Ear-mites, fungus, and common allergies have many dogs - and their owners - scratching the heads. There are many treatment options for ear infections, but wouldn’t it be easier if they could be prevented in the first place? Fortunately, with a little extra effort and watchfulness, owners can greatly reduce the frequency and severity of their dogs outer ear infections.
Antibiotics like Otomax or Malotic are often used to treat severe cases, but some owners opt to take the more holistic route of using simple natural remedies to help prevent their dogs to keep from getting ear infections in the first place.
Keeping the ears clean and free of debris is the simplest way to help stave off an infection in your pet. Keep the hair around the ears, clean and trimmed and check the ears periodically to make sure they dont have a buildup. Dogs with long floppy ears seem to pick up more debris than those with pricked ears. Be especially sure to do a quick cleaning after a hike or a trip to the beach.
Some dogs seem to always have stuff in their ears. For them a rinse made of a simple 1:2 solution of white vinegar and water may help stave off infections. Use the solution to rinse the ear, massaging gently with a towel, then rinse a couple more times using plain filtered water. A 1:1 hydrogen peroxide/water solution also work well. Try the Hydrogen Peroxide solution if your dogs ears are tender from a lot of scratching as it will sting less than the vinegar.
Commercial ear cleaners are often a step up from home-made solutions and for troublesome infections may go a step further to help keep your dogs irritations at bay. Many of the commercial varieties also come with an applicator which can make ear cleaning much easier on both the dog and their owner. Check with your local pet store.
One of the easiest ways to reduce all types of infections is to improve the quality of your dogs food. The fillers often used in cheap big brand dog foods offer little to know nutritional value. In addition to sometimes triggering allergies, non-nutritional fillers do your dog no good and only serve to add bulk to the product - and ultimately to your dogs too. Treat your pup to a healthy lifestyle by starting with a high quality dog food, check with your local specialty pet center for quality brands.
Most ear infections only affect the outer ear in spite of smelling and looking bad. By taking the time to practice good hygiene you can greatly reduce the incedence of common ear problems. More serious symptoms including head tilting, walking in circles, and general clumsiness can be signs of a more serious inner ear infection and are best handled by your local vet.
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