My dog's ear infection medicine is greasy. Is it needed? How to clean?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Most ear ointments are a little oily or thick in order to stay in contact with the skin inside the ear canal as long as possible, so it is absolutely normal to feel the ointment in the ear later on. I usually recommend a cleaning solution along with ointment, and you can ask your vet if there is a cleaning solution that they recommend to use to clear out the remaining ointment before applying the next dose. I also would get an E-collar (or "cone") for Norman to prevent him from scratching his ear so that he doesn't cause any additional trauma. You should definitely continue to ointment to continue treating the infection, stopping could make the infection worse and more difficult to treat in the future.

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.

It would be fine to carefully wash the hair around the ear with Dawn dish soap to make it less greasy - just make sure not to actually get it inside the ear canal, since this may make the infection worse. You can use a cotton ball in the ear to help keep this from happening while you wash the surrounding hair.

You are right that there are different causes of ear infections, typically yeast and bacteria (there are many types). Ear medications prescribed are based on which of these is the problem. It is also important for their ear drum to be assessed prior to starting medications. As well, some dogs need oral medications in addition to topical if the infection is severe. Being so young is also a consideration with certain drugs. The best plan is to have your vet perform an ear cytology and assess for an intact ear drum prior to picking the best medication that is safe for Nola. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The short answer is not necessarily. That is especially true if if Buddy's ear infection is severe and actually not sensitive to the ear cleanser or antibiotics used initially which would be required if they as I recommend that you have Buddy evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Your veterinarian would be able to check what type of infection is present and treat accordingly. Usually this resolves with topical therapy. Good luck and have a good day!

Poor girl. If the preliminary medications from your vet didn’t improve her condition, then it’s time to consider getting Xena a culture done of her ear to determine what medicaiton can clear things up. This is a specific test that will determine what medicaiton combination is needed to get rid of he infection. I also am not sure if your vet has tried Posatex ear medication yet, but this is strong ear medicaiton that can help with resistant infections. Also pain medicaiton (steroids work well for ears when they are really inflamed) can also be prescribed by your vet to help with Xena’s discomfort. Discuss with your vet about the above recommendations. Best wishes moving forward with Xena and her ears. Take care.

I would recommend not just an ear wash but also medications to clear up this infection. If there is moderate-severe or 2+ yeast and cocci then I would recommend Oticetic flush and Mometamax ear medicine. You can also try Zymox ear medicine as an alternative. You typically can only get these through your vet or with veterinary approval. Ear medicine and medicated cleaners are typically not sold over the counter. Best of luck with your pet Poliana and her current ear infection. Take care.