet will be the hardest to find and may need to be special ordered.
Even despite the alcohol, dogs don't object to even the first treatment. The Boric Acid soothes the ear & the Gentian Violet is an anti-infection agent. This solution is also effective for the treatment of fungus type infections on the dog including hot spots.

Avoid getting in eyes.