Ear Flush Question

[kayla1]

When dogs have an ear flush under general anaesthetic, is it usual for vets to leave some wax or gunk still in the ear? I understand it's difficult sometimes for regular vets to clean the ears thoroughly, and they don't have the equipment that specialists have, so I can see how it happens but I'm just wondering if it's a common thing to still have gunk in the ears after an ear flush.

[persephone]

Shouldn't be any muck left, IMO. Looking thru an otoscope down the canal should show nice shiny walls only.

[kayla1]

That's what I first thought but it's happened several times now, where the ears have not been cleaned completely, so I started wondering if it was a common occurrence.

[Everythings Shiny]

Nope, shouldn't have any left down there especially if under an anaesthetic having it done. Sometimes its hard if the dog is awake, but if they're asleep it should be fairly simple and should be clean when done.

[RubyStar]

My girl had hers flushed and while I got to see the video of her ear canal down to her drum before and after and it was much improved, I was a little surprised and shocked to see her ears were still a tad gunky after paying out all that money!! I would have thought they'd be squeaky clean!

Edited May 17, 2013 by RubyStar

[kayla1]

Hmm interesting.

One of the vets said I could try another ear flush under anaesthetic to clean the ears, after the first ear flush under anaesthetic didn't remove all the muck. I couldn't understand, if they couldn't be cleaned properly the first time, how the second time would be any different?? Anyway I decided against it and am going to a dermatologist instead. Plus I'm a bit paranoid now after my other dog suffered a perforated ear drum during a clean (fortunately he now has clean ears thanks to this dermatologist).

The way the specialist explained it, I can see how it can sometimes be difficult, but it sounds like it shouldn't be happening very often at all.

[Erny]

I can only imagine that it would have similarities to humans, in that even a human ear specialist will recommend you use ear-wax-softening drops before attending for a simple ear-wax clean. If the wax is hard and semi-attached to the drum, removal can cause issues such as perforated ear drum (and by golly THAT hurts!! not to mention having the potential for complications down the track, especially in animals).

If wax is too hard/attached, flushing too hard can cause ear drum perforation as well. Gotta be super careful with these delicate but oh-so wonderful gifts of nature :).

[MsKatie]

Earl is going in for an ear clean under general on Monday - his ears are awful and obviously bothering him - we are hoping a flush and then whatever medication he needs and then daily cleaning can finally get on top of it - poor thing

[westiemum]

Olly had an ear flush while he was under for his de-sexing back on 25 March. His ears were so bad and so smelly and sore (left one had a benign polyp from chronic infection) that the vet said he got out most of the copious amounts of pus but particularly in the left ear with the polyp there might still be some there.

At his next vet check they were still infected and sore to the point I had difficulty getting the ear drops down them - so we decided on a course of cortisone. Then at the next check we started on a new ear solution Easotic, and then finally at his last check his ears were completely clear and healed. So with Olly, I think the flush was to get them to a point where they were treatable with ear solution and clinically manageable at home. I didn't expect the flush to completely fix them.

Edited May 25, 2013 by westiemum

[hilaryo]

Both my beagles have had ear problems this year for the first time ever. I just wanted to say both were prescribed "EasOtic" which is very expensive but what a result! Neither had an ear flush and the treatment is once a day for 5 days which makes them really squelchy, then it just keeps working for another 5 days as a residue. After that beautiful clean fresh smelling ears! Worth the money and very easy to use compared to other treatments as you can treat them lying down or upside down.

Now I just have to remember to use a normal ear cleaner weekly to keep them that way

Edited to add - this is a corticosteroid, antifungal and antibiotic.

Edited May 26, 2013 by hilaryo

[MsKatie]

Olly had an ear flush while he was under for his de-sexing back on 25 March. His ears were so bad and so smelly and sore (left one had a benign polyp from chronic infection) that the vet said he got out most of the copious amounts of pus but particularly in the left ear with the polyp there might still be some there.

At his next vet check they were still infected and sore to the point I had difficulty getting the ear drops down them - so we decided on a course of cortisone. Then at the next check we started on a new ear solution Easotic, and then finally at his last check his ears were completely clear and healed. So with Olly, I think the flush was to get them to a point where they were treatable with ear solution and clinically manageable at home. I didn't expect the flush to completely fix them.

That's my goal with Earl - I don't expect them to be fixed but I hope for the worst to be flushed and to hopefully be able to identify the actual problem and treat it - and then to manage it so the poor boy isn't in pain from them

[Jumabaar]

Have you talked to the vet about allergies being a possible factor in your boys ear problems KelpieHoundMum?

Edited May 26, 2013 by Jumabaar

[MsKatie]

I have - he is on grain free dog food at the moment - she has taken swabs too - hopefully this will get us closer to the bottom of his issues and give us a plan to tackle them, clear them up and manage them. He has really deep ear canals so getting right into them is difficult - joy of owning a bloodhound.

[Jumabaar]

I have - he is on grain free dog food at the moment - she has taken swabs too - hopefully this will get us closer to the bottom of his issues and give us a plan to tackle them, clear them up and manage them. He has really deep ear canals so getting right into them is difficult - joy of owning a bloodhound.

Unfortunately one of my dogs has some mild atopy (diagnosis by exclusion) so gets an ear infection every summer. Thankfully I can just manage the ear infection and haven't had to use further drugs to keep him comfortable.

