Allergies - Ear infections

[svikes84]

Does anyone have a good Ear Infection remedy that does not involve Antibiotics?

Short story long....My boy Newf has an allergy to Fleas, he is on Frontline but Frontline does not repel....so any flea that bites sends him into a Fury with ear infections (I finally got the hot spots under control).... I am wondering if there is a possibility of 2 things..

1. REPEL the darn fleas... or
2. Relieve the Ear Infections without Antibiotics....(Vinegar, water...anything)

I have been using Medicated Goldbond and it helps the itching but I think it is clogging pores etc...

 

[noblenewf]

My boys are in the water all the time...and I used to have to battle some nasty ear infections. This is what I use and it works. Really works.

Blue Magic Ear Cleaner

BLUE MAGIC EAR WASH:

*16 drops of Gentian Blue Solution, (also known as Gention Violet) found at pharmacies in dropper bottles

*4 Tablespoons of Boric Acid Powder, (also found at a pharmacy)

*16 ounces of Isopropyl Alcohol

Mix all the above ingredients well....... shaking it works well..... pour into a large squirt bottle. Gently squirt into each ear canal....filling entire ear canal. Clean ear with cotton ball.

Be careful when they shake their head...the Genetian Violet stains terribly. I usually do this outside.

 

[Leonard and his bud Snuffles]

I think K9 Advantix or how ever it is spelled may be a better product than Frontline, since it claims to repel.

http://k9advantix.petparents.com/aboutAdvantix.cfm

 

[BlackLightning]

Jess,

I find Ayasha is prone to ear infections as well. Do you use that mixture only when they have ear infections or everytime they swim... or?

 

[noblenewf]

I use it every time they swim, get bathed or just need general ear cleaning. It works! It's the only thing I've found that keeps their ears from getting stinky and yeasty. They haven't had an ear infection since I started using it.:dance01:

 

[BlackLightning]

Ok, hope I am not being annoying, but another question for you Jess. Can you make it as a "batch" and keep it in the bottle, or do you have to make it fresh every time?

 

[Tug]

I can use baby wipes to clean Tug's ears, but I need 3 people to put ANYTHING liquid in there! One to hold him in a corner, the other to block him from the front, and the 3rd to put the stuff in. Or try to... Doesn't usually work. Any tips?

 

[ardeagold]

That formula that Jess mentioned? It's original name is Purple Power ... and you can now buy it pre mixed. It's been used on hunting dogs for decades and does really work.

Here's an article on it, and two links in the text on where to buy it pre-mixed:

http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/ears.html

 

[svikes84]

I am definately going to try the recipe but I am a little timid of the K9 Advantix..I have heard bad things about the active ingredient in it, Permethrin. Has anyone here had a bad experience with it?

 

[Erika]

I think K9 Advantix or how ever it is spelled may be a better product than Frontline, since it claims to repel.

http://k9advantix.petparents.com/aboutAdvantix.cfm

never had a flea problem since we switched....no fleas with frontline either but had skin issues etc

 

[R Taft]

I use it every time they swim, get bathed or just need general ear cleaning. It works! It's the only thing I've found that keeps their ears from getting stinky and yeasty. They haven't had an ear infection since I started using it.:dance01:

Just make sure the dogs are outside when they do the ear-shake, Not good on light colored walls :lol:. But it works well

 

[sbyer]

Have had good luck with Avena Sativa in preventing ear problems. My friend's Newfs never had the ear infections after she started using it as a regular ear cleaner. It's a colloidal oat extract ear cleaner. ----Think Aveeno bath products for itchy skin. Maybe only available in Canada?

[FONT=&quot]http://www.drugs.com/vet/avena-sativa-all-natural-ear-cleaner-can.html[/FONT]

 

[Pipelineozzy]

I'm not sure how a flea bite is causing the ear thing, and wonder if they are separate issues.
I could not get the gentian violet where i live, so modified using 1/3 alcohol, 1/3 viniger, and 1/3 water, and added two tablespoons of the boric acid powder. I ALWAYS warm it to body temperature before using it, because that's the main reason they HATE ear cleans, cold liquid in the ear feels AWFUL. I mix this up in a 500 ml bottle (about 2 cups) and keep it on hand. The alcohol dries the ear canal, the vinegar makes it acidic enough that yeast don't like it, and the water keeps it from being strong enough to burn if the ear canal is raw from scratching. Boric acid acts as a mild antiseptic.
I used to need a TEAM to clean Ozzy's ears, he detested it and even growled at me once....but if I warm the liquid like a baby bottle, he actually "grooves" on having his ears cleaned and massaged. I completely FILL his ear canal, massage the base, and then let him shake it out and wipe them as well as I can with a j-cloth instead of cotton balls as I am afraid to "lose" a cotton ball in there. I repeat it about 3 times on each ear. I think having the solution warm helps to dissolve the oily crap in the ears too.