It looks like dried clotted blood from here
Have you scrubbed it off and put antibiotic on it?

They make products you can put on their ears to repel flies
Also picking up the poop daily will prevent them from breeding and feeding in your yard

This is a sample
Farnam: Swat Fly Repellent Ointment

 

Does it look like a cut or does the ear have little black nubs that kinda look spikey or like the bottom of a really rough paw? My girl gets these black little tumor type things that we try to pick off as soon as the sprout otherwise they continue to grow and we have to have them surgically removed. Our old vet gave use some nasty salve to put on that did nothing. I'll be asking at our new vet at her next apt what he thinks.

 

Yeah they look like scabs, and they are fallingoff when they play and they are bleeding all over the place

 

ok I just bought this tub well see how it goes
Farnam: Swat Fly Repellent Ointment

 

Are you sure your friends hasn't just left them outside?

Usually that is a problem that you have with dogs that are outside dogs.

 

Are you sure your friends hasn't just left them outside?

Usually that is a problem that you have with dogs that are outside dogs.

Theywere left outside, I couldn't have them in the house for 2-3days at a time

 

I can understand leaving them outside but I would have a daily check and picking up dog mess to minimize problems. You never know what can go wrong

 

A daily check just was not possible, the friend I had checking is a single mother and she is in the Army as well... I have a webcam watching them though so that's how I make sure they are alive andstuff

 

Its called "flystrike". Flies start biting the skin, then keep it up and it gets worse and worse. Get the ears cleaned up and keep some antibiotic ointment on them, keep the flies away from the ears.

 

Oops.....I didn't see your post.....

 

The flies are what are actually doing it. They are biting the ends of your dogs ears. You need to get the blood off and put fly repellent on them until healed.
This is a big problem in Australia especially in Spring when the flies are just coming out and seem to be really persistent.......we are Autumn here so you are Spring over there??......they can do real damage if you don't stop them.

 

The worst part is that I have to go back to training on the 30th UNTIL the 18th... ugh these poor dogs..

 

... ugh these poor dogs..

Yup, exactly. You said it yourself.

Seriously if you cared about your dogs then board them. They will be in a safe environment, being watched after, fed, and with water daily. You are in the military so you have an income, just take the hit and board them.

Its completely negligent to leave dogs home alone for 3 weeks with only someone coming by once and a while when they get time. Dogs are like children and the same rules should apply. You left your dogs alone once and something bad happened, you shouldn't do it again.
.

I'd call in on you as well.

ok I disagree, Dogs are NOT like children... They are dogs... Im really not going to get into this.. I am not breaking any laws, you should take comfort in knowing that I don't just tie them to a stake in the backyard and feed them every now and then, there ARE people who do that and they don't care enough to get online and research crap like this.

Yeah I have called around and the best price I got was $28 a day which comes out to about $1000 for 18 days..

So these dogs are on their own devices for weeks at a time, other than a person who occasionally drops in? And this is seriously okay by you?

What a shame.

Ok so you don't tie them to a stake and leave them.. you just leave them. Good. Clearly, such people are horrible dog owners - and you're comparing yourself to them? Maybe you should compare yourself to most of the owners here, and see how you're failing these dogs.

Personally, I'd totally blow the grand so my babies were safe and healthy.

 

There are products you can apply once daily to keep the flies off.....so apply in the morning and will last the day. Obviously keeping them inside would fix the problem but sometimes these things are just not possible. Someone will need to come and treat the ears though for you.....good luck!!

 

You really cannot leave dogs for three weeks, with someone dropping by occasionally. Even your web cam, what will you do if you do see that your dog has a problem? Can you just leave and take care of them? Can you call someone?

I think you have to make some hard choices. Sorry, but if this was going on next to me I would call animal control. If you do not have family that can live there for a few weeks, and you cannot afford a pet sitter, dog walker, or boarding kennel, then you should seriously think about rehoming your dogs.

Leaving them outside in grass, with an accumulation of poop is going to cause the flies to come and bite them. If you cannot manage someone to come every day, clean poop, feed, and water your dogs as a minimum, then you need to think of alternatives.

 

The thing about the flies is you need some way to control them because yes the ears can be protected with a thick layer of that SWAT but they will also go for the nose and the dogs will lick it right off of the nose which is not good. Plus if the dogs play with each other they may clean it off of each others ears.

Is there nobody else you can pay to come over daily and pick up the mess? That is the only way you are going to get a handle on the flies - at the very least get the yard picked completely up everytime she comes over else you are breeding more and more flies.

Is there a place outside where you can safely set up several fans for the dogs to lay in front of (where they can't get to the electrical wires and it is insulated from rain)? The flies don't like the moving air as much and it is good for the dogs anyway if it gets hot.

 

I have a better solution, I just emailed the landlord and im seeking permission to install a doggy door. I can confine them to the kitchen area in the house so they don't destroy the rest of the house while im gone.

