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My puppy has smelly, itchy ears. Is it an ear infection? Home help?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Male | unneutered | 7 months and 24 days old | 10 lbs

I have a maltese/shih tzu puppy around 7 months old and i’m concerned that he might have an ear infection. he has an odor coming from his ears and has been rubbing his head on furniture in attempts to itch i’m assuming. i don’t have the funds to take him to the vet, but is there anything i can do at home to relieve him?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. Davis

Answered By Dr. Davis

Veterinarian

Published on October 25th, 2017

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.
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Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 21st, 2018

    Poor Mace! Unfortunately there are no OTC ear medications for puppies, the only medications that are safe for puppies are available at the vet. You will need to make an appointment for him with the vet again to have his ears checked out and treated. Best of luck.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 31st, 2017

    Poor guy. It is very likely he has an ear infection, which unfortunately won't go away with coconut oil or any over the counter products for that matter. He will need to see a vet for prescription ear medication to treat this because ear infections are usually either bacterial and/or fungal and need prescription medicine to clear the infection completely. There are some ear medications available through some online stores as well if you can find one. However, the quickest way to treat is through your vet. Here is a website link that may help you afford a vet visit for Jimbo. http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html
    You can also consider visiting your local low cost clinic or shelter that may have a vet on staff to help provdie affordable veterinary care for your pet Jimbo. In the meantime you can purchase an over the counter dewaxing cleaner from your local pet store to help flush the ears and provide some relief while you research your options for Jimbo's care moving forward. Best wishes with your pet Jimbo and I hope he gets some relief from his suspected ear infection soon. Take care.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Jenny, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on September 24th, 2017

    There is not an over the counter medication you put but you can try to call your vet to see if they are able refill any medicines if he was seen recently until you can get him. If not they do make ear cleaners you can get from the vet or a pet store without a prescription. These can help rinse the ear and keep the wax and debris from sticking and dilute out the bacteria and yeast until you can get him seen

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My floppy-eared puppy has itchy ears and brown residue. How to clean?
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What causes my dog's smelly, itchy ears with dark, crumbly gunk?
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My dog's ears are red, smelly, itchy. Should I worry? How to clean?
If you are noticing a lot of redness in the ears, the most common reason for scratching at them are infections, allergies to food/environment, or parasites like fleas or mites. To determine this, a veterinarian can obtain an ear swab to look for the presence of bacteria, yeast, inflammatory cells, or a mixture of everything. Usually an ear flush that is treated with something antimicrobial and anti inflammatory will help quite a bit. Some of these are over the counter while others are prescription only. You will also have to fit Mushy with an e-collar to prevent further itching during the healing process. He won't like it but it is for his own good! In terms of cleaning the ears, periodically you can use some q tips and an ear flush to wipe out the ears. You don't have to worry about puncturing the dogs ear drums since their ear canal is curved. You would have to be bending the q-tip to cause damage. There are several videos on Youtube on how to clean ears if you need to see someone do it first. Let me know if there is anything else that I can assist with.
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