My dog has scabby, waxy, brown gunk in his ears. What's going on?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to an ear infection. I recommend that you have her 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 night!

Hello, thank you for your question about Max. Based on the symptoms you are describing it sounds like Max may just have some mild irritation in his ears. You can have his ears cleaned and continue monitoring him for any discharge/scratching/redness/head shaking. If any of these signs develop I would recommend having him evaluated by your veterinarian so that they can look for signs of an ear infection. Hope this helps, good luck!

With that amount of dirt and wax from his ears, it is possible it is ear mites, a bacterial or yeast infection, or just dirt. If there is an odor, any redness or he is shaking or scratching his head, then I would get his ears checked to make sure. The scab may be a pustules from a bite. If it is the only one, then you can apply some cortisone cream and alternate it with Neosporin. If it does not improve over the next 2 days, then it will need to be checked by your regular vet.

It sounds like Max has an ear infection. He will need to see a vet in order for it to be treated, as it can't be treated at home. Ear infections in dogs can be caused by ear mites, yeast, or bacteria, and in order for it to be treated correctly, the underlying cause has to be diagnosed. The vet can diagnose what is causing the ear infection, and can prescribe a treatment for it. It's very important to have any ear infections examined and treated promptly, as leaving them untreated can lead to hearing loss. I would take Max into the vet today for an exam.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Boo! The most common reason for extra moisture and wax build up in the ear is an ear infection. Ear infections are caused by bacteria and/or yeast build up which can be from allergies or just extra moisture. Ideally Boo should see your Vet to have the cause identified and appropriate drops prescribed to get rid of the infection. Ear infections are treated topically in dogs and cats. You can try this ear cleaner. I would clean out the ear every other day for 2 weeks. If there is no improvement or he worsens he should see your Vet. I also attached a video on how to clean the ears. I hope this helps and I wish Boo the very best! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24165 https://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?dept_id=&aid=165

By your description, your dog may have an [ear infection](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/ear-infections/). This would require an exam with your veterinarian for diagnosis. A swab of the ear(s) can be examined in the clinic to diagnose a bacterial or fungal (yeast) infection. Once the diagnosis is made, the appropriate medication can be dispensed to help clear it up. To help maintain clean ears after this episode, [clean the ears](https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-steps-to-clean-your-dog-s-ears-properly/) regularly with a veterinary approved ear cleaner such as [Epi-Otic](https://us.virbac.com/epi-otic-advanced-ear-cleanser). You can find it or [other approved cleaners](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-ear-and-eye-care) online or in the local Petco. Your veterinarian may even dispense it along with medication. Use cotton balls or gauze pads to clean what you can see. Never insert anything down into the ear canal. This may cause injury which could complicate any existing condition.

I recommend purchasing a dog ear cleaner at your pet store and cleaning the discharge from his ears. Put some cleaner on a cotton ball and massage the fluid into the ear canal. Rub it around to loosen the debris and then wipe it out. Take a dry cotton ball to remove any cleaner left in the ear. I clean ears daily to start, then as the discharge decreases then clean only when needed. If Maxo has ear mites or a severe yeast or bacterial ear infection this will help but specific prescription medication will be more effective. When you can take him in to your veterinarian for an ear exam. They will look at the ear discharge under the microscope to determine the cause of the problem. Then they can give him the right medication. Ear medication often contains a drug to stop the itching as well as something to cure the cause of the infection and that would be more effective than just cleaning his ears. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Maxo.