Posted By PaintyLiz (Ft Worth TX) on 07/08/2026
Short version: 13 y/o Maltese went deaf suddenly
Had a very bad mouth infection for about 4 years - we did not understand at the time
She now eats homemade dogfood (mostly chicken)
Last yearly vax was about 7 years ago, but one within 4 years when visited vet (kennel cough?) for surgery
Had antibiotic pills ~4 years ago
SUDDENLY 4 years later went deaf.
2023- I finally woke up & started treating her myself - started spraying her mouth multiple times a day with activated chlorine dioxide & daily ivermectin dose. This brought the infection into a very manageable level.
Last 6 mos - I have been giving her zeolite, bentonite & diatomaceous earth in rotation. Also continuing activated chlorine dioxide + Ivermectin. Her overall health is amazing now.
She also does not want to jump down from the couch - someone mentioned skeletal misalignment can make them deaf?
ANY SUGGESTIONS TO REMEDY HER DEAFNESS?
Longer version: The last time my poor Maltese, Emily, was at the vet was about 3-4 years ago because she had a horrid dental infection. Decided that we would let them do what they could - up to and including pulling her teeth. In order to do the treatment they prescribed an antibiotic in advance (most likely clindamycin, can check later) and charged $800+ for an office visit - plus gave her a 'kennel cough' vaccine. I still feel terribly guilty about that - but we were desperate. We did not go back because the office visit - told us it would be $80 was 10x that! No telling what the 'treatment' would have cost us!
(Pet ownership is being discouraged - one tactic is they are buying out small vets, replacing them with mega-vets that charge mega-bucks and making pet ownership out of reach for most people who still bring their dogs to vets - I believe this is backfiring as people are waking up to the damage pharma has done to domestic animals & people and learning - as we did - to treat them at home with safe materials)
Anyway, Emily went deaf about 4 months ago. Is this possibly a side effect of daily ivermectin? I don't think so, but I'm open to any possibility. Ivermectin + Chlorine Dioxide has really knocked down that nasty infection, but they seem to work in concert, remove either one & the infection roars back
Thank you so much for any insight, suggestions or sympathy for Emily. We're going to look at remedies for dental infections now!!!
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