Ear Infection....I didn't know...

[msyorktown]

Ok...
So I take Raelle and Orion for a check up and flea meds, as we have an outbreak here (no idea where they came from)
Anyway the vet is just in LOVE with Raelle! My miss Diva! She checked out health wise ok, and got her annual rabies shot....He is checking in her ears...
they are floppy, they never stood. He says hang on I'm seein something here..I'll re-check.
He gets a cotton swab and swabs here ears...what looked like engine grease came out...it was BLACK and greasy looking.
He is goin to check for mites..be right back.
He comes back and says no mites, but a severe ear infection that looks like it has been raging for months!!!
He asked me has she been scratching her ears...yup, but I figured it was the dagone fleas!
She also has been rubbing her ears on the carpet...I figured she was bein quirky....OMG I'm a terrible mommy!!!
She has been in pain for months and I had no idea...how in the world did I NOT KNOW...my poor baby, I feel just awful!
I wondered why she always smelled kinda funny...fiance says its my imagination, cuz he didn't smell it. Vet says that smell ...kinda funky/cheesy/sour smell, was the ear infection...I started noticing that smell back in May!
I had checked her ears and they weren't red or anything, and she never even flinced!
Sorry for the rant, the guilt is gonna be the death of me....
She is on Otomax...such a little trooper, lets mommy put in the drops, without moving a mucsle...then when I'm done she gives mommy thank you kisses...she is curled up in my lap, fast asleep while i sit here in tears trying not to wake her....

[GeorgiesMomma]

Jacqui you are not a bad Mommy. Our Boxer Coco had ear infections for years. She also had a funky smell and after the first infection we cleaned her ears and were more mindful of it. As crazy as this sounds adding non fat plain yogurt to her food helped tremendously. I read that it's a build up of yeast in their stomachs that can cause some ear infections and yogurt was suggested. Again, the yogurt helped a lot.

It is so hard to figure out what's going on with them. When Georgie was diagnosed with AAI we went to the Vet for a few visits with no diagnoses. He could have been paralyzed or died because of the condition but we didn't even know what was wrong.

I am sure Raelle would be good to go in no time

[Nancy1999]

So glad you posted, I'm sure your post will help many others. Never ignore smells, people make a mistake by trying to cover up odors, but they are an important warning sign. Since her ears are floppy, she will be more prone to ear infections, upright ears get a chance to dry out more easily. After a bath, you might want to put a product in her ears called "swimmers ear", it's a mixture of alcohol and other ingredients that help dry out ears faster. Bacteria only grow in moist conditions. Any scratching at the ear should be investigated as promptly. If the fleas are causing it, you still should get to the vet, secondary infections can come from scratching too much. Hope your little diva Raelle is feeling better soon!

[msyorktown]

Originally Posted by GeorgiesMomma

Jacqui you are not a bad Mommy. Our Boxer Coco had ear infections for years. She also had a funky smell and after the first infection we cleaned her ears and were more mindful of it. As crazy as this sounds adding non fat plain yogurt to her food helped tremendously. I read that it's a build up of yeast in their stomachs that can cause some ear infections and yogurt was suggested. Again, the yogurt helped a lot.

It is so hard to figure out what's going on with them. When Georgie was diagnosed with AAI we went to the Vet for a few visits with no diagnoses. He could have been paralyzed or died because of the condition but we didn't even know what was wrong.

I am sure Raelle would be good to go in no time

Thank you so much Morgan! I'm usually so vigilant and on top of any little thing...this never occured to me at all...she is forever rubbing her head/ears on the carpet...I figured she liked the feeling it gave her..
I know for a fact that ear infections are very painful as I have been a victim of them myself...no sign of her being in pain at all...she looks so sad right now, probably wondering why I didn't help her sooner..

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

So glad you posted, I'm sure your post will help many others. Never ignore smells, people make a mistake by trying to cover up odors, but they are an important warning sign. Since her ears are floppy, she will be more prone to ear infections, upright ears get a chance to dry out more easily. After a bath, you might want to put a product in her ears called "swimmers ear", it's a mixture of alcohol and other ingredients that help dry out ears faster. Bacteria only grow in moist conditions. Any scratching at the ear should be investigated as promptly. If the fleas are causing it, you still should get to the vet, secondary infections can come from scratching too much. Hope your little diva Raelle is feeling better soon!

Thanks Nancy...lesson learned...I have a very sensitive nose..and I did notice the smell, thought I was imagining it since fiance didn't notice it at all...then again he is a smoker...so am I ...but I noticed it DAG!!!
'Always follow your instincts'!!!

[kjc]

Not a bad Mommie! Trust your nose! I'm always smelling propane! And I always investigate it, lol. I know the first time I ignore it, the house will blow up!

[GeorgiesMomma]

I know you are vigilant and trust me we didn't realize it with Coco until we took her for vaccines. Once the Vet told us we paid more attention and were diligent about cleaning them. She will be just fine and she knows you are a great Mommy

[msyorktown]

Originally Posted by kjc

Not a bad Mommie! Trust your nose! I'm always smelling propane! And I always investigate it, lol. I know the first time I ignore it, the house will blow up!

