Chronic ear infections..trying a new medication this time

Julzz9170

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So my Fatso has had multiple ear infection this year and after the 3rd round of antibiotics and steroids..which I don't like to use..my vet suggested something new since Fatso will not let us use the otic ear drops or any topical medication..he will run and hide and get confrontational if he even thinks we are trying to give him something.we started the odie pack last week..my vet has never used it before..it is a medicated wax that is put into his ear canal and melts for 2 weeks..it is messy so far and his ears are a waxy mess but I'm wondering if anyone else has used it and has had any luck with it? We have to go back next week to get a second dose.
 

Vikinggirl

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No sorry I don't have any experience with ear infections or this medication, but I hope this new medication works for Fatso, and he gets relief from his recurrent ear infections. Sending love, hugs and prayers that he feels better soon.
 

2BullyMama

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Wow... never heard of it and will be interested in knowing the results. BEST of luck and please keep us posted
 

nycbullymama

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I've never heard of it either. Let us know how it works.

Good luck.
 

bullmama

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Nor have I, please let us know how it goes!

Are you able to clean his ears out regularly or is he only this way when he has an infection?

Sent from my iPhone
 
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Julzz9170

Julzz9170

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The 3 things he will not let me do are touch his ears, apply advantix, and touch his nails..I hate to think if he ever needs eye drops..he does however love me to clean his face and tail pocket with wipes..I take him to the groomers regularly..where they tell me he lies down and cries the entire time and let's them do anything they want..sometimes I will clean his ears a little when he is in bed and totally relaxed but that doesn't last long..I really hope this odie pack works because I won't put him on prednisone again..I am making an appt to get allergy tests done because along with the ear infections he sometimes chews and licks his feet so bad that they are bright red and swollen..it's crazy that this is happening with him now bc he has always been the healthy one..never had any issues until this past year and he just turned 5
 
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Julzz9170

Julzz9170

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So we are almost done with the Otie pack and while it did look much better for a bit, tonight his ears are red and warm which means it's not gone completely..time to make an appointment for an allergy test..what exactly happens when your dog has enviromental allergies? Is there medication for this? I'm afraid I mAy be changing vets now because my current vet seems unable to treat him correctly..I said from the beginning it looks like a yeast infection but he kept saying ear infection and giving antibiotic, prednisone and drops which I can't apply..this new treatment was only offered bc I said I won't give him steroids again..I am worried about scar tissue building up in his ears and him losing his hearing..this is so stressful!!

- - - Updated - - -

So we are almost done with the Otie pack and while it did look much better for a bit, tonight his ears are red and warm which means it's not gone completely..time to make an appointment for an allergy test..what exactly happens when your dog has enviromental allergies? Is there medication for this? I'm afraid I mAy be changing vets now because my current vet seems unable to treat him correctly..I said from the beginning it looks like a yeast infection but he kept saying ear infection and giving antibiotic, prednisone and drops which I can't apply..this new treatment was only offered bc I said I won't give him steroids again..I am worried about scar tissue building up in his ears and him losing his hearing..this is so stressful!!
 

2BullyMama

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So we are almost done with the Otie pack and while it did look much better for a bit, tonight his ears are red and warm which means it's not gone completely..time to make an appointment for an allergy test..what exactly happens when your dog has enviromental allergies? Is there medication for this? I'm afraid I mAy be changing vets now because my current vet seems unable to treat him correctly..I said from the beginning it looks like a yeast infection but he kept saying ear infection and giving antibiotic, prednisone and drops which I can't apply..this new treatment was only offered bc I said I won't give him steroids again..I am worried about scar tissue building up in his ears and him losing his hearing..this is so stressful!!!

If it appears to be yeast or environmental... this is what my girl suffers with. Environmental, all I do is wipe her down after each outside trip (paws, face and belly) and she gets 50mg Benedryl twice a day. When her allergies really kick in her ears are a MESS, and the best you can do is keep them clean... I squirt witch hazel in and let her shake then wipe. I know ear drops or an issue for you, but do you have someone to hold him or can you distract him with treats or a high value food ( ground beef, cheese,) what worked with Banks is dried beef liver treats... now I can do anything without a treat . She still HATES me doing her ears, but I can get it done.

