Table of Contents
Ear Infection Remedies for Pets
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DISCLAIMER
* Our readers offer information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional veterinary prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your veterinarian before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your Veterinarian can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your pet's unique needs or diagnose your pet's particular medical history.
1 BETTER BUT NOT CURED
[BETTER BUT NOT CURED] 09/27/2009: Chris from Hobbs, Nm writes: "hi.to make along story short once i went to the feed store and saw some occular ointment for pigs i think, like a salve in alittle tube and simalar stuff with anti infection in a tube from rugular store in my bulldogs ear. it must have worked. ive put acv mixed with everthing else and salve in my labs ear he dont like it so i dont do it so often. its helped some. and i found some homeopathic human ear drops in a little bottle i thinh it helped. i spray acv to wash out his ears first they are dirty and he dont like it. i been thinking about trying oil of oregano after reading here about garlic oil. both are famous for infections. also ive been giving cottage cheese to eat for their bacteria humans have to have some kind of yogurt for yeast and good health also i make biskits with 1 or 2 lbs old fashiond oatmeal 1lb white cornmeal its not supposed to be genetetically modified yet maybe half lb organic flour non aluminum baking podwer salt eggs can milk olive oil they love them. i believe oats are super food and sardine and eggs and good dog food and some ground flax"
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1 YEA
[YEA] 02/27/2009: Marie from Auckland, New Zealand writes: "I tried the Vinegar solution but it only caused more redness in my dogs ears. But I have had great success with the Olive Oil and milk remedy. 2tbs oil to 1 tbsp of milk, warmed up. Soak a piece cotton wool in the mixture and rub on the inside of the ears making sure only a little goes into the ear cavity. It is really helping, the redness and smell is nearly gone. It will need to be kept up once a day a least to keep it at bay for now though."
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05/28/2009: Lisa from Lilburn, GA writes: "I tried most of the remedies except the blue power.The apple cider vinegar works great to clean my dog's ear and if I use it regularly it prevents the ear infection from returning. After some time of neglecting to clean my dog's ear, the ear infection always returns. After the last ear infection, we had a culture and sensitivity test done to confirm the presence of an antibiotic resistant staph bacteria. The vet prescribed a powerful antibiotic that would have to be administered for over a month and possibly longer. I refused the antibiotics from my "naturopathic" vet and received a horrible scolding after I said I wanted to try something else first. I tried the milk and olive oil and saw some improvement but not enough. Needed something stronger, quicker because the ears were oozing puss. After researching I found a commercial product called Zymox which got the ear infection under control within 2 days. I have now been using it for about 5 days and the ears look normal, but I will continue for the full 14 days to completely kill the bacteria. Ingredients include natural milk enzymes lysozyme, lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin that work by digesting bacteria. It comes with or without hydrocortisone. Other ingredients include: glycerin, deionized water, dydroxy propyl cellulose, benzol alcohol, potassium iodide, dextrose, propyl glycol, glucose oxidase."
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04/20/2009: Terri from Pittsburgh, PA writes: "I have been reading the comments regarding ear infections. the problem i need help with is i have a 12 yr old german shephard. he has had an on going ear problem since January. He has had blood in his ear. it is painfull. he is on his 3rd round of antibiotics with no change. the vet started him on steroid yesterday. the vet is not able to see that far down into his ear to tell what maybe causing the bleeding. has anyone come across this and are there any solutions? there is no bad smell coming from his ear."
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RUBBING ALCOHOL AND WHITE VINEGAR
[YEA] 02/05/2007: Vince from Philadelphia writes: "My guys both had an ear problem, that wasn't mites. I had heard about using rubbing alcohol and white vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide and something else that I couldn't remember. I tried the alcohol and vin, which I tested on my elbow pits and eyelids, with no irritation. They shook for 20min, probably being a watery liquid it was different than mineral oil, and went deeper. They had been scratching themselves silly before, but they didn't scratch after treating them."
