Ears ~ Routine Care, Medications and Drops...

I was wondering how other people keep their Cavaliers ears clean & infection free?

My vet seems to believe "ALL floppy ear dogs pretty much constantly have an infection in their ears even if they don't show signs."

All my Cavaliers have clean and light pink ears. There is no discharge, build up, red inflammation or odd smells.

My vet has charged me about $50 a visit every time I go in for more ear medication. Last visit she didn't even LOOK in their ears yet prescribed MORE ear medication.

She thinks I need to use a routine ear drop to keep the ears in good health. But she wants it done every other day for the life of the dog. That seems like WAY too often.

I THINK she might be confusing some of the CM/SM scratching for ear issues. (We have a referral to a neurologist but it is taking a long time to get in for some reason)

Last time we were their Blitz was itching in what I would consider an SM/CM fashion and she sent him home with another ear cream. I told her I didn't think it was necessary because of the possibility of SM but she guilted me into it. I'm have trouble justifying pouring medication into their ears every other day for life if I don't SEE signs of infection inside the ear.

Does anyone else do this at such intense intervals?

What ear drops do you use?

Wow, I can't believe your vet is charging you medication for ear problems your dog doesn't even have! Thats outrageous. Polly has never had any ear infections or problems. I wipe her ears with moist ear wipes about 1x a week and whenever she gets a bath I put some ear solution in her ears afterwards to dry out the ear canal of any water that may have gotton in. That's about it. I would never use medication, even if its just for the ears, if there is no need for it.

Wow I clean out Coco's ears just once a week. Her ear flaps are also light pink, odor and discharge free. If there was an infection, you would notice an odor, and when cleaning out the ears you would get a rusty reddish/brown colored residue on your cotton ball or wipe. What did the vet say exactly to guilt you into it? I wouldnt use anything medicated unless there was proof that it was needed! Just like with antibiotics, I don't even take them myself unless I really need them (some doctors will prescribe antibiotics for the flu, a virus, not bacterial infection!)

What about PSOM? I am not quite as familiar with this, but CM/SM symptoms and PSOM symptoms can sometimes look alike from the little I have read so far.

Every time I give my dogs a bath which is usually once every 3 or 4 weeks I put a Epi-Otic ear cleaner in their ears to clean them. You put it in and rub their ears then stand back because they shake and it goes everywhere. Make sure you are outside! It's good stuff, keeps them nice and clean. I check if their anal glands need doing when I bath them too. My vet says when they have had a swim this works like aqua ear that we use so WE don't get an ear infection.

I clean Oliver and Aled's ears with CleanAural about every 4-6 weeks, so a 250ml bottle lasts almost a year and is not expensive bought on-line. When Aled came into his rescue he apparently had terrible ear mites, but he now never has ear problems (nor does Oliver). I do trim Aled's very long and heavy ears a bit, but this is less to prevent ear problems, more because he doesn't like getting a mouthful of hair when he picks up his dumbell!

Prevention of ear problems is simple and much more effective than endless potions:

(1) Plenty of running around in fresh air, to prevent the warm, damp environment that ear mites love.
(2) Trim the inside of the ear flaps, especially around the ear opening, again so that air can circulate.
(3) For the same reason, if your Cavalier's ears are very long and heavy, trim them back a bit.
(4) Use an ear cleaner such as CleanAural regularly.

Kate, Oliver and Aled

Like Deb I (try) to use the epi-otic after bathing and swimming - my guys HATE it so I don't always do it. I also sometimes put a cotton ball in their ears when I bath them instead and try and make sure their ears get good and dry. Mindy had ONE ear infection in her 12 years and that was after a bath - which was when the vet turned me on to epi-otic.

Our Golden did have more or less constant ear infections despite anything we did.

I am a really big believer in not fixing things that aren't broken and I also subscribe to the old adage "never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear" for both animals and people (unless of course it's necessary). I do a visual and smell check of their ears when I brush them but that is as far as the cleaning goes here.

Hi

Like most I clean once a week with a PAH ear wipe then clean again once a month with CleanAural and all are fine .

Mine get theirs cleaned at the groomers one a month and they are pink and odor free and none of them has ever had an infection or ever had any kind of ear problems. Other than that, I ignnore them. If they get a bath at home, I clean them and dry them as best I can.

Sydney gets a lot of ear infections. If his ears are inflamed, I use the prescription as directed by the vet. Once the infection clears up, I still use the prescribed medication every 7-10 days as a preventative.

Well, having one dog that has chronic ear infections (my Cocker), I can attest that you would certainly know if you had ear infections. The smell and brown gunk would be evident.

I don't use anything from the Vet anymore, as nothing they rx'd worked. I now use a product called Zymox Otic with Hydrocortisone (btw, my Vet now carries it after hearing me sing it's praises the last year and 1/2). And we're finally 'infection' free most of the time. I keep a couple bottles on hand should I need it

I order it from a website called Entirely Pets. They have great prices on it. But I wouldn't use something if you don't need it. JMO

I clean their ears about once a month with an over the counter solution and drying creme. I think you're wasting money on unnecessary meds.

Are there any other vet's near you besides the one who mishandled Flash?

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'm doing things right. We will be seeing the neurologist on the 29th for Blitz so I'm hoping the will point my vet in the right direction. I am using the Epi-Otic but I'm just going to stick with once a week and not every other day. I think that's just torture for dogs I don't believe need it. I had a Cocker/Cavalier mix growing up and you could always tell when she had an ear infection. That's why i was baffled she keeps telling me they have one when I don't see it. I try to brush ears every night and every time I brush ears I check the insides of the ears for anything weird.

I am thinking of looking for a new vet but 3 vet's down I'm losing hope around here. There is one more clinic that's not TOO far away. They just opened up. In all my years of owning animals I have never had any problems with a vet until getting a Cavalier. Really makes me wonder. If vet's are this under educated about Cavaliers... How many other breeds are suffering because vet's don't know their genetic issues.

Reptigirl said:

In all my years of owning animals I have never had any problems with a vet until getting a Cavalier. Really makes me wonder. If vet's are this under educated about Cavaliers... How many other breeds are suffering because vet's don't know their genetic issues?

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I hear you! This is so true. We have vets here who are clearly clueless about many breed-specific issues. You are not alone!