When should I clean my dog's infected ear before medication?

Yeast and bacteria can only be seen under the microscope, which is why the vet didn't see any when looking at Niko's ears using the otoscope. I would follow the vet's instructions in treating his ear infection, the amount is prescribed precisely for treating this infection successfully even if you think it seems excessive. You can use cornstarch to get it out. Use a paper towel to remove as much of the medication as possible from Niko's fur, and then sprinkle the cornstarch over the area avoiding his ear canal. Use your fingers to rub the cornstarch into the fur to absorb the oil, and then brush the cornstarch out with a soft bristle brush.

Hello, you should wait another 2-3 days before cleaning his ears as you may remove some of the medication. After this, you can clean the outside of his ears with a cotton ball. Do not put anything in his ears without your veterinarian instructing you to do so. Hope this helps and best of luck.

I would recommend not just an ear wash but also medications to clear up this infection. If there is moderate-severe or 2+ yeast and cocci then I would recommend Oticetic flush and Mometamax ear medicine. You can also try Zymox ear medicine as an alternative. You typically can only get these through your vet or with veterinary approval. Ear medicine and medicated cleaners are typically not sold over the counter. Best of luck with your pet Poliana and her current ear infection. Take care.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear you are having difficulty applying the ear medication - I understand this can be a challenging task! Ear infections themselves can be frustrating too. For my own dog, I find it helpful to stand over him with his head between my legs, that way I can gently use my legs to hold his body in place while one hand holds his head/ear and the other applies the ear medication. I then gently massage the base of the ear to allow the medication to contact all surfaces of the ear canal. It is certainly OK if Storm shakes his head immediately afterwards and a little medication comes out. Additionally, if you do not already have one at home, I STRONGLY recommend purchasing an Elizabethan collar (cone) for Storm, to prevent him from being able to itch his ears. Dogs can create a significant amount of trauma to their own ears and skin from scratching incessantly, and a cone will prevent him from getting to his ears while the infection heals. This will also help keep the medication in the ear. I hope this is helpful!

Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications can be given orally as well, but they will be indeed less effective and take longer to work. Please discuss with your local veterinarian this treatment option (as it has to be prescribed anyway). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Poor DDuang! Ear infections are very uncomfortable. I would not recommend using ophthalmic ointment in the ear, as these medications are not designed for this and could damage his eardrum or the nerves in his middle ear. It's fine to use a regular ear cleaner labeled for dogs to help clean the discharge out of the ear - this won't treat the underlying infection, but may make Dduang a bit more comfortable until he can get treatment. An ear infection is not an emergency, per se, but it's certainly uncomfortable and unpleasant for both of you! Personally, I would probably go ahead and take your pup to the emergency clinic tonight or tomorrow rather than waiting until next week for treatment. You could also call some other vets locally to see if they have any appointments available tomorrow, since this would probably be cheaper than an emergency visit. The vet will take a sample of the discharge for analysis under the microscope and prescribe appropriate medication to treat the infection depending on what is found.

It is not a good idea to try and apply ear mediccine while she is asleep. I suggest you ask your vet whether a differen medication such as Osurnia, which can be applied in the vet's office once and is good for 7 days is not an alternative to struggling with your dog. If not, you may need to put a muzzle on your dog every time you intend to apply the medication.