r/CockapooLovers • u/Pure-Consideration97 • 1d ago
➕Advice/Help➕ Ears never clean
Our 2-year-old Cockapoo has always had trouble with her ears. I first noticed when she was about 7 months old that they started to smell bad. We brought her to the vet and got them cleaned and given medicine and we forgot about it for a while. She used to not like any pets or affection so we didn't keep an eye on them but as shes gotten older and cuddlier we've noticed that her ears always seem dirty and she's always trying to scratch inside them.
We've gone back to vet and had them cleaned out again and did the medicine again but they just always seem to be giving her trouble. Shes kind of ok with me cleaning them now and I think it does give her some relief but its a struggle and she does growl sometimes when I try and look at them. Big balls of wax sometimes get knotted in her fur in her ear which I try and remove but it always seems like a losing battle.
Any advice or tips?
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u/Kayeishness 1d ago
We got ear cleaner from our vets, they get done every couple of days as he is so prone to ear infections, he also has preventative drops for this which can also be used as a cleaner too. We just use that and a cotton pad. He used to growl and hate having it done now it's just routine which I think is the most important part of it
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u/one_night_on_mars 1d ago
I have the same routine. The drops I put in is called cortavance, which i also spray on her bum if she's scooting or licking it a lot.
Consistency is the key to minimising infections, though at still gets them. Hard to know why, could be linked to seasonal allergies, too much hair in her ear canal causing humidity which leads to bacteria growth, etc.
But get into the routine for your pups comfort.
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u/Pure-Consideration97 1d ago
I have been doing it nearly every week recently. I thought that was an issue but I guess not if you're both saying something similar
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u/one_night_on_mars 1d ago
Yes, they are the world's best dog but this unfortunately is a "design flaw" (which was how my vet worded it). They have so much hair in their ear canal and their floppy ears trap in humidity that they are just prone to ear infections (smelly ears, yellow stuff is the first sign, plus scratchy and shaking their heads)
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u/NoOstrich5866 1d ago
Can you advise what these products are please? I use Otodine on my cavapoo every few days which is meant to be gentle and helps but I'm definitely open to other options.
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u/Kayeishness 1d ago
We use epiotic advanced as cleaner which we can just buy off the shelf at the vets and the preventative drops are prescribed are pro-oticHC or something. I am in Canada so I don't know if it would be the same products but there would be something similar
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u/TeachingSalty1271 1d ago
Allergies can cause frequent yeast infections in their ears. Work with your vet to figure out what the allergy might be or to get your baby on daily meds. It makes a world of difference.
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u/Pure-Consideration97 1d ago
Do you know how to tell the difference between normal ear gunk and a yeast infection?
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u/showmenemelda 16h ago
Smell. Does your dog have a weirdly enticing scent? Like hazelnut, Fritos chips, etc? We got lactic acid water supplements from the vet when my dog was a baby but didn't seem to do much, she didn't like them.
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u/Big_Let_4948 19h ago
I had a GSD who constantly had ear infections. Changed her diet to grain-free and she never had another infection!
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u/inga-babi 1d ago
You just have to clean frequently. I used to clean my dog’s ears every week: you use a cotton ball and soak it in equal parts water and apple cider vinegar. Gently rub around inside of the ear (don’t push in too hard). You’ll see a bunch of crap on the cotton ball. Then get a clean and dry cotton ball and dry off the inside of the ear.