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Dog with fungal ear infection

Posted By Om (Hope, Bc, Canada) on 10/06/2014

Hello, Theresa --- my big dog has been with me now about ten months. He had neglected ears and at first I thought it was matter from the river where he was taken for a swim.

It looks though with all the things I have tried, that it looks like a black fungus like material. He cries when I try to inspect his ears. We can't see a vet. It is not ear mites, though. This fiber like material keeps coming up. Do you have an idea or what would be the best remedy to try?

Thanks. Namaste, Om

Replied by Theresa

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(Mpls., Mn) on 10/07/2014

Theresa

The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.

About Theresa

Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.

Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.

Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.

-----------------------------

How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation

If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.

http://www.piperslegacy.org/

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Namaste, Om!

I am trying to wrap my mind around *fibrous* material coming out of the ear. I assume there is no sign of a tumour or growth? And no foreign body such as a foxtail? If there are no foreign bodies, and no necrotic tissues from a tumour inside the ear [you would know, and it would really stink] then it *must* be either bacterial or fungal in nature.

So, that said, two things come to mind for your dog. The first is Zymox otic enzymatic solution with hydrocortisone - this is available on amazon and the like. This preparation contains enzymes to 'digest' the material and yeast, as well as a pain killer for the delicate, sore skin and the steroid to reduce the inflammation. When using Zymox you have no need to first clean the ear -- you just squirt the stuff deep into the ear canal and massage the base of the ear to work it in deep and then apply as directed. This would be my first choice for a dog who, due to pain, cannot tolerate his ears being handled.

My next thought is Ted's Anti-fungal/Anti-staph remedy. I was dipping one of mine in the tub and thought - hey, I bet this would work on the ear funk that is starting, so I used it in the ear and it did the trick. Now I use this as an ear rinse as part of my bathing routine; it does a good job at knocking bacteria or yeast out. This can be made in small batches as needed.

1/3 cup [3%] hydrogen peroxide

2/3 cup pure water

1 tablespoon each: Milk of Magnesia, Epsom salts and Borax.

Unlike the mange remedy where you must make a saturated solution, so some grains are undissolved, you want to make sure all the grains of salt and borax are dissolved before you use this in the ear. Make sure it is warmed to a comfortable temperature, then liberally flush the ears and allow the dog to shake the rest out. I would use this 2-3 times a day to start and monitor progress. I can't imagine this would sting the ear, but if your dog tells you it stings, then you need to go the olive oil infused with garlic first to get the skin in the ear healed up so it can tolerate the remedy.

Replied by Om (Hope Bc Canada) on 10/07/2014

Many thanks, Theresa. I was hoping you would mention the staph mixture by Ted. I will keep the other item in mind, too.

The black stuff looks like miniature lichen and sometimes just black gunk. His ears smell good, though. So far I have been using olive oil with mascerated garlic cloves, colloidal silver, and more.

I hope this will work. Namaste, Om

Replied by Theresa

Donate

(Mpls., Mn) on 10/08/2014

Theresa

The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.

About Theresa

Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.

Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.

Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.

-----------------------------

How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation

If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.

http://www.piperslegacy.org/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Get-Bobo-home/1409993732632080?sk=timeline&ref=page_internal

http://ted.earthclinic.com

Namaste, Om!

It sounds like you are throwing the book at this gunk and nothing seems to be sticking. I am interested in knowing how Ted's remedy will do for your dog!

To me it seems chronic ear issues stem from 2 things; vertebral subluxation and/or systemic yeast infection. A chiro is probably out of the question with this particular dog, and I know you already dose yogurt and probiotics, however you might consider dosing borax in the water. Doses vary - Ted has recommended 1/4 teaspoon per liter of water down to 1/16 teaspoon so go with your gut on dose. If your dog's ears respond to the topical remedy, Ted advised in 2007:

"If that [anti staph remedy] works then I might add a small amount 1/16 teaspoon of epsom salt in one liter of drinking water for only a couple of days. If the dog has low magnesium, quite often allergy shows up. For a yeast or even most sickness of the dog, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda added to the drinking water for a couple of days will also reduce the yeast infection. The yeast infection issue is due to a fungus, which if borax 1/16 teaspoon is added along with the baking soda in one liter of water can also take care of it. Besides those remedies also addresses dog's nutritional deficiency for bicarbonates and boron, and even if it does not directly address a very specific condition, the dog will generally get better and in some cases get cured, because of a deficiency issue. It's all about trying them out when I know those remedy are designed to address deficiency issue which makes it important that those should at least be addressed first."

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