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My dog has allergies and dry, crusty ears. Is it an ear infection?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | unspayed

Hi we have a 4yr old female jackchi, she currently has environmental allergies and has previously been on Prednisone 5mg x1 tablet per day from the vets. At the moment im giving her x1 piriton a day instead of the steroid as I don’t want her system to rely on it. For the past few weeks her ear has been dry & crusty inside, so I have been bathing it in like warm water from the kettle morning & night & applying a tea tree/aloe Vera cream to her ear. please advise as to what this could be?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Stacey Anstaett, DVM

Answered By Stacey Anstaett, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on September 18th, 2018

Please do not use Sudocrem, as it contains zinc oxide, which would be toxic if she ingests it. If there is a bacterial or yeast infection present in the ear canal, which may be the case especially if she's shaking her head and scratching, you should have your vet examine her. Some ear solutions and medications can damage the middle and/or inner ear if the eardrum has been damaged. Your vet will likely be able to see the eardrum when he or she uses an otoscope to look in the ears. Sometimes the canal is very swollen and /or has a large amount of debris that prevents us from being able to see the eardrum, but we should always attempt to verify that the eardrum is ok before treating the ear, so as to not damage the middle or inner ear.
If she does not seem to be shaking or scratching, it may be just the pinna (ear flap) that is affected, in which case I would recommend you try using Zymox, as it may get things cleared up. If you aren't seeing improvement in 3-5 days at home, take her to the vet.
Thanks for asking PetCoach!
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Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

    Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

    Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely still from the allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed.

    There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies.

    Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market).

    If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests.

    Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

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    0Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My pet has a crusty, flaky, dirty ear. What's causing this problem?
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to allergies affecting just the skin of the ear or even also causing an ear infection. This warrants a visit to your veterinarian. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!
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My dog's ears are crusty and infected. What's causing the issue?
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My dog's ears are dry and inflamed. Is it allergies or an infection?
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