Baby Dragon Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 (edited) ... Edited October 6, 2010 by Baby Dragon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 If it smells bad he probably has an infection so you'll need take him to the vet. Healthy ear don't smell awful. An ear infection usually has a distinct odour and once you smell it you don't forget it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Dragon Posted November 17, 2007 Author Share Posted November 17, 2007 Thanks for the reply! The only way I can describe the smell is that it's a sweaty dog smell. It's the way he smells when he needs a bath... but he had a bath not long ago and the rest of him doesn't smell now, just his ears. And the smell is coming from both ears. It's not a really offensive smell I guess... just a sweaty 'doggy' smell. I didn't pay special attention to his ears when bathing him recently - I've never really known how to clean them other than rinse with the rest of him. Do you still think it could be an infection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 You've got me a bit confuzzled LOL. Dogs don't actually sweat through their skin. If you mean a wet dog smell, an infection has a pungent and slightly sweet odour. I think if he had an infection you would smell it. Is he scratching his ears or shaking his head at all? A vet nurse told me I should be plucking the hair inside my Cavs ears too but I hadn't heard of that being done with Cavs and I've never done it. I do cut the hair very short around at the bottom of the ear canal and they do have some hair growing slightly into the canal. I must ask the vet next time I'm there. Being Spaniel ears I give the underside a good wash with shampoo when they have their baths. I put my finger in the ear so the water doesn't go in them when I'm washing the underside and they get a good shampoo and rinse. Drying the underside well helps too. I use a dryer on the cool setting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Dragon Posted November 17, 2007 Author Share Posted November 17, 2007 (edited) You've got me a bit confuzzled LOL. Dogs don't actually sweat through their skin. If you mean a wet dog smell, an infection has a pungent and slightly sweet odour. I think if he had an infection you would smell it. Is he scratching his ears or shaking his head at all? A vet nurse told me I should be plucking the hair inside my Cavs ears too but I hadn't heard of that being done with Cavs and I've never done it. I do cut the hair very short around at the bottom of the ear canal and they do have some hair growing slightly into the canal. I must ask the vet next time I'm there. Being Spaniel ears I give the underside a good wash with shampoo when they have their baths. I put my finger in the ear so the water doesn't go in them when I'm washing the underside and they get a good shampoo and rinse. Drying the underside well helps too. I use a dryer on the cool setting. Yes like a wet dog smell.. a real sort of doggie smell lol.. sorry I don't know how to describe it. I wouldn't call it pungent... just 'doggie'... No he's not scratching his ears or shaking his head. Is that a good sign then? (hoping it's not an infection!) Cutting the hair short at the bottom of the ear canal is a good idea... thank you, I should do that. I think I will try shampooing and rinsing them... like you, I was worried about getting too much water in his ears (I use the bendy shower hose thingy to rinse him) but maybe I could put my hand in his ears like you do for your Cav's, or even use a damp washer to rinse them?? I don't use a dryer on him because it's so flippin' hot here that he's dry within 5 minutes. He has a run around and a shake and he's done lol. Maybe I should pay attention to drying his ears next time though, just to be sure? Thanks for your help Edited November 17, 2007 by Blossom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 I think you can probably smell a yeast infection - I'd recommend a visit to the vets for ears at any time you think it's not quite right. I say that because I have a foster dog here who's eardrums burst due to not having an ear infection treated by whoever owned her before she ended up in the pound. It's really not uncommon sadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Possibly an ear infection, and I noticed you said you rinsed his ear ?? If an infection his ears will be more redish colour than normal, they should be a very pale pink. Unless you block off the ear canal water in a dogs ear can cause infection. If you must wash them with the rest of his body block off the ear canal with by pushing the ear flap down tight and washing the ear. In the future just use baby wipes or cotton balls or something in warm water to wipe them out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadbury Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 I agree sounds like an infection or Mites.....My rule of thumb is if the ear smells I errrrrrr on the side of caution and see the vet.......Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ittybitty_ Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 There is a huge outbreak around with earmites. And they are highly contageous. Have just had to do all my dogs with a drop of frontline plus in each ear. The shepherds each had 2 drops per ear. Earmites cause the ear to smell musty and waxy.. Gross things they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paganman Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 I reckon you should go to the vet, my boy had smelly ears last year and I tried to treat it myself didnt go to the vet and it got real bad, I ended up going to the vet and it took a few months to get rid of it once infections in ears get a hold theyre real hard to shift I didnt know any better at the time now Id go straight to the vet and not mess about. It was hot weather at the time and that made it worse it didnt really clear up till autumn came. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadbury Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Yep Waxy sweet smell describes it well Roxiekda.......yuk My vet let me see the little Blighters Running around....they are tiny and white......but they are monsters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlemum Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 Probably a yeast infection and your vet will prescribe Surolan - have you tried cleaning his ears out with Otoderm or something similar? Get him to the vet as soon as you can as if you leave it untreated you could have years of problems. When he gets wet in future make sure you dry his ears out well with cotton wool, but don't pluck them too severely as this can set up an irritation and lead to more problems. If you get on top of it now you should be ok. Good luck-your boy is sooo cute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Dragon Posted November 18, 2007 Author Share Posted November 18, 2007 Thanks guys... I just gave him another bath and had a good look in his ears... there's no irritation or anything. I gently sponged around the ears and just inside the flaps (I left the ear canal.) When drying his ears there was a bit of black stuff that came out of one ear. Like waxy stuff, and it had the doggy smell I was describing. Anyway I pulled that out. The smell seems to have gone now. Will keep a good eye on him though and if it returns tomorrow will take him to the vet. I'm thinking it could just be that I didn't know how to clean his ears, and because I left them they started to get stinky? What do you guys use to clean your dog's ears (just inside the flaps)? Anything other than just dog shampoo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle wrangler Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 Malaseb (antifungal-antibacterial shampoo) diluted 1:50 with water is a good ear cleaner. Cheap when made up. YOu should clipper the fur really short at the entry to the ear- I shave the dog's with a #30. Oscar tends to get smelly ears if not cleaned for more than a week, so I clip him in an "ears off" style. I pluck the hair, so there's good airflow. For first time smelly ears, I'd go to the vet to make sure it's not mites and they can also show you how to clean them properly. Cleaning followed by prescription drops will clear them up quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenjiMom Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 Well, benji aint thanking you all.......after reading all this, i took him into the bathroom..but powder on my fingers...and pulled his hairs outta his ears Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlemum Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 Aww BenjiMom - you are so CRUEL!!! Blossom - use some Otoderm or Bayer ear cleaner (can get it from your vet) mainly, be sure you dry his ears out when he gets wet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle wrangler Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 As poodlemum said- keep ears dry. Avoid pouring any water in there during a bath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle Mum Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 Smelly poodles ears know them well. Yep, you have to & clean your poodley ears or poodley cross ears. If the brown/black crusty stuff builds up.........Phew. Blossom looks like she has hanging-down ears (this is the speak I use in puppy classes ) & the wax just doesn't come out as easy if she has erect ears!! I can vouch for not over plucking. I am a bit of a nazi when it comes to hairy ears & the vet nurse in me took over and I gave my girl an irritatde & sore ear :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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