[Bru_Dad]

Hello All,
Bru has had ear fungus. Treated twice at the vet.
Can anyone recommend an over the counter ear fungus medication.
Thank you.
Kind regards,
Jeff

 

[Mannix]

https://www.amazon.com/Zymox-Otic-Ear-Solution-Hydrocortisone/dp/B0025YOJXS
Expensive but it works.

 

[techinstructor]

The hydrocortisone will address the itching but it won't do much to stop the yeast growth. The Zymox also has antimicrobials which kill bacterial but will not kill the yeast. I use Mometamax, but it's Rx and expensive. It does work though.

 

[Kionacreek]

Generic Monistat cream, I confirmed it was okay with my vet. My old gal Maggie had chronic ear infections.

 

[Mannix]

The hydrocortisone will address the itching but it won't do much to stop the yeast growth. The Zymox also has antimicrobials which kill bacterial but will not kill the yeast. I use Mometamax, but it's Rx and expensive. It does work though.

Zymox Otic Ear Drops for Dogs: Side Effects, Benefits, and More
"Zymox Otic enzymatic solution in the form of ear drops treat bacterial, viral and yeast infections in the outer ear of dogs and cats. It contains the enzymes Lactoferrin, Lactoperoxidase, and Lysozyme. It is available in the forms of two different preparations. One with hydrocortisone and one without hydrocortisone."

It worked for me.
My Red dog had reoccurring yeast infections in his ears as confirmed by my veterinarian. A fellow GSD owner recommended the Zymox and Red was cured. I wish I had known about it earlier as it would have saved me money and Reds' suffering.
I previously tried different over the counter treatments to no avail.

My current GSD, Mannix started showing symptoms recently in his right ear. I didn't confirm with a vet but used Zymox, he's cured also.
Good stuff.
There is a non-hydrocortisone version also.

 

[techinstructor]

Thanks for the information Mannix. I spoke too soon and wasn't familiar with all the ingredients. It's good to know there is an alternative to Mometamax.

 

[Magwart]

I've treated a lot of foster dog ear infections. Mometemax is great (and there are other brands that are similar ingredients, RX only). The big downside is that you MUST clean the ears before applying it, for it to work as intended -- and dogs with ear infections hate having their ears cleaned. You also need to re-check in a week to make sure it's responded appropriately, as resistant microbes are now on the rise.

Zymox doesn't have the resistance problems because it uses an enzyme to break them down, but it's also not as strong as the RX. OTOH, you do not clean the ears before applying it, so it's brilliant for dogs who hate ear cleaning (or for whom it's painful).

The Zymox product line can be a little confusing. The "ear treatment" products are labeled as "otic enzymatic solution," for dogs with problems (like yours). They offer them with and without hydrocortisone (which helps the itching), and in different strengths. For dogs with chronic issues, I would use the red bottle ("advanced") -- there's a new gold bottle, but I haven't used it and am not sure the difference from the red bottle. For a one-off, the regular strength blue bottle (regular strength) is fine -- especially if you're good at starting it as soon as you notice the dog pawing at the ear and don't let it progress. Chewy has them all:

zymox otic - Free shipping | Chewy

zymox otic - Shop Chewy for low prices and the best products! We carry a large selection and the top brands like Zymox and more. Find everything you need in one place. FREE shipping on orders $49+ and the BEST customer service!

www.chewy.com

After you have treated it, then you may need some maintenance cleaning. The Zymox Cleanser is the best ear cleaner that I know of. I keep a big bottle around.