If your dog begins shaking his head and scratching at his ears he may have an ear infection. Ear infections caused by yeast are easy and inexpensive to treat. Yeast infections are usually resolved with one round of treatment. However, if your dog is prone to yeast infections, prevention rather than treatment will keep his ears healthy. Keep the ears clean and dry. If you have a dog that enjoys swimming you may have to dry his ears to remove excess moisture after every swim. Make it a habit to clean your dog's ears every time you groom him. Ask your vet to demonstrate proper ear cleaning technique.
Things You'll Need
- Veterinarian
- Topical antibiotic with additive that kills yeast
- Ear cleaner or white vinegar diluted with water
- Cotton pads
Instructions
Treating Yeast Infection in Your Dog's Ears
Examine your dog's ears. Redness, swelling, foul odor and oily discharge are all signs of a yeast infection.
Take your dog to your veterinarian. He will examine your dog's ears and do a yeast culture and ear smear. Your vet is looking for yeast, bacteria and ear mites.
Your vet will prescribe a topical ointment containing antibiotics, an anti-inflammatory and yeast-killing ingredients. You will need to apply to your dog's ears daily for several weeks.
Cleaning your dog's ears will help to prevent yeast infections. Use a cleaner formulated for dogs that contains acetic or boric acid. The acid in the cleaner will maintain a pH in your dog's ears that is inhospitable to yeast. You can also use white vinegar diluted with water (1 part vinegar to 20 parts water) as an ear cleaner. Place several drops of ear cleaner in the ear. Rub the outside of the ear to work the cleaner around the ear canal and loosen wax. Use cotton pads to remove the excess liquid.