Cruddy Cocker Ears

[Jersey]

I have this cocker that I do every two weeks. She use to have a beautiful coat but now has a cocker crud that we have been dealing with for a very long time. The ears are so bad and as soon as she walks in the door you can smell them. They are probably the grosses ears I have seen and I gag while i work on her. The owner has taken her to the vet and and was told that it's Cocker Ears and will just have to live with it. I've tried to get the owner to try a different dog food but no luck. The coat has cleared up some but ears well nothing seems to help. Any advice on what I should use to maybe help the ears smell better? They look good when she leaves but always comes back the same. I'm kind of fighting a brick wall with the owner but I was hopeful that I could get some info here that would help. Any good ear cleaning solutions?

[prettymiss112000]

My question to her would be....

did the vet treat the ears or offer any treatment for the ears? To simply say that they are cocker ears and they'll have to live with it, well that is irresponsible on the vet's part.....IF the lady did in fact take the dog to the vet. My mother has cockers, and I do know that cockers can carry chronic infections in their ears, but they still have to be on treatment!

I know how frustrating it is b/c I have a regular client with a cocker whose ears are in POOR shape! I have to clean them everytime, and I feel so sorry for the dog b/c I can only imagine how sore and painful his ears are. I use Espree Medicated Ear cleaner on him. I like this cleaner b/c it has Peppermint oil (for the odor), Tea Tree oil and Eucalyptus oils (for the antibacterial & antifungal qualities). I have noticed a progressive difference in using this on this particular client's ears. The problem I have had to combat with this lady, is everytime she gives him a bath at home, she "doctors" his ears with ear mite medicine. I told her that is not necessary b/c #1. He more than likely does not have ear mites, a vet must diagnose that anyway by looking under a scope and #2. it is just keeping his ears wet and moist allowing for yeast and infection to grow and continue.

Anyway, I can feel your pain..... Your client needs to take her dog to another vet for a second opinion, and put that poor dog on a treatment program!

[puppy love]

cockers can carry chronic infections in their ears, but they still have to be on treatment!

Your client needs to take her dog to another vet for a second opinion, and put that poor dog on a treatment program!

I agree, a second vet opinion is needed. Telling her to "live with it" is not the appropriate answer. True, cockers are more prone to ear problems, but there is probably some underlying problem that should be treated.

[MydogMissy]

I have a cocker with the same problem.

It has developed cauliflower ears from years of ongoing infection, the smell is sickening when I walk in the house. I do this dog every 6 weeks and really shave it short all over.It had the normal cocker standard but I didn't think that would work for this dog's health. I shave it's feet like poodle feet to help keep the feet clean. The discharge from the ears is usually coating the underside of the ears so I shave there and [u]wash wash wash[/u], cotton balls, Q tips, and on and on. I'm careful not to get moisture into the ear where I cannot see. I do think there is some improvement with the cleanliness and I told the owner to get the dog off wheat and see if that helps. She's been to a lot of vets and I was told the dog is now on a low dose antibiotic to try and control it. Basically the dogs whole system is one big infection. Yuck. But I do it anyway. Afterward I do a major sanitizing however. I'm curious to see if our "treatment program" will improve anything over time.

[D'tails]

If they cant or wont address the underlying issue that is causing this, I would recommend shaving the ears bald inside and out to at least increase air circulation within the ear. I would use a 15 blade on the insides of the ear, and a 10 on the outside leather. Cocker ear hair adds a lot of weight to the the ear, causing the ear to lay flat against the skull, and pulls the ear in a downward direction which further blocks airflow into the canal. Removing that hair will at least allow the ear to flop further from the skull and open the canal a bit.

[Smart-n-Pretty]

I use a #40 on the inside of Cocker & Basset ears. I also shave the head next to the ear but, under the flap. It helps a lot to keep it dry.

[Particentral]

I have a cocker with the same problem.

It has developed cauliflower ears from .... But I do it anyway. Afterward I do a major sanitizing however. I'm curious to see if our "treatment program" will improve anything over time.

This is ridiculous. Antibiotics are likely not helping, because and without seeing it I will SAY THIS, it is LIKELY YEAST! If you see the discharge and it stinks it is likely yeast, especially if its all ove rthe body. Antibiotics will cause it to get worse. I would remove CORN before I worried about wheat. Remember I raise cockers. HEALTHY cockers.

If you are SURE the vets are not treating it, and you want to reccomend something, I say use Zymox ear treatment. You can order it online in numerous websites. I have seen it work MIRACLES in dogs with chronic ears that nothig else worked on. Tess, one of my cocker puppies now 8 years old and in a great home has had ear messes for months. THey started it a month ago qand her ears, while not pink yet, are not smelly and she does'nt scratch at them constantly anymore. Their vet told them they would have to live with it and kept giving her Otomax which was not working. I orded the Zymox and they are using it.

There is also the Blue Power ear treatment. Google it. Easy and cheap. Makes evreything purple, but it WORKS.

I know that vets in my area will NOT treat cocker ears the way they need to and many dogs suffer. My clients, not so much. When the vets fail I offer the suggestions and then the popele choose what to do. Most of the time, within a week or so they have ears that are healthier and happier dogs as well. Three vets have called me to ask what I am suggesting, and 2 are now stocking it themselves. I just do not understnad why the vets do NOT take this seriously overall , at least in my area.

