How do I know if my Cocker has an ear infection?
This is simple... If you life the ear of your Cocker and visually inspect their ear canal, you should look for any redness or possible irritation. If you see a lot of wax buildup in the ear canal, now would be a good time to clean it out. Besides for the redness you should smell your Cockers ears... you are looking for a cheesy smell... Almost like bad cheese! If you don't smell this, you should look again for any irritation and see if there is any pain by gently pressing around the ear. Be careful because if your Cocker is in pain you will most likely get a small cry from him/her or possibly a growl. You want to make certain that the ear drum is NOT ruptured, as there could be a risk of irreversible deafness or loss of equilibrium.
What should I do for my Cocker if I suspect an ear infection?
You should always have your Cocker evaluated by your veterinarian if you suspect an ear infection. They would be able to make a definitive determination and diagnosis. A veterinarian will most likely prescribe either ear drops or ointments depending on the extent of the ear infection. It is rare that they would prescribe an oral suspension to give your Cocker unless the infection is severe! Your vet can rule out the presence of tumors or foreign bodies such as foxtails. A microscope smear would reveal bacteria, yeast, or mites, and then a culture and sensitivity test can be performed.
My Cocker has an ear infection, Now what!?
If it is determined by your veterinarian that your Cocker has an ear infection, as said earlier he or she may prescribe a regimen of ear drops or ointments. But they can be expensive and sometimes don't always work or work fast enough, leaving your Cocker in pain and very unhappy!
You can choose to go this route but there is also a home remedy that is available to everyone on the internet. It is commonly referred to as the "Blue Power Ear Treatment" and is said to be 99% effective. We first tried it years ago with one of our cockers and now use it as our first line of defense in treating ear infections before we take a trip to the vet.
Keep in mind that a trip to the vet (if not often) with your Cocker can be traumatic to the dog. If you think about it, your cocker may become scared of other pets in the waiting room, unfamiliar smells, or the sounds of other animals in pain. Believe it, or not... Cockers are very intelligent and can sense when they may be in possible danger.
What is the Blue Power Ear Treatment?
Warning! Please do NOT substitute, change, or eliminate any of the ingredients or instructions! Please do not take a short cut to save some money! The reason that this treatment has been so effective is because THESE ingredients and THESE instructions have been used and have worked. As with many health remedies, new information is being utilized all the time, and so, please check for any updates on the Blue Power Ear treatment at: http://www.ItsForTheAnimals.com.
Ingredients:
- 16Oz. bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol (standard 70%)
- 4 Tablespoons of Boric Acid Powder (See your local Pharmacist about this product)
- 16 Drops of Gentian Violet Solution 1% (See the end of this article for more information)
- 1 Bottle to use in application of this solution. (Most commonly found at beauty supply stores, be sure that the bottle measures in ounces and has a long tip or applicator)
You will need to shake the solution every time you use it to disperse the Boric Acid Powder. Try to make sure you get it to dissolve as much as possible before application. As said before you will want to purchase a flexible plastic bottle with the opening at the top so the solution may be gently squeezed out to the affected ears. The ideal is a hair-dye bottle available at a beauty supply store, pharmacy, Wal-Mart, Target, etc.
Treatment Procedure:
- Evaluate condition of ears before treating and if very inflamed or sore: do not attempt to pull hair or clean out the ear at all. Just flush it and then wait until the inflammation has subsided, which will be about two days.
- You will want to warm the solution slightly before application. Dispensing a cold solution in to a Cockers ears can adversely affect their equilibrium. Dispensing a HOT solution can cause your Cocker additional and unnecessary pain. The solution should be luke-warm and shaken each time before using it for treatment.
- Flood the ear with the solution (gently squirt the bottle).
- Massage gently for about 1-2 minutes, then wipe with a tissue.
- On first treatment: flood the ear twice, wipe with a tissue, and leave alone without massage.
- Your cocker will shake out the excess, which can be wiped with a tissue or paper towel.
- Note: The Gentian Violet does stain fabrics, etc. So you may want to war gloves and use old bath towels to blanket underneath your cocker while applying solution.
The SCHEDULE of treatment is as follows:
- Treat twice a day for 1 - 2 weeks, depending on the severity of the ear infection.
- After the second or third day you can clean out the ear with a clean Q-tip or cotton balls. (see caution below).
- Treat ONCE a day for the next 1 - 2 weeks.
- Treat ONCE a month (or even less frequently, depending on your Cocker).
- Remember the Blue Power Ear Treatment is for external use only and be careful not to get into the eyes.
Caution: When using a Q-tip, only insert it as far into the ear canal as you can actually see. Use care to prevent the gunk from falling down into the ear canal.
If you find that this solution works or doesn't work, let us know! drop us an email at: michael@camelotcockers.com
