Crud In His Earrs

[Guest Shermanator]

Sigh.

Some of you may remember I have posted about Patton's ears and the dirt/crud that accumulates in them. He's been vetted- no ear problems/infections. Its this dirt/crud that cements itself to his ears. I have to scrape it off with my fingernails. Its a mess.

We were thinking food allergy. He was eating lamb and rice food from Kirkland. We switched to Nature's Balance Venison and Potato. They've been on it for about 3-4 weeks.

Patton's ears were clean, I thought we beat it. However, this morning, I noticed the crud is returning. Its the same crud/dirt that cements itself to his ears. The problem is the crud leads to ear infections, and they are getting worse as he gets older. The last ear infection was a month of augmentin, antibiotic shots, and predisone.

This is making me mental. I do not know what to do next. Any suggestions? It breaks my heart to see the crud again, I thought we beat it.

[Guest Drumhellergrey]

I notice that you are outside of Phoenix. I'm a lot more northern , but also live in a semi-arid environment. Around here we get a lot of wind blown sand-clay mix that tends to get caught inside Ted's ears. I just clean his ears once every week, but have recently started using another product called R-7 Ear relief lotion. It is meant for dry Skin in a pets ears. He really seems to like it and his ears tend to stay a lot more healthy.

 

ETA To clean his ears, I am using a common Vet Solution ear cleaner.

Edited May 4, 2010 by Drumhellergrey

[Guest Shermanator]

I notice that you are outside of Phoenix. I'm a lot more northern , but also live in a semi-arid environment. Around here we get a lot of wind blown sand-clay mix that tends to get caught inside Ted's ears. I just clean his ears once every week, but have recently started using another product called R-7 Ear relief lotion. It is meant for dry Skin in a pets ears. He really seems to like it and his ears tend to stay a lot more healthy.

 

ETA To clean his ears, I am using a common Vet Solution ear cleaner.

 

Huh. The crud is dry. Almost like dead skin. Would a lotion in his ears cause issues, like keep them moist which is prime territory for ear infections? But, I think the lotion might be a good idea. I'll look for it.

[Guest Ola]

I wouldn't be surprised if there were some seasonal allergies mixed in there, it's the season right now. My mixed breed has a bit of them this year (she normally has fall ones only, sigh) and they sure make her ears gunk up where normally they stay very clean.

[Guest Drumhellergrey]

Yes, it is made especially for the ears. It actually turns to a powder once dry.

 

ETA R-7 made by Gimborn Pet Specialties Atlanta Georgia.

 

Looks like they have a lot of products with the R-7 logo

Edited May 4, 2010 by Drumhellergrey

[greyhead]

You might consider, crazy as it may sound, checking his thyroid. Ear problems, both infections and the build-up of general crud, are associated with hypothyroidism. The reason may be that the skin and hair are dryer in this condition, which is a problem in the ears where the dried flakes accumulate instead of just fall off.

[turbotaina]

The skin inside Turbo's ears sloughs off and leaves scabs. We've been to the vet countless times over it, but the cause has never been determined. Incidentally, he had a half brother here on GT who had the same problem, again, cause never determined, although that dog's never got as bad as Turbo's. Is this the kind of stuff you're talking about? It looks like layers of dried skin that eventually come off? I'll have to get a pic of Turbo's ears so you can compare. In one of Turbo's ears (the earliest effected), it almost looks like cobwebs. In the other ear, it just looks almost like flecks of crud, but it's really little scabs.

 

At any rate, we just deal with it. He went to a veterinary dermatolgist (board certified) who couldn't figure it out. We tried putting this lipid stuff in his ears, but he'd shake his head so much, his ears would swell and I'd have to practically strap him down to stop him from causing aural hemotomas. Fortunately, it doesn't really both him until the scabs really need to come off and start itching. Sometimes I'll help him out by sticking my finger in his ear and dragging along, pulling some of the dried stuff off, but he'll start shaking his head for a couple of days aftewards, so I don't do that too often.

 

I have found that when it starts to bother him, synotic drops help, as does conofite solution. I think synotic drops are actually made for hyperkeratinization (that or the conofite is), which seems to be what's going on, though the cause is unknown.

 

 

 

I'll add that this all started happening to his ears after some extensive treatment for a yeast infection. The yeast never came back, but his ears have never gone back to normal.

[greyhead]

No, this doesn't sound like what I was talking about. How very frustrating this must be!

 

One wonders if allergies are involved at some level. Some recommend removing all grains if not all carbs from the diet. Hope someone happens along that can help!

 

ahicks51, where are you?!

[Guest Shermanator]

No, this doesn't sound like what I was talking about. How very frustrating this must be!

 

One wonders if allergies are involved at some level. Some recommend removing all grains if not all carbs from the diet. Hope someone happens along that can help!

 

ahicks51, where are you?!

 

Yup. All grains have been removed. They have been on NB Venison and Sweet Potato for about 1 month. We have seen some improvement, but the problem is not completely solved. We are starting 'Missing Link' today, since we having trouble with the other one's coat, Sherman. Perhaps that might help. You never know. Last night I did a good ear scrubbin' (flushed them both out, and then used some drying creme on them.) We'll see how it helps.

[Guest Shermanator]

The skin inside Turbo's ears sloughs off and leaves scabs. We've been to the vet countless times over it, but the cause has never been determined. Incidentally, he had a half brother here on GT who had the same problem, again, cause never determined, although that dog's never got as bad as Turbo's. Is this the kind of stuff you're talking about? It looks like layers of dried skin that eventually come off? I'll have to get a pic of Turbo's ears so you can compare. In one of Turbo's ears (the earliest effected), it almost looks like cobwebs. In the other ear, it just looks almost like flecks of crud, but it's really little scabs.

 

At any rate, we just deal with it. He went to a veterinary dermatolgist (board certified) who couldn't figure it out. We tried putting this lipid stuff in his ears, but he'd shake his head so much, his ears would swell and I'd have to practically strap him down to stop him from causing aural hemotomas. Fortunately, it doesn't really both him until the scabs really need to come off and start itching. Sometimes I'll help him out by sticking my finger in his ear and dragging along, pulling some of the dried stuff off, but he'll start shaking his head for a couple of days aftewards, so I don't do that too often.

 

I have found that when it starts to bother him, synotic drops help, as does conofite solution. I think synotic drops are actually made for hyperkeratinization (that or the conofite is), which seems to be what's going on, though the cause is unknown.

 

I'll add that this all started happening to his ears after some extensive treatment for a yeast infection. The yeast never came back, but his ears have never gone back to normal.

 

 

Ohh, ohh! This is exactly like Patton's earsies. Except his looks like sand/coffee grids. (And yes, he has been throughly checked out - thyroid good, and no ear mites.) The have been like this ever since he came home to us (5 1/2 years,) and nothing has worked. The interesting thing is that he problems becuase really bad after using medicating creme for a yeast infection. We used that goo for about 2 days, and then Patton's ears became badly inflamed, and he wouldn't shake his head, at all. He was also in obviously in pain, since even a pat on the head would produce a scream from him. We ended up having to give augmentin and predisone after that.

Since that we changed his food, and his ears looked clean, and great. But, I see the crud returning, and it makes me nuts.