Ear advice??

Last year I took Moo to the vets cause she was shaking her head and scratching her ear, It ended up she just had a blocked ear with wax, £50 later for some drops, which did work and a week later the build up had dispersed. She now (I think) has it again and before I go trudging off back to the vets I wondered if anyone has any other way of getting the build up to go??? Without spending ££££ at the vets again??? Any opinions would be great, even if its just to say the vets is the only thing to do!! Thanks

You could try warm olive oil - just put a few drops into the ear & rub it in gently. Use a cotton bud to wipe excess away from the outer ear.

Unless it's really hard packed, that should do the trick. Very often, all the vet gives you is glorified oil anyway!

Ok, how do you do it?? What oil should I try, how do you heat it etc etc, I just need basics, thanks Caryll

i clean my two's ears regular , especially shadys as he gets buld up like moo and ive been stung in the past , i clean them as a do my own , with cotton buds , very gently

Get a small dropper from the chemist - they're only cheap & sometimes they'll give them out without charge (depends how well you know your chemist!). I'd pour a couple of tablespoons of oil into a small cup & microwave it for 5 seconds at a time until it's warm to touch, but not hot.

Then just fill the dropper & drop three or four drops of oil into the ear & massage the ear so it helps it go right down. She may actually like it!

niff wrote:i clean my two's ears regular , especially shadys as he gets buld up like moo and ive been stung in the past , i clean them as a do my own , with cotton buds , very gently

As a regular daily clean up that's fine, but if there's already a build up of wax & dirt it won't do anything. The warm oil will loosen the wax & help it & the dirt to gradually move out of the ear.

Caryll wrote:Get a small dropper from the chemist - they're only cheap & sometimes they'll give them out without charge (depends how well you know your chemist!). I'd pour a couple of tablespoons of oil into a small cup & microwave it for 5 seconds at a time until it's warm to touch, but not hot.

Then just fill the dropper & drop three or four drops of oil into the ear & massage the ear so it helps it go right down. She may actually like it!

Yes dont waste your money at the vets oilive oil will loosen the wax a treat you can buy it in a ear form from asda in the medication section as a complete spray bout£4 just pop it into warm water before you use so its luke warm.
Have a look in the ear if its red though and smells it may be infected and pets at home will sell you some antibacterial drops which will work just as good as the vet will give and save you £40 odd quid

Thanks guys, off to the chemist now, rang my vets to see how much it cost last time and its £70 so if this works you have saved me a lot!! I'm pretty sure its not infected, there isn't any discharge and it doesn't smell, Will let you know.............off I trot

£70 seems like an awful lot for ear drops! I can remember Skibadee having an infected ear canal once and needed drops for it. It only cost I think £25 for the consultation and about £8 - £10 for the drops.

vets seem to differ in prices hugely .

£70 is silly money for some drops.
Hope this works and great to know if I eve hve to do it for Blue
Hope it works Janey

Hope the oil works for Moo janey and saves you a trip to vets

I know olive oil works really well for human ears, my dads were really bad once and it worked wonders. Hope it works for Moo

Thanks everyone, and yes £70 is rather exessive but thats what it cost, I even phoned to double check how much it was last time, she had 2 lots last time, one to clear the wax and another, well I have no idea what they where for! Maybe I was a mug but it cleared it up, got some olive oil ear drops from boots, so just keeping fingers crossed, glad I asked here first x

How did it work for you Janey?... is Moo feeling better?

Still waiting to see Mel. Its only been 4 days, I hope its working, doesn't seem to be bothering her as much now

Yeah you will have to keep us informed. It could end up a massive money saver.
How long does the treatment from the vets normally take to work?

Well at least it seems to have given her some relief xx

If I remember rightly is was about 2 weeks, but she was fine after one. She has suffered before so whether this works we will see, but it is certainly relieveing it though. Will let yas know when I know

Hope its cleared up soon! HELLO MOO.......can she hear me ??