Thanks Kathy...this just cracked me up..I needed a good laugh!
Funny, I drive a transit bus for a living and I'm forever smelling deisel....thought it was just me! OMGosh too funny!

Originally Posted by GeorgiesMomma

I know you are vigilant and trust me we didn't realize it with Coco until we took her for vaccines. Once the Vet told us we paid more attention and were diligent about cleaning them. She will be just fine and she knows you are a great Mommy

Thanks again for the support Morgan...I feel so sorry for her now, cuz now I'm gonna be hovering like a hawk! I'm really amazed at their pain tolerance...geez I was screaming like a banshee when I had an ear infection...and the joke is I went through childbirth three times...
Me and pain (any kind) are mortal enemies!

[GeorgiesMomma]

Thanks again for the support Morgan...I feel so sorry for her now, cuz now I'm gonna be hovering like a hawk! I'm really amazed at their pain tolerance...geez I was screaming like a banshee when I had an ear infection...and the joke is I went through childbirth three times...
Me and pain (any kind) are mortal enemies![/QUOTE]

Oh believe me I am sure Coco was thinking ok enough leave me alone LOL. I have had a severe cold for the past 2 days and have been laying in bed! I am always amazed at their ability to tolerate the pain!

[brezofleur]

Oh no! Poor you and Raelle! When my mom adopted her Poodle/Maltese mix a few years ago, he had an AWFUL ear infection. She cleans them regularly and hasn't had one since. I'm sure this will be her last!

This made me promptly check Zeus' ears too, by the way...he's clean. Phew!

[msyorktown]

Originally Posted by GeorgiesMomma

Thanks again for the support Morgan...I feel so sorry for her now, cuz now I'm gonna be hovering like a hawk! I'm really amazed at their pain tolerance...geez I was screaming like a banshee when I had an ear infection...and the joke is I went through childbirth three times...
Me and pain (any kind) are mortal enemies!

Oh believe me I am sure Coco was thinking ok enough leave me alone LOL. I have had a severe cold for the past 2 days and have been laying in bed! I am always amazed at their ability to tolerate the pain![/QUOTE]


Yup my girl just looked at me and walked to the other end of the room! lol! I get migranes and they just sideline me....brutal.
They really are amazing little babies..just love me some yorkies!

Originally Posted by brezofleur

Oh no! Poor you and Raelle! When my mom adopted her Poodle/Maltese mix a few years ago, he had an AWFUL ear infection. She cleans them regularly and hasn't had one since. I'm sure this will be her last!

This made me promptly check Zeus' ears too, by the way...he's clean. Phew!

I really hope so...I'm really not good when something is wrong...found out that little tidbit about myself...that's the thing too, I did check her ears and found nothing...just that freakin smell...urghh!!

[brezofleur]

Originally Posted by msyorktown

I really hope so...I'm really not good when something is wrong...found out that little tidbit about myself...that's the thing too, I did check her ears and found nothing...just that freakin smell...urghh!!

But now you know what to (smell) out for! Clean even if you think they're OK and dry when you give her baths.

[msyorktown]

Originally Posted by brezofleur

But now you know what to (smell) out for! Clean even if you think they're OK and dry when you give her baths.

Thanks Heather!!!

[Verbena]

Originally Posted by GeorgiesMomma

As crazy as this sounds adding non fat plain yogurt to her food helped tremendously. I read that it's a build up of yeast in their stomachs that can cause some ear infections and yogurt was suggested. Again, the yogurt helped a lot.

Wow Interesting. I knew it was great for digestion but didn't know it helped the ears. Does it have to be non fat? Or can it be just plain yogurt?

[jadabug]

Jacqui do not beat yourself up and you are not a bad mommy!! When we first adopted Bogie and took him in for his wellness checkup he had double ear infections (yeast) fast forward to the next year and I took Jada and Bogie both in for their checkups and they both had ear infections....no scratching or digging or smell either. Since that time I have religiously used a good ear cleaner with a drying agent after baths and changed their food to grain free and last two years..pristine ears.
It is so strange to me how something we know is painful causes no outward signs of pain from these little guys. I know I felt guilty when both of mine had the infections, but it wasn't from being a bad mommy...I just didn't know there was a problem.

[GeorgiesMomma]

Originally Posted by Verbena

Wow Interesting. I knew it was great for digestion but didn't know it helped the ears. Does it have to be non fat? Or can it be just plain yogurt?

We battled with Coco's ear infection for almost her entire life. After one appointment when she was 9 I decided I was going to google chronic ear infections in dogs. That's where I read about the yeast build up in the stomach causing ear infections and yeast in the ears. We started giving her and Georgie non fat plain yogurt mixed in their dry food and there was a noticeable change after a couple weeks. We did non fat because we figured we didn't want to add any additional fat to her diet.