Also, they other thing to avoid is white potato, the starch from them adds to the yeast issue. read the label of whatever you are feeding and make sure there is none or they are way down on the ingredient list
 
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Julzz9170

Julzz9170

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[MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION] did your vet advise you to give benedryl or do you just do that on your own? When this first started I did research and to me it seemed like a yeast infection but my vet always says allergy..possibly environmental because when it first started his paws were irritated as well and he was obsessively licking and chewing them..we discussed allergy testing if the Otie pack didn't work..his ears look less red today and he was outside while my husband was mowing the backyard yesterday so maybe it could have been from that..do you use liquid or pill benedryl and how much how often? Fatso weighs 65 lbs..and I know it sounds crazy but even with 2 of us the drops are out of the question..he will bite..if we can even hold him..he is very smart and knows when we are trying to do something to him and will go into his crate..I will sometimes walk around all day with them in my pocket waiting for a chance to get him with his guard down
 

2BullyMama

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@2BullyMama did your vet advise you to give benedryl or do you just do that on your own? When this first started I did research and to me it seemed like a yeast infection but my vet always says allergy..possibly environmental because when it first started his paws were irritated as well and he was obsessively licking and chewing them..we discussed allergy testing if the Otie pack didn't work..his ears look less red today and he was outside while my husband was mowing the backyard yesterday so maybe it could have been from that..do you use liquid or pill benedryl and how much how often? Fatso weighs 65 lbs..and I know it sounds crazy but even with 2 of us the drops are out of the question..he will bite..if we can even hold him..he is very smart and knows when we are trying to do something to him and will go into his crate..I will sometimes walk around all day with them in my pocket waiting for a chance to get him with his guard down

Our vet told us to give it to her...... she is allergice to everything green (grass, trees, mold, weeds) Banks weights 60 lbs and we give her two pills with each meal in the AM and two in the PM. If I do not wipe her and give her the Benedryl, she would chew/lick her paws for hours. Banks was difficult too for us, even with two of us and we had to bribe her with treats.... literally, a handful and while she was focused eating the treats out of his hand, I was doing the drops or cleaning. It was a wrestling match .... now she also knows it is coming and will attempt to go to the crate or tries to hide behind the couch. We block the crate and the living room and then give treats to settle her in -- it is all a game to them and you have to find ways to out smart them, even if it requires some over feeding of treats.
 

nycbullymama

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@Julzz9170
About allergy testing.. oh man- where do I start.
The first one we did (blood serum) was sent to a lab called HESKA. Came back that he was only allergic to Corn Pollen and Grain Wheat. This was in March. Then in April, we saw a vet dermatologist. She said she uses a different lab and didn't trust HESKA's results. So we did another (blood serum) test. Well this one came back that he's allergic to "Grass, trees, pollen, dust mites and a bunch of other things. The worst being trees and grass.

We had an appointment yesterday to go over the results, and I wanted to ask how the tests- that were taken only month apart, under the same circumstances, could be so different? But they cancelled yesterdays appointment because the serum for his allergies isn't ready. Going to take about two weeks.

So this leads to the next step. After they figure out what your boy's allergic to, they create a serum. You give it them daily either through shots, or orally. We chose oral. She said it takes 4-7 months to see results and works in about 70% of her patients.
So it's not a guarantee, but we're willing to try it.

If you decide to go through allergy testing, do it right the first time and go see a dermatologist. They have a lot more experience than the average vet with this. Also, be prepared to spend a ton of $.

Good luck, I know it's difficult to watch them go through this.
 

Peter Lynn Westre

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Are you feeding him grain free foods?

Corn and wheat are real triggers for ear allergies.

I empathize with your struggles. I had a yellow lab who never was able to completely clear from yeast infections.
 
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Julzz9170

Julzz9170

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[MENTION=7457]Blueberrys Mom[/MENTION] thanks for the info..I did plan on taking him to the dermatologist for the test..can I ask what symptoms blueberry has? And do your test results mean then that he has food and environmental allergies? And have you used benedryl as well?
 
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Julzz9170

Julzz9170

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I have recently switched to a grain free diet and am giving only fruit and veggies as treats..much to the disdain of my other boy who really is not a fan of the new treats..It's been about 2 months since I've switched..
 

nycbullymama

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[MENTION=11611]Julzz9170[/MENTION] His symptoms are itchy skin, cysts on his paws, excessive licking (paws), yeast, and sometimes hives. The scratching got so bad his belly and face were bloody.

We normally clean his ears weekly with Malacetic Otic, but since it's allergy season and I see him pawing at them, I've been cleaning them every 3-4 days with Malacetic Otic Ultra (the ultra has a hydrocortisone in it and helps the itch). I know you said he won't let you touch his ears, maybe muzzle him for a minute while you do it? They have soft breathable mesh muzzles these days. Speak with your vet about it.

We did try Benadryl but it never worked for us. What did work, but only on his hives was Claritin, 10mg per day and it must be unflavored. There's also Zyrtec and I think someone here gives Allegra. One of these may work for you.

The first test he had done also tested for food allergies. But they added food only because I requested it. Turns out, these tests can't really determine what food they're really allergic to. Only an elimination diet can do that. So the second time he was tested, food wasn't included.

Is he allergic to food? Maybe. But he's been on grain free since he was six months old and he's now 17 months. We've tried various proteins and still have an issue. So in our case, i think it's more environmental.
 

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