Hayley109 wrote:Hope its cleared up soon! HELLO MOO.......can she hear me ??

sadly yes, although she does have selected hearing anyway!!

janey wrote:

Hayley109 wrote:Hope its cleared up soon! HELLO MOO.......can she hear me ??

sadly yes, although she does have selected hearing anyway!!

Pair of you are nuts

Hi janey hows moos ears doin any improvement

Thanks for asking, it doesn't seem to bother her as much but certainly hasn't gone completly. I'm very dubious about going to the vets though because of the cost but, I think I may have to bite the bullet and just do it. Just annoys me cause it is just a build up and the dam cost last time

Maybe you should go to the vets this time, and in future just keep the ears clear with olive oil evry 2 weeks or so.

Caryll wrote:Maybe you should go to the vets this time, and in future just keep the ears clear with olive oil evry 2 weeks or so.

I know, it just only bothers her slightly when she has just woken up the rest of the time its fine, doesn't smell and know discharge..............Great advice on the oil and I for one certainly will be doing it in the future, so thanks and I recommened it to others, if its going to save ££'s in the future. I have till Tuesday to decide and am ever hopefull it will clear, but I won't be holding my breath!

It does take a while to travel from the ear canal out but if there is a lot in there then maybe take her the oil will stop the build up in future.
I suffer from waxy ears so I no how she feels.
But the price is expensive

you could try placing a hotwater bottle wrapped up in towel and place it under her head while she sleeps with you on the settee for an hour etc so the wax melts naturally and drips out.
what I done with Taz the towel was a right mess afterwards lol
I had to have it done to me several times because of my twisted ear tube and having so many earachs and it helped alot.

MissRogue wrote:you could try placing a hotwater bottle wrapped up in towel and place it under her head while she sleeps with you on the settee for an hour etc so the wax melts naturally and drips out.
what I done with Taz the towel was a right mess afterwards lol
I had to have it done to me several times because of my twisted ear tube and having so many earachs and it helped alot.

Its worth a try, on it now!

janey wrote:

MissRogue wrote:you could try placing a hotwater bottle wrapped up in towel and place it under her head while she sleeps with you on the settee for an hour etc so the wax melts naturally and drips out.
what I done with Taz the towel was a right mess afterwards lol
I had to have it done to me several times because of my twisted ear tube and having so many earachs and it helped alot.

Its worth a try, on it now!

Did it help at all?

Affraid not, was ever hopefull. She wouldn't stay still on it for longer than 10secs, she is a real fidget. Thanks though I was so hoping it would work. Still in two minds about taking her to the vets tomorrow, but just think its the only answer now x

Right I have the vets at 5, I've given in, but thanks to everyone for advice and in future I will be cleaning her ears on a regular basis!

Good luck, I hope it won't be quite as expensive as last time.

So do I

Fingers crossed

Well £59.17 later!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bleedin expensive things...........................

That is expensive.
Moo will be back to full health though and you can't put a price on that

I know but the last time it happened was July last year! The vet said I was lucky because she see's some dogs that need to be treated monthly for it!!

Dead pleased that it will be back to normal in a week though, and I will be cleaning them more often now, although I think this may well be a reaccuring condition.

Wouldn't want that bill every month!
I love your profile pic, If Moo was mine the next pic would have been me in the bed. She looks soooo comfortable in it. I want one

Yer thats the one she shredded!

Gotta love em

No you really don't

Ok yer you do

Kaiser does this what moo does and our last visit to the vet for his yearly booster he told me to keep an eye on his ears as they are quite narrow and can be prone to get blocked and infected he hasnt had an infection in them before but since the vets told us this i clean them regularly to try and stop it and they do get pretty dirty believe it or not. Im going to try the olive oil too

Vikki what do you use at the moment to clean them???

just cotton buds. He shakes his head and trys to get his paws down them just like moo usually when he has been running through bushes he gets dirt down then think i might try the olive oil doing that regular it might help

Massive thanks to all advice. We had her week check earlier and the infection has cleared so no more drops etc till the next episode! It really has taught me a lesson to keep them clean! Just pleased its done with, for now lol. Thanks again x

Glad she's all better now!