Ears smelling bad?

[fishnhuntnboy]

My labs ear(s) are smelling. I have cleaned them out and gotten a lot of black stuff out. It smells bad and even after I clean them they still smell and she keeps scratching her ear. Would this be an ear infection? Or is it just smelling from the black junk from her ear?

Thanks

[MuleShack]

You can mix vinegar with water in even amounts and flush the ear three times a day. Sometimes there is a bad infection with a bacteria called Pseudomonas that causes this black discharge. In that case, the longer the infection is in the ear the worse it gets. It is very difficult for you to treat that at home.

The vet sells a solution in a bottle that you can squirt in too that will clean the ears as well. it comes out as a foam i believe.

[fivebucks]

The black is from an infection. My lab will get it after being in the lake or ponds. I use the ear wash from the vet. You definately want to take care of it.

[DaSwede]

My labs ear(s) are smelling. I have cleaned them out and gotten a lot of black stuff out. It smells bad and even after I clean them they still smell and she keeps scratching her ear. Would this be an ear infection? Or is it just smelling from the black junk from her ear?

Thanks

I would take her in soon. If there is a lot of black stuff, it's probably beyond treating it at home. Left untreated, it could rupture her ear drum or worse.

[fishnhuntnboy]

Thanks for the info guys. I'll be taking her in today hopefully to get it taken care of. I'm glad that I know now what it is and to take care of it!

Thanks again!

[B-man715]

Some over-the-counter "lady stuff" from the drug store works well for dog ear yeast infections.

[UMC]

"The purple stuff"

16 oz isopropyl alcohol

4 TBSP boric acid powder

16 drops 1% Gentian Violet solution

Combine ingredients in alcohol bottle and treat ear 2x per day for 2 weeks. Rub the base of the ear when you apply the solution. Swab excess liquid out with cotton ball or toilet paper over the tip of your finger. Many guys swear by this and my lab just had an infection and this cleared it up in under a week.

[Powerstroke]

The main thing is know what kind of infection you have. My springer used to get frequent ear infections and I was able to clear them up with a typical ear cleaning solution. One time it got to the point of the brown and black buildup in the ears. Mine had two different kind of infections and required an antibacterial cleaner that had a steroid in it.

See the vet. They can culture it and recommend a cleaner.

[fishnhuntnboy]

Well just got back from the vet and she has a bad ear infection in the left ear and a slight case in the right. The vet put her on 750mg of cephalexin and a antibacterial ear cream that has a steroid in it. She's gonna be on the meds for 2 weeks. Glad I got it all figured out and can take care of it now.

[Powerstroke]

Glad to hear you got it figured out and pointed in the right direction. Now that I know how easy these dogs get infections, I try to clean their ears any time they go in the water. Its just easy maintenance to prevent a vet visit.

[mainbutter]

I see you already have your answer, but I just wanted to chime in that our dog has the same thing! We noticed black stuff in the ear, must itch like crazy cuz the dog loves having that ear cleaned. Our vet diagnosed it as an ear infection and gave us meds.

It seems to be a common occurrence for dogs, but I'd never heard of it before now.

[fishnhuntnboy]

The vet was telling me that dogs with flappy ears are prone to ear infections especially after they go swimming or get a bath because there ears can't dry out and stay moist so the bacteria will just grow until you clean the ears out with a ear wash that has a drying agent in it. It makes since so now I'm gonna be making sure I clean her ears after she goes for a swim anywhere

[gatorhunter]

We should just call it lab ear. Extremely common due to the conditions described. When you apply the ointment or wash you have to massage the ear canal. As a preventative measure I regularly massage my labs ear canals. That loosens the c r u d and it comes out when he shakes his head. He's only had 1 infection in 5 years.