Trim Unwanted Hair Outside The Ear Area
Trimming unwanted and excess hair around the ear area willmake it easier to both inspect and clean your Retrievers ears. This should bedone very carefully, however especially around skittish or shy dogs.
As with the inspection process, it may be a good idea to have a second set of hands to help you with this. Dogs do not like anything to be around there ears, and if they hear the sound of scissors cutting what they cant see, they may start to panic.
That should not deter you, however, as this is something that needs to be done. Doing this from an early age, and on a regular basis will also help your adult dog to realize that it is just another part of life, and not to be scared by it every time.
Using a high-quality pair of hair cutting scissors, carefully go around your Golden Retrievers ears and trim what you deem to be unwanted and unnecessary hair. Pay special and close attention that you dont cut too close to and nic the skin on the ear. Once done with the trimming, you can collect the excess fur by wiping the ear down with a wet, soft cloth.
Ear Infections In Dogs
Many dog owners have witnessed their pet excessively scratching their ears or rubbing their head on a hard surface. Some owners may even notice redness, swelling, or odor in their dogs ear canal. Although we may do everything we can to keep our dogs clean, these common signs could be a result of a canine ear infection.
According to Dr. Alison Diesel, clinical assistant professor at the Texas A& M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, canine ear infections are common and can be caused by multiple factors. There are several contributing factors associated with the development of ear infections in dogs, she said. Some factors, such as excess hair in the ear canals, excess wax production, and increased moisture, can contribute to the development of ear infections however, they do not solely cause the infection. There is generally an underlying cause, such as parasites, allergies, or foreign bodies. Other causes include hormone imbalances, benign or cancerous growths in the ear canal, or physical trauma.
You may bathe Fido regularly, but this does not protect him from developing an ear infection. To effectively prevent canine ear irritation, be sure to check your dogs ears weekly for debris and wax build up. If your dog swims a lot or has a history of ear infections, you should talk with your dogs veterinarian about using an ear cleaner periodically as maintenance.
Homeopathy For Chronic Ear Infections
If your dog has chronic, recurring ear issues, its best to get help from a professional homeopath. Theyll do a complete analysis of your dog, then prescribe the appropriate remedy for all her symptoms. This approach will help get to the underlying cause of your dogs ear problems.
You can find a homeopathic vet at theavh.org. Most will do phone consults so they dont have to be local.
Now that you know how to handle an acute ear infection in your dog, its a good idea to keep reading, so you can prevent your dog from getting ear infections in future.
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Diagnostic Tests For Dog Ear Infections
As you can see there are a lot of different reasons your pet may have irritation or excess wax or debris coming from their ear. Your veterinarian should be looking into the ear itself with an otoscope to make sure the eardrum is intact and that there are no grass seeds present in the ear canal leading to the inflammation.
Its important that your veterinarian does an ear swab that will help diagnose whether the infection is bacterial, fungal, or infectious, like ear mites. Your vet will take a cotton swab and collect some of the debris, put it on a microscope slide, stain it and look under the microscope.
If your dog has recurring ear infections, your veterinarian may recommend sending a sample of the ear debris to the laboratory for a culture to rule out a resistant bacterial infection like Pseudomonas, which can be resistant to many types of antibiotics.
Efficacy Of Natural Ear Infection Remedies In Dogs
Unfortunately, natural solutions to infection and infestations are not always regarded as being very effective. While a remedy such as an apple cider vinegar mix may be able to resolve a milder case of mites, it would be hard-pressed to deal with a full-blown infestation. Modern pharmaceuticals are much more effective and will bring much faster relief. The itching caused by mites can be done away with quite fast if a spot-on is used to kill the creatures. Similarly, bacterial and fungal infections will require especially prompt treatment in order to prevent serious damage to your pet’s hearing and to stop the infection spreading further into the body. Once an infection is cleared up, natural remedies are a good way to keep the ear clean and free of bacteria, yeast, and mites.
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How To Clean Golden Retriever Ears At Home
You have come here searching for a solution for your Golden dogs ears. You have come to the right place. On this website, I write about issues with dogs and in this article, I shall be giving complete information on cleanliness issues with retriever dog breeds. If you see anything unusual with the ears of your retriever then you shouldnt ignore it and in fact, should be investigating it further.
For cleaning the ears of retrievers, check their ears from outside and then immediate inside of the ear. This would give you any visible signs of infection in their ears. There are dog ear solutions available in the market which you can use for cleaning the ears. Usually, they have instructions printed on the pack but you can also use cotton damped with the solution to clean the ear. After the ear is wet, you can let the dog shake his body to get rid of excess solution from his ears.