[Yorkie_Gal]

as I read this post, I wanna gag thinking about the wrench that comes from those ears. I have a cocker/beagle cross with the same problem. The last time he was at the vet, the vet said to the owner "if your groomer can get these ears clean, then she's good" the owner says....."well she can"...........and I can, BUT it takes a lot and I mean alot of earBclear by showseason, and a ton of cotton. this poor dog is 15 years old, and his ears are to the point that they literally ooze crud..............ewwwww, I'm literally gagging thinking about it. he's been on meds and a change of diet, and nothing has helped this poor ol guy..........

[MydogMissy]

This is ridiculous. Antibiotics are likely not helping,

I would remove CORN before I worried about wheat. Remember I raise cockers. HEALTHY cockers.

If you are SURE the vets are not treating it, and you want to reccomend something, I say use Zymox ear treatment. You can order it online in numerous websites.

There is also the Blue Power ear treatment. Google it. Easy and cheap. Makes evreything purple, but it WORKS.

Yes, it [b]is[/b] ridiculous Parti.

I've only seen this client 3 times, but I feel sorry for her. She had obviously "given up" on vets being able to do anything. The first time I was shocked at the extent of the infection. It took probably 3 hours to shave it down which was the first thing to do, in my opinion. I honestly don't think any previous groomer felt it necessary or didn't care. The owner commented they hadn't seen the dogs feet in years! Well, I'll tell you, the dogs feet seemed soft and sorta mushy (imagine ear crud collecting in on the paws). I suspect the bones in the toes have deteriorated, but shaving them and bathing them at least allows them time to get some cleanliness and air circulation. I told the owner for the dogs health that a complete shavedown was the best cut for it, then I told her she should get another vet opinion, which is the one who put it on a low dose anti-biotic (Who am I to disagree!!).

I get frustrated with vets in some cases, because though I can't diagnose, I sometimes think I have more common sense than they do when it comes to some potential dietary illnesses and I AGREE with you it is not so much infection as YEAST giving occasion for infection! You would think a vet would look more deeply at the [i]cause[/i] if a prescription drug is not effective in curing it. Very frustrating when you send someone to the vet and they come back with that kind of "cure", but I'm not supposed to diagnose! Can't say what I really think.

Anyway, I will take your recommendations and see if they will help. Also the corn (though wheat gluten is a very common and known allergen). I've never understood why the dog food companies expect canines to eat grass and not have allergic reactions.....!! If it were up to me, I'd get ALL dogs off a grass diet!!

[k9cosmetologist]

I groom a beautiful tri cocker. Has a show quality coat.
Here is the sad part. Vet had to close up both ears because of cronic infection.
Thing is rest of skin still moves through cylces of infection. Like as soon as the antibiotics are over the skin becomes infected again. After 2 years of this with the local vet I have convinced them to see a dermatologigt. So they went and he comes in tomorrow with a new regiment.
He is the sweetest boy, but when infected the smell is herendous.
So I would strongly encourage them to seek out an allergist or dermatologist. It seems to me these kinds of cyles indicate the immune system is totally our of wack! It is expensive to care for these kinds of issues, but remind them the pet deserves health care!

[D'tails]

I groom a beautiful tri cocker. Has a show quality coat.
Here is the sad part. Vet had to close up both ears because of cronic infection.
Thing is rest of skin still moves through cylces of infection. Like as soon as the antibiotics are over the skin becomes infected again. After 2 years of this with the local vet I have convinced them to see a dermatologigt. So they went and he comes in tomorrow with a new regiment.

I have seen dogs die when vets insisted on continually throwing drugs and antibiotics at severe skin issues. Eventually their immune sytem breaks down beyond repair. Unfortunately allopathic vets are taught to supress illness with drugs which potentially drives it deeper into the body. A good holistic vet will address the root cause and address that - but getting people to see a new vet can be like pulling teeth.

[Helly]

Parti is right about the yeast. That's the most common cause of chronic ear problems. Antibiotics are not the answer. There are a few things I've used for my own dogs when they have a yeast problem. But I'm not going to suggest any of those to a client, because that would be crossing the line, IMO.

No matter what the problem is, if the ears are that bad, she should consider the surgical option. There are dogs who have these infections that just do not respond to any type of treatment. Most likely the dogs have ****** immune systems due to genetic influences. Surgery is the humane option.

They remove the ear canals, leaving a small opening just below the normal opening. The dog can still hear, but the infection is a thing of the past. Over the years I've had a few clients who have undergone this procedure, and none of them had any complications. It does kinda freak you out when you flip the ear over to clip the underside, LOL. "Where's the ear hole?!?"

[MydogMissy]

Unfortunately allopathic vets are taught to supress illness with drugs which potentially drives it deeper into the body. A good holistic vet will address the root cause and address that - but getting people to see a new vet can be like pulling teeth.

Well, I certainly wouldn't want to be without allopathic vets, they have a very important role. Those drugs take care of most common problems.

I don't think these people would take the dog to a specialist, I get the feeling they've already put a fortune into vet care and have simply learned to live with it. I'm just doing what I can to try to alleviate some of the problem. Not sure if recommending Zymox would cross the vet/groomer line? It's one thing if it's your dog, but a clients dog? Plus I've never used the product before.

[jackson'smom]

Cocker Ears

I agree with getting rid of the corn from the dog's diet, then the owner must switch to bowls for long earred dogs, I would also recommend a snood for the dog when going outdoors, you can make one out of old pantyhose if that is all you can come up with, think legwarmer.

[janelle]

ear culture

I would if were my dog to make sure it's not psudamonias
we see several cocker with it treat with oral antibiotics and triz EDTA topically