My dog has an ear infection. How can I treat it at home?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bella. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. I agree that her ear is likely infected. The veterinarian will examine her including inspecting the ear canals with a special instrument known as an otoscope. A sample will be taken from each ear canal to evaluate under the microscope. This will confirm an infection and determine the type. For example, she could have a yeast or bacterial infection or a combination of both. In other cases, ear mites are possible. Based on these results, appropriate treatment can be started. An ear cleaner is usually commonly used to cleanse and dry the canal. Then a medication is applied to treat the infection. Ear infections are painful and require prompt treatment. If left untreated, chronic changes can result that will predispose her to future problems. I hope this information helps!

This looks like a very severe infection possibly due to bacterial proliferation inside the ear canal. Unfortunately antibiotics and antiinflammatory drops are needed in this case to be able to resolve the problem effectively.

You can use an over the counter dog ear cleaner to clean the discharge from Cujo's ears. Apple some to,a cotton ball and squeeze it into the ear. Squish it around and then wipe outward to remove the discharge. Then take a dry cotton ball to remove the excess fluid. To determine the cause of the infection I recommend and exam and they can look at the ear discharge under the microscope to determine if he has a yeast or bacterial infection or if there are ear mites. Once they have a diagnosis they can prescribe the correct medication. Often ear infections are painful so they may prescribe an anti inflammatory or pain medication also. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Cujo.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ted. I agree that he does appear to have an ear infection. He will need to see his veterinarian. An exam, including assessing the ear canals, will be performed. Then a sample will be collected from each ear to evaluate under the microscope. This will tell the doctor the type of infection so it can be determined how best to treat it. Ear infections are painful. It is best to have it addressed soon. I hope this information helps!

Yeast ear infections often need antifungal topical ear medications to help resolution. Most topical ear medications will also contain an antibiotic (not always needed) and a steroid, which will help with the itch the yeast can cause. I would recommend that you discuss the proper medication with your veterinarian. Many times yeast ear infections are caused by too much moisture in the ear (like after swimming in a pool or lake) or from inflammation caused by allergies (from fleas, food, environment, etc.). If Tiki has recurrent yeast ear infections, you may need to have her vet work up allergies as the primary problem. For minor yeast ear infections that aren't red, swollen, or itchy, you can try an ear cleanser to help remove the yeast. If you do this for a couple days and it isn't better, than she will probably need prescription medications.

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach! Sorry that Chance is having this issue. I suggest you use a medicated ear wash (see link below) and an actual ear medication (also linked below). Clean the ears and medicate once per day but do them at opposite times of the day (clean in the evening and medicate in the morning or vice-versa). You don't want to put the medication in the ears on top of the cleaning solution. Do both for AT LEAST 7-10 days. If he is not improved by that time he will need to see your vet. https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=136342 https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=98587 Be sure you are cleaning the ears correctly. See YouTube video linked below. When you medicate be sure the medication is getting down into the ear canal and not just in the top portion of the canal that you can see. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_8f1fll42A&t=16s Hope this helps. If you have more questions you can always opt for a private consultation where we can chat back and forth. That way you can ask as many questions as you'd like. Best wishes!

If ear infections are left untreated, they can lead to hearing loss. Unfortunately this cannot be treated at home without prescription medication, but a vet should see you for this problem. Give your vet a call.