How to Cure Canine Infections

Dogs can get many different types of infections that affect their eyes, ears, mouth, skin and teeth. If your dog has an ear infection, it is probably caused by bacteria or yeast. Skin infections can be caused by a few things including fungus, bacteria and yeast. Treatment options depend on the infection and what is causing it. Curing the infection and restoring your canine to full health begins with a trip to the veterinarian.

Things You'll Need

  • Antibiotics
  • Ear wash
  • Eye irrigating solution
  • Cotton balls
  • Medicated shampoo

Instructions

    • 1

      Determine the type of infection your dog has. Your veterinarian can perform tests to identify what's causing the infection. After the vet diagnoses the problem, he can prescribe medication that will best treat your dog's infection.

    • 2

      Clean the area of your dog's body that's infected. Most infections produce some kind of discharge that needs to be removed before you can put medication on the infected area. For example, infected ears will likely produce an excess amount of wax. Flush out your dog's ears by pouring a cleanser into the canal, massaging the base of the ear and wiping out the debris with cotton balls. Squirt a sterile eye irrigating solution into your dog's eyes if they are infected until the discharge is gone. If your dog has a skin infection, use a medicated shampoo prescribed by your veterinarian to cleanse the areas and remove any flakes, scales or discharge.

    • 3

      Apply medication to your dog. If your veterinarian prescribed ointment for an ear infection, squeeze the prescribed number of drops into the ear canal and massage the base to work the medication around. To apply eye ointments, open your dog's eye with one hand, while squeezing a line of medication across the other, being careful not to touch the applicator to the eye. If your dog is receiving oral medication, try to place the medication in the back of his throat by opening his mouth with one hand and pushing the medication back with the other. You can also try hiding the pills in cheese, peanut butter, bread or lunch meat.