12/03/2008: Dan from Quiet Town, Maine replies: "I came across this site trying to find an easy and less expensive way to handle my cats ear infection. I am reading about the 50% white vinegar, 50%water and I believe it was a tsp. of alcohol but am still unsure whether to try it or not.
My cat had an ear infection but it seemed to handle go away on its own but all of a sudden he smells again and has oozing bloody looking stuff draining from his ears. He doesn't seem to be bothered by it and is'nt doing any of the shaking and scratching I've read about.
Has anyone tried this on cats? How much do I insert in his ear?
Thanks for any replies!"
09/26/2009: G. G. from Nyc, Ny replies: "I believe that equal parts of Apple Cider Vinegar, water, and Alcohol should be applied with a soaked cotton ball.I have a Siamese cat who belongs to my nephew who has been seen by two vets at a huge cost, and we were snookered into buying some antibiotics [that I thankfully hesitated to use]. Both vets were not helpful and their lack of knowledge regarding healthy, natural medicine choices was both pathetic and disappointing.
However, thanks to this web site I believe that this pretty Siamese will be well again."
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RUBBING ALCOHOL, VIOLET SOLUTION AND BORIC ACID
[YEA] 01/27/2010: Jp4120 from Phila., Pa writes: "cure for dog ear infections
this works perfectly for my dogs after many wasted trips to the vet and many useless expensive drug treatments
[Recipe found on the web]
* 16 Oz. Isopropyl Alcohol
* 4 Tablespoons Boric Acid Powder
* 16 Drops Gentian Violet Solution 1%
Mix together in alcohol bottle and shake well. You also will need to shake solution every time you use it to disperse the Boric Acid Powder. To use, purchase the "Clairol" type plastic bottle to dispense solution to affected ears.
TREATMENT: Evaluate condition of ears before treating and if very inflamed and sore do not attempt to pull hair or clean out ear at all. Wait until inflammation has subsided which will be about 2 days. Shake the bottle each time before using. Flood the ear with solution (gently squirt bottle), massage gently to the count of 60, wipe with a tissue. Flood again on first treatment, wipe with a tissue and leave alone without massage. The dog will shake out the excess, which can be wiped with a tissue. Best done outside wearing old clothes, as the Gentian Violet does stain fabrics.
The SCHEDULE of treatment is as follows: Treat 2x per day for the first week to two weeks depending upon severity of ears. Treat 1x per day for the next 1-2 weeks. Treat 1x per month (or even less frequently, depending on the dog). All of these ingredients should be available at a pharmacy. Despite the alcohol, most dogs will not object to even the first treatment. The Boric Acid Powder soothes the ear. The Gentian Violet Solution is an anti-infection agent. The solution appears to work well on any and all ear problems from mites to wax to canker. After the 2nd or 3rd day you can clean out the ear with a Q-tip or cotton balls. Their success rate for this treatment is 95-99%. Those who do not succeed have usually not done the treatment long enough or have not been regular about it."
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[YEA] 10/27/2007: Carol from Sacramento, CA writes: "I have used this on my dog (a cocker spaniel) for more than 10 years. No more ear infections!
Dog Ear Cleaner
16 oz. rubbing alcohol
10 drops violet solution
2 tabs. boric acid powder
You can purchase violet solution and boric acid powder at the drug store. Pour a little of the rubbing alcohol out of a 16 oz. bottle. Add the violet solution (be careful! - it stains) and the boric acid powder. Shake well. Put 5-8 drops in each ear several times per week. Shake each time you use it. You will save loads of money on vet bills - no more ear infections in your dog!"