Just think about it in the following way, if you ignore any visible signs of problem then you are inviting loss of hearing in the future. Thus give little attention daily to a dogs ears can save a lot of hassle down the road.
But I have to say that many Golden Retriever owners would skip ears when it comes to grooming their dogs. This article is my way of making the regular readers of this website aware of problems that can occur in their dogs ears.
Expert Tips To Prevent Ear Infections In Dogs
Once the main causes of ear infections in dogs are clear, we can talk about preventive measures. Below are the most popular recommendations among veterinarians:
1. Proper hygiene: clean your dog’s ears carefully and with suitable products.
Ear hygiene is vital to prevent ear infections in dogs. Frequency and technique are important. The best way to clean your dogs ears is to lift the ear, spray or flush the ear canal with an approved solution, and then massage the base for 20 to 30 seconds. After that, your dog will shake its head to remove the fluid and debris.
Although swabs can be used in the folds inside the ear, its best to avoid inserting them into the ear canal. As in humans, this can push wax inside, cause plugging, and have the opposite effect.
Its also important to use suitable solutions. Homemade ones, such as dilute hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol, are discouraged because of their abrasiveness and high-water content. Therefore, its best to consult with a vet for the most effective and safest option.
2. Keep your dog’s ears dry.
In addition to the special washing of the ears, keeping them dry is a priority. One option is to place cotton balls inside them to prevent moisture from getting inside during bathing.
3. Avoid removing hair from the ear canals unless necessary.
4. Use appropriate supplements for healthy skin and hair.
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When To Contact Your Vet
Contact your vet for an appointment ASAP if you suspect your dog has an ear infection – its a very painful problem that needs prompt treatment. If you notice any signs of a middle or inner ear infection , this is more serious and requires a same-day appointment. Be sure to tell your vet if your dog has regular ear infections or has had more than 2-3 in its lifetime.
Find out whether you are eligible for free or low cost PDSA veterinary treatment using our checker.
How To Inspect Your Retrievers Ears
Before the inspection process can begin, it is important to call your dog over and speak to them in a reassuring tone during the duration of the inspection. To make future inspections easier, it is also recommended to have a treat close by for after. The first step to inspecting your Golden Retrievers ears is to fold the ear flap inside out so that the pink side is almost on top of their head.
While you are doing this, it would be a good idea for you to stroke their head in a reassuring way, or have a second set of hands available to do so. While checking their ears, you will want to try and notice any dirt or black spot. While this is normal, it does mean that it might be a good idea to go ahead and clean their ears at this point.
While checking their ears, you will also want to check for any redness, swelling, or discoloration as this is not common, and should be addressed. While inspecting your Golden Retrievers ears, you will especially want to look out for excess hair, waxy buildup, fluid discharge, or red and irritated skin.
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Ear Infections Need The Vet
Home remedies for ear infections often just dont work. They can irritate and damage your pets ears, and sometimes even make an infection worse.
Please dont put this stuff in your pets ears
If youve search online, you may find home remedies for dog ear infections like vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or rubbing alcohol. These are all bad ideas, because they can irritate the inside of the ear and invite more infection.
- Vinegar Sure, the acid in vinegar might kill yeast, but vinegar is mostly water. And that water will leave your dogs ear canal moist, creating the perfect environment for an ear infection.
- Hydrogen peroxideHydrogen peroxide is also mostly water. Once the initial bubbling stops , whats left in the ear is water.
- Rubbing alcoholRubbing alcohol will cause nearly unbearable irritation in your dogs ears, which will be awful to watch and make it even harder for you or your vet to get anywhere near your pets ears for treatment.
Never put anything in your dogs ear without veterinary instruction. Your veterinary team can help you find the ideal treatment to treat the infection and give your dog much-needed relief.
Get to the bottom of all that ear scratching
What Happens If Ear Infections In Dogs Are Untreated
Otitis externa can progress to otitis media, and in some cases, that could develop into otitis interna. So its important to deal with ear infections promptly before they become more serious. In severe cases, your dog could develop facial paralysis, deafness, or symptoms of vestibular disease.
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Coconut Oil For Dog Ear Infection
If you have a dog, you definitely want to keep coconut oil on hand. Not only can this product help dog ear infections, but it has plenty of other health benefits as well.
To use coconut oil to help treat or prevent your dogs ear infection, put a small amount of coconut oil at the entrance to their ear canal.
Next, massage the coconut oil down into their ear.
Not only can this help promote healthy skin in your dogs ear, but the coconut oil can smother and kill any ear mites that have found their way inside.
Plus, the coconut oil can act as a moisturizer and soothe the skin.