Even if they don't give permission im going to buy a new door and take theirs off, I will just put their door back on when we move out.

No I won't rehome the dogs, I have like 5 months in the Army left and my wife comes back from her deployment in June. IM also going to get some fly repellent stuff that I will rig up torelease on timers and I will hang those fly catching bags up in the backyard.

If I saw the dog had a serious problem I could likely get permission to go take care of that, but it would have to be life limb or eyesight, the military does not care about your animals.

 

Board them. Please.

 

That sounds like a good plan. You would have between now and then to see how it works. I know the whole situation has to be tough. Make sure it is not big enough a criminal could get in though.

 

You could let a student or someone else stay at your home for free in exchange for caring for your dogs. They really need someone to feed and clean up after them. Be careful with fly strike-my moms' dog was an outdoor only dog before she adopted him and flies have bitten deep into his ear tissue and it kind of affects his looks. You don't want that to happen with your dogs. Good luck.

 

I'm sorry, but no way. 18 days, and someone coming over when she can to make sure they have food and water? It has to be every day. If she is coming over every day to give them food and water, and really the poop needs to be cleaned.

If you have enough money for a doggy door, or a whole new door, why not just board the dogs?

 

I'm sorry, but no way. 18 days, and someone coming over when she can to make sure they have food and water? It has to be every day. If she is coming over every day to give them food and water, and really the poop needs to be cleaned.

If you have enough money for a doggy door, or a whole new door, why not just board the dogs?

Thanks for the suggestions, but the doggy door is going in.. Door's are not that expensive lol.. Boarding Is very expensive.

Their food is put into a cat litter box, it's big enough to hold two weeks of food and the dogs head opens the door and they eat the food. Keeps the birds out. THey also have 4 five gallon buckets for water and a kiddie pool to lay in.

Noone is just going to stay at my house, **** with that.. I have guns, and all kinds of other stuff I don't want people going through.

 

We've also gotten dogs in rescue who were always outdoor dogs and their ears are scarred and bitten up from fly strike.

 

Seriously if you cared about your dogs then board them. They will be in a safe environment, being watched after, fed, and with water daily. You are in the military so you have an income, just take the hit and board them.

Its completely negligent to leave dogs home alone for 3 weeks with only someone coming by once and a while when they get time. Dogs are like children and the same rules should apply. You left your dogs alone once and something bad happened, you shouldn't do it again.

 

ok I disagree, Dogs are NOT like children... They are dogs... Im really not going to get into this.. I am not breaking any laws, you should take comfort in knowing that I don't just tie them to a stake in the backyard and feed them every now and then, there ARE people who do that and they don't care enough to get online and research crap like this.

Yeah I have called around and the best price I got was $28 a day which comes out to about $1000 for 18 days.. NO thanks, they will be just fine. I also just got off the phone with my mother and she can stay here for about a week so you bleeding hearts can relax about 33% now.

 

Try some ear mite remedy, kills them really fast and you should see a big difference real soon.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, but the doggy door is going in.. Door's are not that expensive lol.. Boarding Is very expensive.

I'm curious if you've even called around??
Because if you explain you are military there may be a financial break for you.
I'd encourage you to at least call and check, unless you want to come back to your dog's ears looking like hamburger again.

 

Leaving dogs in a yard for three weeks with a 5 gallon bucket of water and food for two weeks in a litter box is not breaking any laws???

Dogs need fresh water regularly. Every day it needs to be checked, preferably changed. Just because the bucket holds five gallons does not mean the water is fresh for weeks. My stainless steel buckets will start getting scum in them overnight. That **** needs to be changed.

Dogs are not children, but they are like children in that they are totally dependent on you. Leaving them for weeks is completely wrong. And doggy doors are not necessarily cheap, and house doors are not cheap either. Neither are camera systems to monitor your dogs.

You do not want to pay for your dogs to be properly cared for. It is just for a couple of months until you are out of the service. I hope your dogs catch a skunk in your yard and drag it into your kitchen. Then maybe, with two skunky dogs and a house smelling like rotting skunk you will realize that the answer is not a doggy door, a five gallon bucket, and a litter box.

 

Alright I got my awnswers... good day everyone!

These animals are NOT my "babies"... They are animals.

Someone stops by and changes the water every few days, there is a total of 20 gallons of water jesus some of you people are unreal.

 

you bleeding hearts

What's with the insults?
So taking even the very most basic care of your dogs and their health is being a "bleeding heart"?

I realize you are feeling defensive right now but you know your dogs are suffering and you aren't willing to do much at all about it.
Would you like sitting outside in the hot sun for days with flies eating your ears??

 

Is there anyone willing to foster them for you? I know it must be hard, but if you really care about them, please see if there is help, I bet there is someone within distance(even where you will be staying) that will foster short term.