Dog ear infection worsening despite medication. When to see vet?

Hello. Otomax is a broad spectrum medication the contains an antibiotic, antifungal as well as a steroid. It is possible that the steroid is preventing the lesion from healing. I would talk to your vet about this & switching to another antibiotic such as silver sulfadiazine. If it still does not heal, the lesion may need to be cultured or biopsied to identify why it is not healing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes, cleaning solutions are good but it is likely that the signs you are describing are compatible with an ear infection and antibiotic+anti-inflammatories ear drops are needed. I would strongly recommend a check up, an otoscopic examination (your vet will have a look down in the ear canal) and appropriate treatment.

The main reason infections do not clear is they are not treated for long enough or it may have not been the best medicine to treat it due to resistance. Ideally she needs to be rechecked to see if a culture is needed or oral medicine help. You can try to get an ear cleaner to help keep it clean. IF the ear persistently itch then you may want to consider a food allergy

Although you aren’t seeing any improvement yet, continue giving the medication as previously prescribed. Sometimes it can take 2 weeks to get the infection under control. Keep in mind also that the infection may be getting better but there is still some exudate/debris in the ear. If, by the time you return from your trip, there is still no improvement, make an appointment for a recheck examination with your vet. Occasionally there are resistant infections that need special medication. Hopefully this will not be the case for Lulu. Also, if it makes you feel better, judging by the picture you provided Lulu’s ear looks pretty good! I hope the helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hello. Cephalexin is a good general antibiotic, but is totally inappropriate for treating ears this bad. Unfortunately, I think you need to find another veterinarian. Hopefully, your next veterinarian will treat poor Vlude's ear with a proper regimen of medications. Good luck & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

Oh my. Poor guy. This infection is severe. I would have cultures taken of this skin immediately if the broad spectrum antibiotics that your vet gave aren't working. I would also consider getting biopsies of this thing. The area may need surgical debridement as well, because there is some diseased and necrotic (dead) tissue there that will prevent this from healing well if it isn't removed. I am so sorry your pet has such an aggressive skin condition. This certainly will need further medical management from your vet for sure. With the suggestions above, you should be able to get a better handle on this thing. Best of luck and take care!