Hi again Glenda, I forgot to mention something. With Bessie, since her allergies seem to be environmental - like hayfever, not to something else like food, I didn't get her tested. Also, since her's are easily controlled with the drops, there really isn't a need to get her tested since she doesn't need the shots. You know if you want to try a food diet, there are ones that are potato and duck, or venison and rice that you can get at Petco ... they are by Natural Balance - it's a premium food and comes in canned or dry. It's made for allergic dogs. Like I said before, if you can't afford the testing, I would do whatever meds got her ears calm for a few weeks, and then get her on some kind of drop that you can use at home (assuming you are positive there is no infection going on - you know this because a swab has been done and the slide gram stained with no bacteria or yeast present). For Bessie the Tresaderm is the best. The MalOtic was okay for her, but it sometimes bothered her, and the vet said that sometimes it leaves a greasy residue behind - it coats the ear canal with it to soothe it, but in her case it bothered her more. Part of the problem with the MalOtic for us was that my other chi wanted to lick it out which irritated it more. So the Tresaderm is best for us - LOL! Shell
On 6/6/07, Michele Burr <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hi Glenda, I would consider going back to that last doctor and have her tested for allergies if you can afford it (the one that recommended the shots). They test for allergies first, and then develop the shots based on what the tests show. But by having her tested you would at least know what she's allergic to and be able to avoid it, and then decide if you want to do the shots or not. The shots are done with very tiny needles and don't hurt very much. Bessie (my chi) also has ear problems from allergies, but not as bad as your chi does. Several times a year, she'll start scratching her ears, esp the left one. She'll scratch it enough that it hurts frequently, but only maybe one or two times enough to make a visible sore in 6 years. We'll know it's that time of year because we'll hear her whining and yelping while she scratches her ear. She never has an infection - ever. We used to take her in and get her ears swabbed and gram stained every time, but they were always clear. Ummmm, I also would not recommend trying to use an ear wash when she's sore because it will burn the heck out of her when she's been scratching - I made the mistake of doing a rubbing alcohol and vinegar one when she was sore and I didn't know it one time and I felt so bad because it hurt her. So, what my vet does, is every year at our annual exam, he gives me a bottle of Tresaderm to use, and it lasts until the next annual exam. I use it the minute I notice her having a problem, just a few drops two times a day for a few days. It contains, neomycin (antibiotic), dexamethasone (anti inflammitory) and thiobendazole (antifungal). You keep it in the refrigerator. We had to try several different ones before we settled on the Tresaderm as the "just right" one - the first med we tried was too greasy, and bugged her etc... this one just takes a little and doesn't leave a bunch of residue in her ear. Your dog is enough worse, you might want to do the shots too, or whatever medications that worked to get her under control for a few weeks, then have something on hand like the Tresaderm. You could talk it over with your vet and get a good strategy in place. If it was infection, then weekly washing with an alcohol/vinegar mix (recipies are all over the internet for earwash) would work well ... but like I said, not when they are sore. The vinegar keeps the pH right to prevent yeast, and the alcohol kills bacteria. Shell On 6/6/07, Glenda <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hello all, > First time in a chat room. I have some questions that even vets can't > figure out, so wondering if anyone has had the same problems. > My chi will be a year old on the 15th of June. She started flapping > her ears and scratching her ears like crazy the beginning of January. > I took her to my regular vet and she had a yeast infection in one ear > so they gave me medicine to clear that up. She was scratching at both > ears but they found nothing in the other ear. > Took her back to the vet the end of January becuase she was doing the > same, more flapping her ears and scratching them. They gave her a > shot and some drugs for inflamation in case it was inter ear > inflamation. They looked in her ears and said they were clean. I > gave her the drugs. They said she could have allergies. > She was better for about 2 or 3 weeks. > On March 17, I took her to a different vet to see if they could do > anything for her. They gave me another antibiotic to use and told me > to get her off corn, wheat and soy food. So I did that. > Still no change. The poor dog keeps scratching at her ears and > flapping them. She cratched them so bad they were bleeding and had > sores on them. > So on April 2, I was so upset I took her to another vet that was > recomended. This was a clinic and it was huge. I got the oldest dr > in the place and he read me the right act about taking her all over. > I told him I am just trying to get her some relief and no one is > helping me. I was in tears during the entire night before cuz I felt > so bad for her. He told me to put some medicine on the ears and gave > her some shot and to stay with the changed food. Said it would take 6 > to 8 weeks to know if it was a food allergy. Said her ears are still > clean. > So I do that, and the sores cleared up. Still flapping and scratching > at her ears. > I took her back to the same vet, different dr on the 25th of April and > they gave me another antihistamine to try. > Still nothing has worked. I took her back once again on May 25th to > the same vet, another different dr. This one I at least liked and > would tell me something more than it's food. So it's been 6 - 8 > weeks and no change. He gives her another drug to try and says she > might have to have shots. > I really don't want her to have shots. I feel so bad for her. And > I'm thinking there has to be other chi's out there with this problem. > I was hoping someone could give me some insite or have heard of this > before. > Thanks for taking the time to read and help me out. >> >
