My dog has an ear infection. How much aspirin for pain and scratching?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Jack Russel Terriers can get infections in the ear despite no trauma to the ear. It is usually caused by an overgrowth of natural bacteria or yeast flora. If he continues to scratch and shake his head it can lead to a condition called an aural hematoma that can need surgery to fix. I would recommend getting an E-collar for him tonight, and bringing him to your vet first thing in the morning. Disprin/Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic Acid) in high doses can be very toxic and is not recommended to give. In some dogs it can be safely used at 10mg/kg (so ~ 50mg for a Jack Russel Terrier). Best of luck with Mac.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Snickers! Ultimately he will be okay until tomorrow, I am glad he is getting seen in the short term. I wouldn't recommend giving him any human medications because your Vet may prescribe steroids which can not be combined with things like aspirin. You can try some benadryl to see if it relieves the itch and calms him. Otherwise I would hold tight for a day. You could purchase an ear cleaner but your Vet will give you one tomorrow. https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/ I wish Snickers a speedy recovery!

Poor Cooper! I'm sorry to hear that he has a swollen ear. As long as he is acting normal otherwise (eating and drinking fine, active, etc.) this would not normally be considered an emergency. But if you feel that he's very painful or uncomfortable, you could certainly opt to take him to an emergency clinic for quicker treatment. I would not recommend giving him aspirin, as this can cause severe stomach issues in some dogs. It will also severely limit your veterinarian's treatment options on Monday, as no other anti-inflammatory medications or steroids can be given until the aspirin is completely out of his system (usually 3-5 days). If he is scratching at the ear, you can place an e-collar (plastic cone) on his to keep him from damaging it further until you are able to see the vet.

Ear infections are usually treated with an antibiotic ointment that is placed directly in the ear and left in the ear to work in between cleanings. A typical schedule of cleanings include cleaning out the affected ear every twelve hours, placing the ointment in the ear, massaging and letting it set. This continues for a period of 7-10 days to completely clear the infection. There are some OTC ear infection ointments available but it is likely you will need to visit your vet for a prescription version. Amoxicillin is a general antibiotic and is more common in other infections such as skin or minor internal infections. It is best to check with your vet to see if it is appropriate for your dog's type of ear infection rather than just giving it. Giving the wrong medication or wrong dosage for the problem can actually make it worse, or even make your dog very ill.

Yes, it can hurt. You don't know if the dog's ear drum is intact, and putting medication into an ear with a ruptured ear drum is bad. In addition, ear infections can be caused by ear mites and bacteria as well as yeast, so this prescription medication may not work anyway. Do not give it to Ben. I can give some resources that may help him afford a vet. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ Check out these resources to see if they can help him. In honesty, if he cannot afford a vet visit for an ear infection, then maybe keeping her isn't a good idea. I hope this helps.

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. Oral medications (ie: antibiotics) do not work well for ear infections. Any medication to treat an ear infection should be used topically (inside the ear). Oral pain medication would probably be helpful but you would need to get those from your vet. In my opinion, if the ear is that painful you really should take him to your vet now for an examination so they can use the scope to look into the ear and also test the ear discharge to see what the infection is composed of (bacteria or yeast or both). They will also be able to see if the ear drum is intact. Some medications are contraindicated if the ear drum is ruptured. Cyclobenzaprine is NOT recommended for use in dogs. It has a very narrow margin of safety in dogs (and cats) and can cause significant central nervous system (CNS) and cardiovascular (CV) adverse effects. You should NOT use it. If you want to try to treat the ear at home, which I do not recommend, you can use this specific over the counter ear medication linked below. It is once a day and you do not have to clean the ear out first. It contains an anti-inflammatory (hydrocortisone) that should help with inflammation/pain. It is a small bottle so you will likely need at least 2 (if not 3) to do a full course of treatment. You must be sure to get the medication all the way down into the ear canal or it will not help much. If you chose to do this and there is no improvement in 4-5 days then you must take him to your vet for an exam. If he does seem to be improving then continue once daily for at least 14 days. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-ear-solution-with-5-hydrocortisone-125-fl-oz-2399174 ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If you cannot get him into the vets this evening, you can given one 500mg tablet of paracetamol (providing that he is a healthy dog and is not on any medications) and get him see by your regular vets tomorrow morning.