[YEA] 09/18/2008: Cathy from Deltona, FL replies: "The recipe for the Blue Power Solution is incorrect. I am using this on my dog and it is awesome! The true receipe, from the book, It's all about the Animals, is:
16 oz. Isopropyl Alcohol
16 drops of Gentian Violet Solution (available at pharmacy)
4 tbsps Borac Acid Powder
(available at pharmacy)
1 new hair dye bottle to serve as the applicator
The Gentian Violet stains, so be careful. Best to do this outside.Mix everything in the alcohol bottle and shake well. Put in the dye bottle and gently flood the ear canal. Massage for 60 seconds and wipe with cotton ball. Do this 2x per day for 2 weeks. Always shake the bottle before each treatment to disperse the borac acid powder."
[YEA] 11/24/2008: Elba Martinez from Columbus, OH replies: "My Golden Retrieves has been getting ear infections every couple of months for the last year. The bill is over $200 every time I take him. I got the gentian violet and the boric acid at the pharmacy (special order because they do not carry it any longer) and started using it. I saw my dog's ear getting better within two day. I am still using it twice a day as recommended. Bingo's ear is like new and I only spent $21 and have solution for several month. I am even sharing it with a friend who also has a Golden Retriever and has spent over $1200 in vet bill. I am sure this is going to work. Thank You!! Does anybody know how often to use it after the infection is gone?"
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RUBBING ALCOHOL, WATER, WHITE VINEGAR
[QUESTION] 10/02/2009: Canyha1 from Clearwater, Florida writes: "I recently started to use a solution of equal parts alcohol, water, and white distilled vinegar instead of apple cider. I was wondering if that is ok or should I go and buy some apple cider? She has been having problems with her ears now for a month or two and after the estimate the vet gave me this seemed like an effective alternative. Just wondering on some feedback about the white distilled?"
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1 YEA
[YEA] 10/27/2009: Dee from Keene, Nh writes: "I have finally cured my cocker spaniel's ear infections. He had a yeast infection in both ears - first I tried Zymox which worked but then his infections came back. He also had a skin condition which cockers are known for. I've kept his ears clean and have been giving him Alaskan Salmon Oil and changed his diet to foods from his origin - Cockers came from Portugal - so basically foods that his ancestors ate - lamb, etc."
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1 WARNING!
[WARNING!] Stella from Ohio writes: "How potent is Joy dish-soap? Here's a little Food for Thought; A few yrs back when my dog had an ear infection the ointment that was used got on his fur & wouldn't come out for nothing so the Groomer used J...dish-soap and Yes it took the ointment out of his hair but also took the hair out along with it. Needless to say my dog still has a bald spot and the hair hasn't even attempted to grow back... Maybe J...dish-soap is the answer we've all been looking for, for hair removal on our legs & armpits."
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1 YEA
[YEA] 11/19/2007: Marilyn from Queensbury, New York writes: "My newfie has always had goopy ears and a slight doggy odor about her. At her last chiropractic visit, the chiropractor said that for some reason the big fluffy dogs are more prone to doggy odor and to give her 1/2 of a sweet potato every other day. She said just fix the sweet potato the way that I normally would and give it to her. So, I baked it in the microwave (poke some holes all around, nuke on high for 10 minutes, when done, immediately wrap in aluminum foil and let sit for at least 5 minutes), mashed it up with a little butter and gave it to her. Almost immediately I noticed a big difference - no more doggy odor and BONUS her normally goopy ears were clear and dry!!! Now she gets her sweet potato as prescribed - and they don't cost a fortune."
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2 YEA
[YEA] 08/19/2009: Llv319 from Mastic Beach, New York writes: "my dog had an ear infection for years. vet gave him meds but nothing worked.he had brown discharge and always scracthed and cried. then i used TEA TREE OIL. a couple of drops everyday and cleaned out the gunck! every other day i used ear powder to help dry up the ear.in a week it was gone. it's been years now and no infections. i use this remedy still as a preventative every few weeks. puppy is happy."
