Puppy Education

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If you have a dog as a pet, perhaps you are familiar with the fact that dogs often suffer from ear infections. Since it may not be always possible for you to take him to the vet, knowing how to manage the situation on your own would help. If you are not sure about the most effective dog ear infection remedy, here is a list that can come handy. However, before using these remedies, you should a bit about the causes and symptoms of dogs’ ear infections.

Most of the times, an infection is caused by yeast, bacteria, and mites. These usually affect the external or middle ear, leading to otitis externa or otitis media. However, if you are not sure exactly what is wrong with your dog’s ear, it’s advisable to consult a professional vet before using any of the remedies.

Symptoms of Dog Ear Infection

In order to understand whether it’s truly an ear infection that’s bothering your dog, you need to know the most common symptoms of the disease. These include:

• Redness and itching in the ear
• Constant scratching of the ear, along with the irritation in the internal ear
• Inflammation and painful swelling
• Rubbing the ear against a carpet or the ground

Your dog is likely not to want to allow you or anyone to touch the affected area. At times, the infected area might emit a yellow substance or a bad smell.

Ear Infection Remedies for Dogs

Here are some effective ear infection remedies that you can use to cure your canine companion’s complaints:

• Use a cleaning solution – This is one of the easiest methods to follow when it comes to curing dog ear infection at home. Simply take a soft tissue or a cotton ball and dip it into an especially formulated dog ear cleaning solution. There are many effective OTC (over the counter) solutions available on the market, but you can make your own homemade cleaning solution as well.

• Clean your dog’s ear with vinegar – If you suspect that your dog is suffering from a yeast infection, you can consider using a mixture of water and vinegar. If you notice brown or red wax accumulated in his ear, these are indications that it’s likely due to yeast infection.

• Apply olive oil to cure the wound – If your dog is suffering from an open wound, you should not use vinegar since the acid can cause considerable pain to broken skin. As an alternative, you can use tea tree oil (diluted), olive oil, cod liver oil, mineral oil, or almond oil. Any of these oils will help loosen the wax and relieve the itching.

• Apply a warm compress – This is one of the most beneficial remedies since this helps ease the irritation and inflammation while reducing the pain. By applying a warm compress (essentially a small towel soaked in hot water and squeezed mostly dry), you can also help reduce the redness of the ear of your dog. Compresses should be applied frequently throughout the day.

• Try a specific yeast infection remedy – If you’re sure that your dog is been suffering from yeast infection, consider trying a specific remedy. Get a tub of natural and organic yogurt with probiotics. You want to be sure that the yogurt is plain, unflavored (no added sugar) and contains active strains of probiotic bacteria. Apply a little amount to the ear of your dog and rub it well.

Remember – it’s important to understand the problem well and then apply a suitable dog ear infection treatment to help your canine friend get relief from the pain and discomfort.