my dog has a ear infection?

Question

ok my dog has a ear infection what over the counter medine should i use

Answer 1

None....do NOT self medicate...you can do much more harm then good. A vet needs to diagnose the type of ear infection and dispense the proper medication to treat it.

Answer 2

You need to see a vet to get a proper diagnosis and prescription medication. It could be ear mites, allergies, yeast, or some sort of bacterial infection or a combination of any or all the above, none of which can be treated or cured by over-the counter products.
That being said, my vet recommends the following home-made ear wash/flush:
1 part apple cider vinegar (discourages yeast)
1 part hydrogen peroxide (anti-bacterial, it also bubbles excess wax loose)
1 part water
You can put it in a clean dish soap bottle with a push/pull top.
Fill the ear canal with the solution and massage gently at the base of the ear for a minute. Then let the dog shake its head; wipe loosened debris out with a cotton ball; NEVER stick a Q-tip into a dog's ear!
This mixture will not cause "swimmer's ear", nor will it cure an ear infection; I merely use it for cleaning on a regular basis (once a month before their baths) It's sort of preventative maintenence.
Be sure and seek your vet's advice, your dog might also have something like a foxtail in there which only works its way deeper.

Answer 3

What kind of infection? Is it a bacterial infection? Is it a yeast infection? Do you know what kind of infection it is or even if it actually is an ear infection? What about ear mites?

If it is a bacterial infection you will need antibiotics. If it is a yeast infection or even if your dog just has chronic ear infections you should look into food allergies. Wheat and corn products are the most common food allergens for dogs.

There are really no over the counter medications that are going to fix your dog's problem. You really need to take it to a vet. If you are just looking for a pain reliever for the dog because it is uncomfortable and you can't get to the vet until tomorrow you can give BUFFERED aspirin (5 mg/lb every 12 hours). But, I wouldn't do it for an extended period of time.

Answer 4

Why do you want an over-the-counter remedy

Can you identify what type of infection?

Are there ear mites? is this a yeast infection?... Etc....

Unless you are educated enough about your dog's health to know what the infection is & the corresponding treatment... then you have no business trying to treat something you don;t know what it is

If your child had a problem with thier ear would you take them to the doctor or go to walmart & take the risk with your child's hearing to guess at what is the correct treatment

There are easy inexpensive "home remedies" for both ear mites & for yeast infections... if you were able to identify to problem, then I might have some confidence in sharing it with you

Answer 5

I wish there was something that could help over the counter but there's not. I have yellow lab and my husband has a coonhound, both have droopy ears and are very prone to ear infections. S/he needs to see a vet. If you don't have the $, talk to the vet about it- tell them you're short on cash. We had to do that when my husband was laid off and our yellow lab had an infection, they worked with us.

You can try to prevent future infections, the vet told us to make sure we dry their ears well after a bath or a swim, to clean their ears 2-3 times a weeks with special ear cleaning solution. Good luck. It sucks, doesn't it??

Answer 6

Just make sure if you get an ear cleaner in the future to help prevent ear infections make sure there is a drying agent in it. I was using an ear cleaner that didnt (new basset owner a while back) and my dog got an ear infection. Be careful! Talk to your vet.

Answer 7

i wouldnt try to fix the problem yourself. i would take the dog to the vet just to make sure it is an ear infection and see what kind of medicine they think you should use.

Answer 8

Visit this site www.nzymes.com. if you can't get it under control.Also try you hair dryer on very low heat and blow it into its ear.It will help a little.Make sure you don't burn them.This is only a temp. fix.I'm afraid you will have to make a trip to the Doctors.Don't delay it.My dog got ruptured ear drum even when I did take her there.If it is yeast ,you need to get it taken care of fast. I can't tell you how much money I have in just my one dog.That's just part of being a pet owner.If you can't afford the Vet.You need to consider if you can afford a animal.Good luck

Answer 9

None. Go to the vet.

If your dog has ear infections often, eliminate grains from the dog's diet.

Answer 10

You have o go to the vet if you go get different medicine not from the vet it could make your dog even more sick or even die!If you cannot afford it ask a relative to help!