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[YEA] 03/22/2008: Kay from Crooked River Ranch, Oregon writes: "My shih tzu dog had a rash in one ear, I treated it with tea tree oil, I put it on with a cottonbal, it cleared up in two days. "
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1 YEA
[YEA] 06/13/2009: Amelia from Malibu, California writes: "My Lhasa Apso had chronic ear infections. After trying several different medications, the vet tested the smelly, runny discharge from her crusty ears. She had multiple colonies of bacteria including staff and strep etc. We did the best we could for quite a while and then I changed veterinarians. The new vet prescribed quite a bit of thyroid and her ears cleared up immediately and stayed clear as long as she was on the thyroid. Thyroid cured the ear infections."
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1 YEA
1 NAY
[YEA] 04/16/2008: Tim from Winters, California writes: "While trying to find out more about tea-tree oil's medicinal applications, I came upon the threads on Earth Clinic about ear infections in pet animals. I was disturbed and alarmed by the degree of inaccurate and incorrect information I encountered. Particularly of concern were the readers' comments soliciting unapproved and off-label uses of unknown parasite control products, especially in exotics.
A basic issue is the prevalence of ear mites. While very common in cats, it is virtually nonexistent in dogs under most circumstances. The people posting comments about the pros and cons of various treatment protocols for ear mites in dogs are most likely not even dealing with mites. And treating ear mites in cats these days is extremely simple and not worthy of prolonged discussion; a one-time (two at most) application of feline Revolution or Advantage Multi for cats should eliminate the pests. While a good product for flea control, Frontline is probably completely ineffective against mites.
I would recommend that this site be refereed by a competent veterinarian who embraces integrated (Eastern and Western) responsible practice.
Respectfully,
Tim Krasnansky DVM
Berryessa Veterinary Services
Winters, CA 95694
(530) 795-6090
BerryessaVet.com"
[NAY] 05/08/2008: Eisha from Austin, TX replies: "I completely disagree with this "professional" veternarian's opionion. All of the commercial recommendations he lists are not going to completely get rid of the issue and will most likely cause further problems in the future with your pet. I have a 14 year old cat whom I've had since she was a kitten. She has been sick with everything under the sun. I have used EVERY commercial treatment recommended by most vets as well as vet sites but nothing seems to fix or get rid of the problem unless it's a temporary fix. Recently I've done research on animal vaccines, food and other treatments and found many problems with it all. I switched my cats food to an all natural food (Innova) 9 months ago and her skin irritation (which caused her to rip out handfuls of hair) and weight problem came to a sudden halt. She started losing weight, became more playful and stopped ripping her hair out. Recently she acquired a severe ear infection; I've used hydrogen peroxide, apple cider vinegar and colloidal silver and it has cleared up amazingly. This Dr. Krasnansky is unable to open his mind to see there ARE other options for pet healthcare other than over the counter RX drugs. Sorry Doc, you're not fooling anyone but yourself."
07/18/2008: KL from Austin, Texas replies: "To Eisha from Austin, TX: You've jumped to conclusions about the vet's warning. He only mentioned two commercial products, and only in relation to mites. He then goes on to knock one of those treatments for being ineffective against mites. Most vets I've met are highly trained caring individuals. I do not think this doctor has a "closed mind". He is merely giving us a warning that solutions found online aren't always what they're cracked up to be. He did, after all, stumble upon this site looking for information on tea tree oil, so I doubt he's all that bad. Sorry Dr. Krasnansky for the poor reception here. I hope most folks will be able to recognize your constructive critique and warning. Eastern, Western, Homeopathic, or other medicines aside, we should gauge the safety and efficacy of ANY treatment before wholeheartedly recommending it to others. Inaccurate information -- about prescription medicine OR natural medicine -- can make animals sick or even kill them. Always be careful, and never believe what you read online without the sources to back it up."
12/05/2008: Brook from Twin Lake, Michigan replies: "The DVM is right. Most of these treatments listed on this site are potentially harmful to your pet. If you had an irritated area of skin on your body would you want to pour caustic materials such as rubbing alcohol and vinegar into? OUCH!!!! Come on people don't be ridiculous take your poor dog to the vet don't make the situation worse!!"
