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I'm preserving this one page of information from my Cocker site so that people can still find this information about how to prevent and treat ear infections in their dogs. Since cocker spaniels tend to love the water their long floppy ears also help to keep the water from entering their ear canals which helps to protect them from ear infections. Because cocker spaniels have long, luscious hair, regular grooming is a key to their beauty, health, and happiness. If you don’t let the hair on your dog’s ears get super long, his ears may not trap in as much moisture, dirt, or bacteria. Trimming the hair inside the ears, however, creates less space for unwanted particles to gather and fester.
My vet prescribed a course of antibiotics which is now complete and I believe my dog still has an ear infection. Their floppy ears helped to protect them while hunting. When the cocker would put their head in a hole to sniff out an animal the ear would cover their face and eyes to protect them from scratches. A lot of Cocker Spaniel owners are curious if they can cure their pup’s ear infection at home. Examine the earfor any skin problems, wax, mites, or signs of infection. Thankfully with some care and attention, those cute ears can have the best chance of remaining healthy and infection-free.
Home Remedies for Dog Ear Infections
The likelihood of a problem will increase if you don't regularly clean your dog's ears. People think it's my recipe simply because I've been very enthusiastically spreading the word about it. But the recipe originated with Jacquie Christy, the former Secretary of the Cocker Spaniel Club of San Diego county. There's an ear cleaner recipe called the "blue powder treatment" (sometimes incorrectly known as the "blue POWER treatment") that has been in use in the Cocker world for decades. Jacquie recognized that the blue powder treatment was somewhat effective but not fantastically effective... And decided to do some experimentation at improving the recipe.
Once ear issues show up in a Cocker Spaniel, it is important that they are dealt with and resolved right away. If you weren’t aware already, specific dog breeds can be prone to certain skin conditions, ear problems, and allergies! All skin and ear conditions require exact diagnosis for best treatment. My doctor is the one that came up with this as her dogs were having ear issues that weren't really under control from the things her vet was prescribing! Anyone that I know that has gone to using it has had remarkable results and the dogs are much happier and SAFER than using anything with alcohol in it. It goes in and melts it's way down to where it's needed.
Excessive Cleaning
In puppies, ear mites can also be a source of infection. Because of their amount of fur, as well as their long ears, ear care is one of the most important steps in caring for your Cocker Spaniel. Without proper cleaning and grooming, there can be many unwanted consequences such as ear infections, wax buildup, or general discomfort for your dog. There is a wide range of causes of ear infections in dogs. It may be due to a yeast infection or bacterial infection, or both.
In the adorable Cocker Spaniel breed, the ears provide the perfect environment for predisposing ear disease factors . They are also prone to ear disease perpetuating factors . To top it off, a range of primary conditions affecting skin are common in Cocker Spaniels, as listed above and in our other blog about Cocker Spaniel skin problems. Malassezia dermatitis – Malassezia are yeast organisms that can cause skin inflammation as well as ear infections. Yeast infections are also a secondary problem, similar to seborrhea. In any case, ear infections in dogs ought to be taken seriously even if they are very typical.
Preventing Ear Infections in Cocker Spaniels
His ears were great till he reached his senior years. He has always love swimming in swimming pools, and developed problems it seems after that. Then he developed a growth in one ear that my vet removed that caused more problems.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013. There is some yellow / green fluid coming from his ear and he keeps shaking his ear and moaning. I can see it is affecting him as he is not himself at all.
Topical ear medications are often prescribed by your vet to treat this type of infection. A Canker ear infection is classed as a fungal disease and can actually cause ulcers in dogs. For this infection to be treated you will need to book an appointment with your vet. It's likely your dog will be prescribed an ointment intended to control the bacteria or yeast. There are many reasons a Cocker Spaniel can get an otitis externa infected ear.
Keep in mind that severe ear infections can lead to deafness in your dog, and will cost you serious money at the vet... So make the effort now to prevent ear infections before they get out of hand. It's like the difference between putting soap in your mouth and in your belly button. As long as the ear drum is intact, the ear canal is a sealed cavity. The ear cleaning solution goes in, it gets squished around, and then the dog shakes his head and all the ear cleaning solution comes out.
It also provides a non-intoxicating dose of serenity to help your dog forget about their irritating infection. Mix equal parts pau d’arco and mineral oil and apply to the ear a couple of times a day. Pau d’arco is a natural antibiotic and will kill the bacteria that are causing the infection. Dogs with droopy ears are especially at risk if they swim.
Unfortunately, the long, floppy ears of the Cocker Spaniel combined with the silky fur that may line its ears combine to make conditions favorable to dog ear infections. We recommend preventing ear problems with regular care. For most routine ear infections, treating them early will prevent expensive and stressful vet intervention. Ear infections do not normally resolve on their own, so treating them to clear them up is essential.
Because as soon as you let go, the dog's going to shake his head, and a lot of that cleaning solution is going to go flying out. If you get any of the ear cleaning solution on your skin, wash it off as soon as possible. While caring pet parents mean well, some people think excessive ear cleaning prevents ear infections. Unless your veterinarian has a specific reason for instructing you to clean your Cocker’s ears often, use caution. To treat an ear infection in your cocker spaniel, take your pet to the vet’s as soon as possible, since an untreated infection can spread quickly. Be prepared for the vet to examine the inside and outside of your spaniel’s ears, and take samples to examine under a microscope.
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