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 Ear infections and problems are some of the top
reported problems faced by many pet owners. Does your dog
or cat shake their head and scratch their ears or rub
their ears against the ground or furniture? Do you ever
notice a foul smelling, discharge in their ears, black,
yellowish or brown in color? Are their ears red and
tender? These are all signs of an ear infection or problem
in your pets.
A dog or car's ear canal is L-shaped which causes dirt,
moisture, parasites; mites, and wax to be trapped in the canal
which can lead to ear infections. Dog which have long, floppy
ears tend to be more prone to ear problems due to the lack of
air circulation available to the canal. With long haired,
floppy eared dogs, you can keep the hair trimmed on the inside
of the ear to increase air circulation.
The conventional treatment for most infections is antibiotic
and anti-fungal medications. The problem with these treatments
is that they treat only the symptoms, not the underlying cause.
To successfully conquer the problem, both must be treated.
Medications will mask the problem and may actually make it
worse in the long-run by creating a chemical imbalance in the
ear resulting in long-term problems.
Approximately 80% of ear infections are actually caused by
allergies, with the ear infections and problems actually being
one of the symptoms. You need to treat the allergy; the
underlying cause as well as the ear infection for a long-term
cure.
Treatment
One of the first things you need
to do is to clean your pet's ears. Use white vinegar (acetic
acid) diluted by half with water and squirt this into the
affected ear with a small squirt bottle or syringe. Rub the
base of the ear to move it into the canal and clean the outer
ear with cotton balls or a soft cloth. The vinegar will remove
debris from the ears as well as kill the yeast and bacteria
responsible for ear infections. Do this for 5-7 days then
continue weekly to avoid recurring problems.
You can also treat the infection herbally. Garlic, sage and
thyme all have natural antibiotic and anti-fungal properties.
Pau d’arco has natural antibiotic properties. Soak the herb of
choice in calendula oil overnight, remove it and using a
dropper, apply the oil to the infected ear, 2-3 drops a day for
several days. You should see a cessation in the infection. This
should also eliminate ear mites.
For the itching and inflammation you can apply aloe or
calendula essential oils topically to the ear twice a day.
Vitamin C can also be added to your pet's diet and works in two
ways; it suppresses the product released from cells in the body
that causes itching (histamine) and it will help the adrenal
glands, which produces a natural steroid that can help reduce
inflammation, to function more efficiently. Watch the dosage,
vitamin C can cause diarrhea. Starting with a low dosage of
100mg per 10lb of body weight should be a safe dosage. If there
are problem, decrease the dosage.
The next and very important step in treatment is working on the
underlying cause, most likely allergies. Some of the main food
allergies are grains, such as corn and wheat in many commercial
pet foods as well as some of the protein sources and in some
more sensitive dogs and cats, the additives and preservatives
can cause problems as well.
The best thing you can do for your pet is do change their diet
over to a natural, homemade diet free of the toxins of
commercial pet foods. You may have to try different foods to
figure out what your pet will respond to best, but in the long
run it is worth it for your pet's health and comfort. There are
some natural and organic alternatives out there but you need to
take the time to know what is really in the food you are
feeding your pets.
There are also some supplements you can add to the diet to help
with allergies. Quercetin has been effective for people with
allergies and may be effective in dogs, it helps prevent an
allergic response in the gastrointestinal tract, making food
allergies less of a problem. The dose is 25mg per 10 lbs of
body weight daily, and omega-3 fatty acid, a must for any
allergy that triggers recurring ear infections. My preference
for omega-3 is organic flaxseed oil or cold salmon oil. Aside
from the allergy benefits, omega-3s offer many benefits to pets
including improving the skin and coat and for joint and heart
problems to name just a few.
Vet Time
As much as I am a strong advocate
for natural health and treating your pet at home when the
options are advisable, there are times when you must turn to a
professional for treatment.
Most of the time, especially when caught and treated early, ear
problems are confined to the outer ear and can be successfully
treated at home. When the infection is in the inner-ear or
cannot be alleviated by the above treatment, you need to see a
vet. Symptoms to be watchful for include; head tilting,
clumsiness, walking in circles or drooping eyes. The vet may
need to drain fluids and treat with antibiotics if the
infection has progressed to this point. Sometimes even more
aggressive measures need to be taken. In any case where surgery
is advised, I always suggest getting a second opinion. Not
every vet knows everything.
Something else to be watchful for is that aggressive scratching
and head shaking can cause a hematoma in the ear. Hematomas can
cause permanent damage if severe enough and left untreated. A
vet must evaluate and advise proper treatment.
The best thing you can do for your pet is to take the time to
spend time with them and notice any problems before they turn
into major problems. Many pet health issues can be treated at
home with the right knowledge and if caught early
enough.
© Deanna Raeke
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