12/13/2008: Shawn from Albany, NY replies: "What this vet said was to the point correct. Mites are not common in dogs.. Google it and find out. as for mites in cats.. very simple solution. Mineral oil for a couple of days.. What most people don't understand is the Gunk in the dogs ear can either be bacterial or yeast issues. The bacterial infection can be flushed out with many treatments. The ear needs a balanced acidic environment to be healthy hence the use of ACV. The yeast infection can be a sign of something entirely different. Our pets are literally canaries in the coal mine. You need to eliminate the underlying cause in order to eliminate the occurrence of yeast infections. Food & environmental allergies are most likely the culprit. Again flushing the ear, creating an acid environment lessens the chance of a major yeast infection. So, don't write of any vet. They prescribe prednisone and other steroids because they know the owners will not eliminate the cause or, they don't know the cause. Been there done that. Proactive in my pets health care."
06/08/2009: Rosemary from Raleigh, NC USA replies: "Did the vet read through all the comments? I have been to the vet 4 times- at over $100 a pop, trying to get my cat's ears healthy. I work for a non-profit and do not make enough to continue this when the treatment prescribed does not work. I, like most people, come here because they are desperate to find something that will finally help their pet. I've tried what the vet sold me, now I'm ready to try something holistic.
Sorry if that cuts into my vet's profit margin, but believe it or not that is not my main concern."
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WHITE VINEGAR, BORIC ACID, RUBBING ALCOHOL AND BETADINE
[YEA] 03/28/2007: Linda Phillips from Phoenix, AZ writes: "My dog has heavy, drooping ears and loves the water, not a good combination!! I found this recipe for dog ear drops on a cocker spaniel web site and use it after each bath, swim, or at least twice a month or at the first sign of ear redness. It works much better than any product from my vet. Follow this link for the recipe http://www.zimfamilycockers.com/EarCleaner.html. "
[YEA] 05/08/2008: Terese from Cedar Rapids, Iowa replies: "I have a cocker spaniel that ALWAYS gets ear infections after he sees the groomer. I always tell her, "Do not douse his ears because cockers have 45 degree ear canals." Any water gets in there you are screwed and magically you have an ear infection. We have used this for him each time he gets an ear infection after the groomer. Yes, we have changed groomers but I think they get comfortable after a while and stop listening to me. I have used this on stray cats we rescued when they had ear mites, and they were gone after one good dousing. Of course we had to hold them down and they hissed and moaned. We do this to our dog about once a week to prevent the infections. We have to do it every day twice a day for a week after the groomer. This has saved us hundreds of dollars and several visits to the vet. My husband had a horrible ear infection and because of our horrible health insurance here in the US-we had to wait until the morning to go in. I put it in his ear... I told him, "If it works on Romper, WHY wouldn't it work on you?". He was very reluctant, but agreed if anything would take the pain away. The next morning he never went in to the doctor. Fever was gone, no more ear pain either. Amazing stuff."
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1 YEA
[YEA] 01/04/2009: Kathy from Detroit, Michigan writes: "My black Lab mix has always had allergies that end up causing problems with her ears and infections as well. She is now eleven years old and for the last 5 or so years we have been cleansing her ears with witch hazel. Not only does it have antibiotic qualities, it also is an anti-inflamitory. We buy witch hazel OTC in any store. Use cotton balls made with real cotton, and lightly soak with witch hazel, being careful not to get the cotton ball so wet that it drips and runs into the ear. Gently swab the inside of the ear, and remove the dark matter that builds up in the ear. sOur dog loves the treatment. It doesn't sting and she finds it soothing. We try to treat her every other day, depending on the severity of the allergy outbreak. Works like a charm and she relaxes after a treatment. We have saved a fortune in vet fees and medicine. Our vet approved of our method."
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