My Maltese is dirty. How do I bathe her safely after an ear infection?

Maltese due have a predilection for getting a certain type of yeast infection in their skin, which will give that stinky, musty type of smell. You are right that over-bathing can be harmful, because this can break down their natural defenses. However, in this case, these guys will need more frequent bathing with a medicated shampoo. You should get a medicated shampoo that is labeled for dogs. This can be purchased from pet stores or veterinary clinics. Give them a bath with the medicated shampoo once every other day for two weeks, then once a week after that for a month. You should ensure that the shampoo is worked well into the skin and left for 15 minutes before rinsing. You should also make sure to wash their face, because this is a common source of the smell. They should start to smell better in two weeks. If you are not noticing a change by then, then it's best to take them to a vet for an evaluation, because they may need a prescription shampoo in order to clear this up. Normally, you should not bathe more often than once a month with a shampoo labeled for dogs. You may consider doing the medicated bath once a month for these guys, since they seem to be predisposed to these yeast infections. I hope that helps and this gets cleared-up soon.

I saw some good reviews as well so it sounds like a good product. I also like HyLyt shampoo. To prevent too much water from getting in her ears you should avoid spraying any water around her ears. You could take a small bowl and gently rinse the area around her ears and face while covering her ears and then use a towel to dry the area thoroughly.

It sounds like Katty has an ear infection and it can be caused by yeast or bacteria. It's very important to have any ear problem checked out by a vet promptly as leaving it untreated can lead to hearing loss. Please have her seen by a vet in the morning to get this treated. I hope this helps!

This could indicate an infection of both bacteria as well as yeast. While Malaseb usually works on the skin it may be your dog has an infection deeper in the ear causing this as well as it might be resistant to the medications in Malaseb. I recommend having your veterinarian examined Ollie's ears as well as inside his ears at the time of his appointment to make sure he doesn't need stronger medication.

It would be fine to carefully wash the hair around the ear with Dawn dish soap to make it less greasy - just make sure not to actually get it inside the ear canal, since this may make the infection worse. You can use a cotton ball in the ear to help keep this from happening while you wash the surrounding hair.

I recommend purchasing a dog ear cleaner at your pet store and cleaning the discharge from his ears. Put some cleaner on a cotton ball and massage the fluid into the ear canal. Rub it around to loosen the debris and then wipe it out. Take a dry cotton ball to remove any cleaner left in the ear. I clean ears daily to start, then as the discharge decreases then clean only when needed. If Maxo has ear mites or a severe yeast or bacterial ear infection this will help but specific prescription medication will be more effective. When you can take him in to your veterinarian for an ear exam. They will look at the ear discharge under the microscope to determine the cause of the problem. Then they can give him the right medication. Ear medication often contains a drug to stop the itching as well as something to cure the cause of the infection and that would be more effective than just cleaning his ears. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Maxo.

The signs you are describing are indicative of an ear infection. Sometimes, these can resolve with topical over the counter treatment, but antibiotics or antifungal medication may be necessary. I recommend using an ear cleaning solution or wipes to clean the ear once or twice a day. There are many options available in pet stores, but look out for something with a mild acid in it (salicylic acid or apple cider vinegar are good ingredients). If the condition does not begin to resolve on its own, Baloo may need to be seen by his vet for prescription medications. I hope this helps and that all is well!