[MsKatie]

Well - he has yeast infections in both ears and ear canals that almost reach his toes they are so deep (OK - slight exaggeration) But they are clean and he has painkillers and anti inflammatories and I have to clean his ears every day and go back every two weeks for swabs until they are cleared up. Poor thing - glad now I spent all that time training him to let me squirt stuff into his ears as I have to do it twice a day *sigh*

[westiemum]

Yes the Easotic worked extremely well here too. And given how putrid and painful poor Olly's ears were I switched him to a ccompletely grain-free diet as well - same as the westies - and he hasnt looked back. What I think were allergy rings around his eyes are growing out too and his coat has improved out if all sight. So all good here too. :)

[the cat lady]

I was very interested and timely to read the comments about the ear flushes.

As the owner of a dog that suffers from allergies, ear infections seem to be an ongoing problem .

His itching seems to be under control at the moment with the help of daily cyclosporyn tablets however we are still struggling with the ear infections.

Which brings me to ask... we have been trying to clear up his current "infection" for the last 3 weeks with antiboitics.

I took him back to the vet last week as we should have been seeing results by then. He "cleaned" out the ears, and said that there was a "plug of muck" which would have been preventing the antiboitics from getting to the root of the problem. While he was "cleaning" the ears I noticed that the cotton tips were blood stained, not old blood but bright red.

Could he have perforated the ear drum? or done some other damage?

This particular ear is now sooo sore that even though he is muzzled to have the drops in anyway, the struggle to do anything with this ear is hazardous with snarling growling and attempted biting. (I will add that our Hamish does have a good temperament except when it comes to his ears!)

Any thoughts would be helpful

[kayla1]

When Maxie's ear drum was perforated (which the dermatologist confirmed was caused by the original ear clean at the local vet) he was showing vestibular symptoms - head tilt, nystagmus, and also loss of hearing. I'm not sure whether these are the usual symptoms for ear drum perforation. But if your boy's ear drum has been ruptured then nothing should be put in that ear except warm saline solution, as further damage can be done by using other cleaners/drops.

After the ear drum was perforated Maxie developed an infection in the ear despite being given antibiotics iv and injection at the time, but fortunately the infection was in the external ear only and not in the middle ear.

If the muck was pushed further down it could cause damage. I would have thought if there is that much muck in the ear that the drops are not getting down then an ear flush would be needed. Has he had his ears cleaned under general anaesthetic before? If the ears are that sore I would be back to the vet - well, based on my experience, personally I would be off to a dermatologist asap for a suspected ear drum perforation because they have the knowledge and better equipment to diagnose and treat it.

[the cat lady]

When Maxie's ear drum was perforated (which the dermatologist confirmed was caused by the original ear clean at the local vet) he was showing vestibular symptoms - head tilt, nystagmus, and also loss of hearing. I'm not sure whether these are the usual symptoms for ear drum perforation. But if your boy's ear drum has been ruptured then nothing should be put in that ear except warm saline solution, as further damage can be done by using other cleaners/drops.

After the ear drum was perforated Maxie developed an infection in the ear despite being given antibiotics iv and injection at the time, but fortunately the infection was in the external ear only and not in the middle ear.

If the muck was pushed further down it could cause damage. I would have thought if there is that much muck in the ear that the drops are not getting down then an ear flush would be needed. Has he had his ears cleaned under general anaesthetic before? If the ears are that sore I would be back to the vet - well, based on my experience, personally I would be off to a dermatologist asap for a suspected ear drum perforation because they have the knowledge and better equipment to diagnose and treat it.

Our Hamish is not displaying any of the symptoms you mentioned, just lots of head flapping and scratching at it.

The soreness seems to be improving a little, however nowhere near back to normal.

The vet gave me the antibiotic drops and wants to see him again in 2 weeks.

An ear flush under anaesthetic has never been mentioned, however I may suggest it as I can't see how the ears can successfully be cleaned while the dog is muzzled and snarling, and trying to escape and generally being unco-operative.

Thanks for you comments

[kayla1]

When Maxie's ear drum was perforated (which the dermatologist confirmed was caused by the original ear clean at the local vet) he was showing vestibular symptoms - head tilt, nystagmus, and also loss of hearing. I'm not sure whether these are the usual symptoms for ear drum perforation. But if your boy's ear drum has been ruptured then nothing should be put in that ear except warm saline solution, as further damage can be done by using other cleaners/drops.

After the ear drum was perforated Maxie developed an infection in the ear despite being given antibiotics iv and injection at the time, but fortunately the infection was in the external ear only and not in the middle ear.

If the muck was pushed further down it could cause damage. I would have thought if there is that much muck in the ear that the drops are not getting down then an ear flush would be needed. Has he had his ears cleaned under general anaesthetic before? If the ears are that sore I would be back to the vet - well, based on my experience, personally I would be off to a dermatologist asap for a suspected ear drum perforation because they have the knowledge and better equipment to diagnose and treat it.

Our Hamish is not displaying any of the symptoms you mentioned, just lots of head flapping and scratching at it.

The soreness seems to be improving a little, however nowhere near back to normal.

The vet gave me the antibiotic drops and wants to see him again in 2 weeks.

An ear flush under anaesthetic has never been mentioned, however I may suggest it as I can't see how the ears can successfully be cleaned while the dog is muzzled and snarling, and trying to escape and generally being unco-operative.

Thanks for you comments

Using cotton buds is only going to remove some of the gunk that you can see, and not the gunk that's down near the ear drum. I've seen vets use cotton buds to get bits of gunk near the opening to the ear canal but never further down and not for a clean as such? If wax and muck builds up near the ear drum it can place pressure on it and become very painful.

FWIW I was told an ear drum perforation from an ear clean is not very common, not that it's any consolation when it's your dog!

I don't have any experience with chronic ear infections but there are others here who do. Hope he continues to improve.