Poodle's red ears after vinegar: When should I worry and see a vet?

Honestly, I would just leave it alone for 24-48 hours since putting anything in the ears will hurt very much. Ear plucking is commonly done in this type of breed, but you may ask the groomer not to do it in the future. In a day or two, if Shotsie still seems uncomfortable and the ears are still irritated, you can get a pet ear cleaner like Dechra EpiKlean Ear Cleanser - it is balanced, so it won't burn like vinegar would, and will help the ears stay dry. Use the ear cleaner once a day for a couple days. If the ears still look irritated, then Shotsie should be evaluated by a vet for infection or other damage.

Poor Pippa! Her ear looks quite red in the picture, and I wonder if she has an ear infection. I would not keep using the product. An ear wash will not likely treat the infection depending on the ingredients of the wash, as ear infections can be caused by bacteria, yeast, or fungus. She needs to see a vet asap as this cannot be treated with OTC products, and leaving this untreated can lead to hearing loss, plus she sounds very uncomfortable. Please take her into a vet now to get this diagnosed and treated. I hope this helps.

This looks like it could have an early infection. I would recommend having your veterinarian do an exam to make sure there isn't anything going on like a middle ear infection. Since you've caught it early hopefully only a short course of topical medication will be needed.

Sorry about Bella's ears. Sounds like Bella may have an ear infection. Normally, I would recommend reaching out to your local veterinarian for an exam and treatment as ear infections require specific medications that treat yeast and bacteria. Occasionally, low grade ear problems respond to conservative therapy such as gently cleaning and flushing with small amount of 2 parts white vinegar and 1 part warm water. This is commonly called swimmers solution, which can help reduce bacteria and reduce growth of yeast in the ear canal. I usually recommend an eyedropper full of this solution in and around the ear canal, then gently massage the ear canal, then after shaking it out, wipe the ear clean with cotton balls. You could apple a small amount of Neosporin and Hydrocortisone cream mixed 50/50 to the inside of the flap of the ear to help reduce redness and inflammation. That said, the best recommendation is a complete exam of the ear and treatment at your local veterinary clinic. Ear problems can become chronic and require aggressive therapy if they get severe. Hope this helps, Steve Popish, DVM.

This year does look pretty ouchy. You can try cleaning it was something like epiotic advanced ear cleaner but with how swollen it is it may not be very successful. Your best option is to take Cedric to the veterinarian as soon as they're open and can see you to get this addressed. Fortunately most of these respond quite quickly to therapy. Do not give him any human pain medication as it could be very toxic to dogs.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks like someone recently touched the area and now more blood is flowing there. The skin overall looks quiet from the pictures. I would continue to monitor the area and if Honey is bothering it or it isn’t getting better, take her to a vet for a closer exam. Good luck and kisses to Honey!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This would actually warrant a visit to your veterinarian as this may be present due to an infection for example. I recommend you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Best of luck!