Natural Remedies to Clear Dogs' Ear Infections

Causes

• Typically an infection occurs in dog ears because something gets inside. Dogs with long ears are more prone to the problem. It could be a bug, dirt or some other material. As the dog scratches and tries to remove the irritation, the animal either moves the irritation deeper into the ear or causes a wound that became inflamed. With the dog ear canal being L-shaped, removal becomes harder. With more scratching and irritation the infection gets worse. Eventually treatment is needed to reverse the damage.

Identify the Cause

• While the symptoms of a dog's ear infection can fall into predictable categories, dog owners should first make sure an ear infection is exactly what they are dealing with. The first step should always be to consult with a veterinarian. Guessing could lead to making the condition worse in the animal.

Herbal Remedies

• Herbs provide all sorts of beneficial treatments in humans and animals. Dogs are no exception. Many times the juices and substance of the herb can be an effective treatment. Calendula salve (ground up calendula flowers soaked in alcohol for five weeks) mixed with sea salt and distilled water can be used to wash an infected ear.

  Another beneficial herb is garlic. This plant works effectively as a bacteria killer. Typical treatments mix ground garlic with mullien oil (ground up mullien flowers suspended in olive oil) to create a salve. This mixture is then applied and massaged gently into the dog's ear canal as far as can be safely reached. The effect kills off any invading bacteria causing infection.

  Echinacea helps dogs boost their immune systems much the same way as vitamin C works for humans. Dogs are treated by mixing ground up echinacea with their food. Treatment should stop after six weeks since the benefits can fade if continued further.

Non-herbal Treatments

• Vinegar always provides health benefits when used to clean out bacteria or bugs. A vinegar wash, a one-to-one mix with water, can be used as a preventative measure to keep bugs out and ears clear of muck.

  A few drops of neem oil can also be used to prevent yeast and bacterial infections when applied after gently washing out the dog's ear. This can be done daily for best effect.

Keeping the Dog's Ears Dry

• One of the best breeding grounds for bacteria and fungus is moisture. A natural mixture that works well in preventing moisture from building up in the ear is a mixture of witch hazel, vinegar and rubbing alcohol. The rubbing alcohol provides the drying effect while the vinegar and witch hazel kills off anything they come into contact with. Treatment does need to be repeated multiple times. The mixture can be inserted into the ear with a basic tube or bottle applicator.