How To Know The Ear Infection Of Your Golden Retriever
The healthy ear of a Golden Retriever is pink, clean, and smell-free. And, every dog shows a slit different signs and symptoms of ear infections according to their nature. Yet, the most common initial symptoms of ear infections are:
- Redness and inflammation of the ear
- Inflammation of areas around the ear
- Discharge of fluid which may be dark brown to yellow-green.
- Persistent of an awful smell in the ear even after the bath.
- Frequent signs of irritations like the scratching of the ear and shaking of the head
- Whimpering and sounds of fear or pain due to discomfort.
If you also see such signs in your Golden Retriever. You must immediately seek medical help. And if you do not treat these signs in the initial phase. They will get worse. Eventually, leading to:
- Unsteady movement of your pet due to the loss of balance.
- Odd and unusual eye movements
- Tilting of their head
- Loss in hearing ability
Therefore, if your Golden Starts shows these symptoms, you must contact the Veterinarian as soon as possible to avoid further damage. Furthermore, sometimes your pet may not show any sign in the initial stage of infection. Thus, you should consult with the Veterinarian if you have any doubt.
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Learn About Potential Causes Of Infection
Ear infections are typically caused by a mixture of yeast and bacteria. These nasty pathogens love spaces that are warm, dark, and moist, making wet dog ears the perfect refuge. One common infection that arises from bacteria entering the ear canal is swimmers ear.
Ear infections can also arise when little critters, such as fleas and ear mites, inhabit your dogs ears. Your pups ear infections could also be caused by allergies or thyroid problems. Below Ill go over these issues in detail.
How Are Dog Ear Infections Treated
Your veterinarian will thoroughly clean your dogs ears using a medicated ear cleanser. Your vet may also prescribe an ear cleanser and a topical medication for you to use at home. In severe cases, your vet may prescribe oral antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications.
Most uncomplicated ear infections resolve within 12 weeks, once appropriate treatment begins. But severe infections or those due to underlying conditions may take months to resolve, or may become chronic problems. In cases of severe chronic disease where other treatments have failed, your veterinarian may recommend surgery such as a Total Ear Canal Ablation . A TECA surgery removes the ear canal, thus removing the diseased tissue and preventing the recurrence of infection.
It is important to follow your veterinarians instructions closely and return to the veterinary hospital for any recommended recheck appointments. Lapses in your dogs treatment may lead to the recurrence of the infection. It is especially important that you finish the full course of your dogs medication, even if your dog appears to be getting better. Failure to finish the full course of treatment may lead to additional problems such as resistant infections.
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How To Handle Your Golden Retriever Puppy
While it is a good idea to start good habits with your dogat a young age, cleaning a full-grown dogs ears can be a challenge let alonecleaning the ears of a puppy. Although puppies are easier to hold with one handwhile you work on their ear with the other.
When you are cleaning your puppys ear, I have found that the best way to handle them is to make them feel safe by sitting in your lap, with one arm supporting a paw while the other reaches around behind their head to the ear.
This will make them feel safe, but having an arm behind there heads will also show them that this is the time to be submissive and that you know what is best. As with all aspects of having a puppy, it is very important to have patience while cleaning their ears.
If you cant do it all in one sitting, that is perfectlyfine. This can be a stressful situation for you both, and it is best to comeback later rather than get frustrated and have that keep both of you fromhaving any desire to perform the cleaning process in the future.
Golden Retriever Ear Infection Symptoms
Here are some common symptoms your Golden Retriever might display if they have an ear infection:
- Redness
- Injury to the ear canal
- Excessive cleaning
The first part of all dogs ear canals are vertical, and the second part is horizontal.
Its similar to an L shape, which makes it easy for moisture and debris to get trapped in their ears.
But Goldens are particularly susceptible because:
- They love swimming
- Allergies are a common health problem for many Goldens
- And their ears are floppy and hairy, which traps even more moisture and debris in there
Now that you know what causes ear infections in Goldens, heres how you can prevent them
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Symptoms That Show That Golden Retriever Is Ready For Ear Cleaning
There are plenty of signs that will be an indicator to you that your Retriever is ready for his or her ears to be cleaned. Excessive scratching is always the top indicator, but there are others as well for instance, if they are shaking their head more than normal this can also be another tell-tale sign that they are due for a cleaning.
Another sign is that they keep rubbing their heads across the lawn or ground basically, any attempt to scratch their ears excessively can be a sign that it is time to clean their ears.
Another way for them to show that they are ready to havetheir ears cleaned that is a little less telling is if they are constantlywanting you to scratch their head or rub their ears. While this is common inmost dogs, if yours is acting a little extra needy in this department it coulddefinitely be a sign that its time.