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How can you tell if a grey has an ear infection?


Guest Konasmom

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Guest Konasmom

Kona shakes her head a fair amount, usually after a nap, etc. Her flappy little ears make such a ruckus, I have to say...

 

She also scratches at her ears a few times a day...really digs those back claws in the ear canal. (She also uses her front forearm...I have to say that's totally cute.) Yesterday she was grumbling while she did it. Once in a while when we touch her ear or when she's digging around she yelp a bit.

 

I clean her ears once every 7 to 10 days with a cotton square and ear solution. She does develop a fair amount of brownish gunk by then. It doesn't smell horrible...just dog-like.

 

What kinds of ear problems can greys have? And how do you know? Or is this all par for the course?

 

Thanks much!

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I agree with Diane...  any "gunk" signifies a problem. They should be clean and pink with NO gunk at all.  I would have the vet check Kona.

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Guest Konasmom

So you all never have to clean your grey's ears??  They are happy clean and wonderful all the time? Oh my, I'd better get to the vet. How will they know what it is???

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Guest 3-greys-and-a-mutt

We clean our dogs ears periodically, but in general, they are clean and pink!  Usually, when we clean them, there is a few tiny brownish flecks of gunk, but nothing serious.  

 

I had a cocker spaniel growing up, and that breed is so prone to ear problems.  Since their ears are always covered, it is very bad for them to get water, dirt, etc. in their ears.  I used to clean her ears a lot, and had to use several cotton squares for each ear because they would come out so gunky.  They weren't infected, just carried a lot of dirt in them.

 

Since greyhounds' ears are open to the air, they aren't as prone to ear problems - but with all the gunk in Kona's, and the fact that they seem to be irritating her, could be a sign of infection.  The vet will probably give you some drops and special cleanser, and it will be cleared up by next week!

 

Actually, since the gunk is dark brown and doesn't smell infected, it could be ear mites - yuk!

My cocker had these too!  Took a little longer to clear up for good, but that was 16 years ago; I'd imagine they have a nice, easy medication that will kill the mites very quickly!

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Yes, go to your vet. She has an infection- it's minor, since there's no smell. But, Saoirse had the same problem. My vet confirmed the ears when cleaned (once a week) should be clean and pink, maybe just a fleck or too of wax on the cotton. She gave me an antibiotic cream to put in Saoirse's ears for a week and it cleared it right up!  Made her feel better right away too!

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Guest ShannonQ

It may or may not be an infection, or mites. Casino has "gunky" ears -particularly the one on the left - and has since we got him 2 1/2 years ago. Vet checked them out - no mites, no infection.  She found out he has wax built up so far down in the ear canal that to get it out he would have to be putunder. If he has to be put under for something else we will have his ears "deep cleaned" as well. In the meantime we clean his ears with a solution the vet gave us, which he doesn't like at all.

 

That said, he doesn't usually spend a lot of time pawing at his ears or crying when I touch them (he yelps when I clean the left one). I agree with everyone else that they should be checked by a vet to see what's actually going on, but wanted you to know I also have a grey with ears like that.  :)

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Guest azgreyluver

Barkly was just at the vet last week for a check up and the vet told me that some gunk in the ear is normal and to wipe it out every so often. He did say if you ever notice a foul smell there is a problem. I use witch hazel and a cotton ball to wipe out the ears weekly.

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Guest Konasmom

Do I need to wait for the gunk to re-appear to get the vet's assessment??? Or can I take her in ASAP?

 

You all are so so helpful. I've never had a dog in my life before Kona and I have so much to learn.

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Guest Greensleeves

Go ahead and get them checked, just for your peace of mind, and for her peace of ears! :lol

 

Any pain is not normal, but the gunk may well be just her normal amount of ear wax.  Whis has pretty waxy ears and looooves to have them cleaned out.

 

Kona may very well have allergies.  Our Nelly has bad allergies that mainly manifest themselves as itchy, inflamed (red) ears.  She has been known to scratch so hard that she cuts herself (I try not to trim her nails when she's having an allergic week! :eek).  One of her daughters seems to have the same trouble, and several of the pups absolutely love to have their ears rubbed hard (they make the cutest little pig grunting noises if you do it right...).  Ok, now I'm rambling.

 

But get her checked--it could be lots of things: Normal, allergies, staph infection, ear infection, mites, etc.

 

Good luck and keep us posted! :)

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Oh, I just went through this same thing with Dash.  He was shaking his head and yelping when we touched his right ear.  He also loves to rub his head on the rug when he's laying down. He was yelping then too.  He's always had a little wax in his ears, kind of brownish,  but then I noticed it turned almost black and got really icky.  Right about then, he started to act like he wasn't feeling so hot.  Took him to his vet.  Ear infection.  She gave me a tube of Otomax to apply 2X a day and a bottle of Otorinse to flush once a day. Cleared up beautifully in about 10 days.  His ears are gorgeous now! :lol

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  • 2 weeks later...

I had my Ali only 2 weeks and she was shaking her head some then constantly.  I took her into the vet and she had loads of brown gunk in her ears.  The vet cleaned them out with cotton and solution.  She said this was probably due to the ears getting wet somehow.  I investigated somewhat and learned that the foster family gave her a bath before her adoption (bless their hearts) but her ears got water in them unknowingly.  Ali was given a tube of ear medicine and it cleared up in a week.  I check her ears every few days since they collect the brown stuff and clean them out.

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All our greys do the head shake thing when they first get up.  Anything beyond that is suspect.  In our case they are amost always ear mites and you can see the brown gunk when you look in the ear.

 

Mary in Houston

Mary in Houston

Everyone has a photographic memory, but not everyone has film.

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