My dog's head is tilted. Can I use leftover ear infection medication?

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.

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!

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!

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.

If the infection goes that far, we often use antibiotics tablets (sometimes two different types at the same time, as Melcho is having now) and strong anti-inflammatory medications, usually steroids. You should get in touch with your vets again, as it sounds that your Melcho is struggling at the moment and he may benefit from more aggressive therapy.

Usually antibiotic ear drops should not interfere with oral antibiotics. However, most antibiotics that are given orally should also work for an ear infection. She may not have a bacterial ear infection, but may have ear mites or a fungal infection or allergies. In that case the antibiotic ear drops will not work. It is advisable to have your veterinarian examine her ears again to determine which type of infection she has, if any, (she may also have a foreign body in her ear canal, such as a blade of grass!). If your veterinarian said to go ahead with the drops, then you did nothing wrong. However if the drops do not help, you need to take Bella in for an exam.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The medication has an antibiotic and an antifungal in it. If it didn’t help the infection, she may have a bacteria that is resistant to the antibiotic. I recommend taking her back to the vet for a culture of the bacteria in her ear to determine what medication will treat it. Good luck and kisses to Bailey!