Why do my Cocker Spaniel's ears stink despite frequent cleaning?

If the ears have never been tested or swabbed at the veterinarian's clinic, then I would recommend having this done. Sometimes there is only a small amount of debris in the ear canals with a mild infection and the ears do not always appear red or inflamed. A small amount of yeast can cause stinky ears. If the ears are clean of infection, then I would recommend using a weekly ear cleaner such as Epi Otic or Zymox otic cleanser. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Naughty most likely has ear canal infection, which will not go away without a course of antibiotics (either as ear drops or oral form). Ear infection is a common problem in English Spaniels. Please, take Naughty to your local vet to check the ears and to get medications for your dog.

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I would take Sebastian in to your veterinarian to perform an ear cytology. This is a diagnostic test where they look at the debris in his ear under the microscope. This will help your veterinarian determine if Sebastian has an ear infection and what is causing it (yeast, bacteria, mites or any combination or all of the above). There are multiple treatments for ear infections depending on what the underlying cause is. Your vet will help determine the best treatment for him! I would take him to the vet sooner rather than later as ear infections can be uncomfortable! Good luck!

Hey there, Sorry to hear about Cleo's ear. I agree that an ear producing copious amounts of a foul discharge is infected. Sometimes chronic ear infections can be secondary to allergies to their food or their environment. Food allergies in pets often crop up in skin or ear infections. These allergies tend to be to an animal protein- such as beef or chicken. I would recommend finding a second opinion veterinarian to examine Cleo. They will likely recommend doing a swab of her ear, to see what kind of bacteria or yeast is present. This helps to narrow down the causes and pick the best treatment possible. The treatment for this will likely consist of topical medications, such as medicated ear wash or ointment, and possibly oral medications as well, such as steroids or antibiotics. They may also recommend doing a food trial if they notice any signs of food allergies. I like Purina ProPlan Hydrolyzed Vegetarian formula or Royal Canin Hypoallergenic as my two favorite hypoallergenic diets. Some dogs stay on these foods long term, while some dogs benefit from eating them for a few months to get infections under control before finding another select protein diet that they don't react to. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck getting Cleo's ear under control!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Copper. It looks like he has an ear infection. Ear infections in dogs are commonly caused by yeast or bacteria. He does need to see a vet for this to have it treated. Please do not try any "home remedies" you may find on the internet. Some of them are frankly dangerous and make things so much worse. Have him seen by a vet first thing Monday. I hope this helps!

It looks like Bailey has a skin infection and with how you are describing the smell from his ears he can also have an ear infection. The cause could be from many things like mites on the skin, allergies or even hypothyroidism. I would recommend taking Bailey to a veterinarian, treating the infection, have them perform a skin scraping and blood work to make sure we are testing for different things that can cause skin problems. Once the cause is determined it will be easier to treat or maintain. I hope Bailey starts to feel better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor Bailey - it is vital he is seen by a vet again as soon as possible to have the condition reassessed. Ensure he is fasting as it may be necessary to sedate him in order to fully examine the ear and identify any infections or growths which may be present and to ensure a deep clean can be performed. In some cases further tests for underlying causes such as allergies or thyroid disease may be recommended and in very rare cases surgery is required to remove or bypass areas with permanent scarring which may be preventing the normal healing process. Regular, routine cleaning of ears each week is recommended for dogs with recurrent problems