My dog has black earwax, head tilt, and hearing loss. What to do?

Unfortunately if he won't let you near his ears you may have to wait until tomorrow when you can get Wrigley in to see your veterinarian. If you can pick up an ear cleaner from a pet store you can try flushing them out between now and tomorrow morning. If he is walking with a head tilt I would be worried that his inner or middle ear may also be affected, if this is truly the case, I wouldn't recommend putting anything more in his ears until you see your vet. If you feel he is really uncomfortable and you don't want to wait, an emergency vet should be able to evaluate him today.

Yes, I would take Dax into the vet for this problem. It’s not normal to have a big build up of gunk in the ear or to have an odor. These are signs of an ear infection. Ear infections in dogs can be caused by ear mites, yeast, or bacteria so the vet needs to diagnose what’s causing this build up so he can be treated properly. I would take him into the vet in the next day or two. Just be careful using q tips in his ears. You could accidentally hurt him or even perforate his ear drum if you stick one in too far. The vet can give you an ear cleaning solution like Epi-Otis which is much safer to use. Best of luck!

I would be worried about a potential inner ear infection. Other ear infections can progress to inner ear infections which are painful, can result in hearing loss and balance issues. It is possible that the head tilt is the first sign that the balance Centers are being affected. I would advise taking Dahlia back in to the vet.

This black, tarry substance is mostly wax and cleansing twice daily with an alcohol free ear cleanser for 5-7 days should help remove this (it will also remove any mites which may be stuck in it). Fill the ear with the solution, rub gently and then wipe away the disolved wax - repeat 3-5 times until ear appears clean; do this twice daily until ear has been thoroughly clean for 2 cleanings and then 1-2 times weekly to prevent build up. Any severe pain, blood or loss of appetite indicates there may be an infection and this would require assessment by a vet to prescribe the correct medicated drops

Poor Roadie! Dark-colored waxy debris and redness in the ear canal are both common signs of an ear infection. Roadie will need prescription ear meds from your veterinarian to treat this, so I would recommend taking him in today for an exam. In the meantime, if using the cleaning solution seems to make the ear more irritated, I would just leave it alone until you're able to see the vet.

This could be a sign of ear inflammation/infection and depending on the type of wax (ideally a picture of it would be needed to be more specific about it) different cause are possible. Brown wax is usually related to Malassezia spp (yeast infection) proliferation. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotic ear drops may be needed.

Your dog likely suffers from a severe ear infection, you cannot give him anything without taking him to the vet, he will need antibiotics/antifungal meds in order to recover and you need to do it urgently.