Gracie's ear is bright red - she's not scratching it like before but it is super red all the way down into the canal
Thank goodness the vet had an appointment today - tomorrow is his surgery day and Thursday is his day off. I feel like crud and just want to sleep but I'm going to drag myself there for 2:00 --- have to take care of my girl. It's not the food this time - I stopped the Blue Buffalo as soon as he said to so what can it be now??? (Does anyonelse who grew up on '80's music have who can it be now by Men At Work rolling through their brain?!!!
) I feel like it's never ending with her and always takes so long to get illnesses cleared up with her.
Nothing is wrong with Blue Buffalo, but her vet thinks she may have been allergic to the barley and/or alfalfa in it. She's been eating the same food since Sept '06 for her digestive system and the new food may have thrown things out of balance. If it works for your dog, keep feeding it. I'm disappointed that Gracie had problems because she loved it and I liked the ingredients.
Maybe it's something as simple as a yeast infection or a bug bite... Have you had her in any water recently? Tess ran through the sprinkler last year and ended up with a yeast infection in one of her ears... The sprinkler for goodness sakes!
Sending good thoughts your way and I hope Gracie feels better soon!
No, she hasn't had sprinkler time since the last ear problem. I'm just so frustrated - most likely exacerbated by my being sick. It's going to end up being nothing.......
Awww *HUGS* Jen. I know how you feel. Sometimes it feels like it's always something with our dogs. Hope it's something easy-to-treat and clears up soon.
Lakota is having problems with flaming Red ears also. I haven't switched his food in a year and a half, I watch what he gets for treats since he is prone to bouts of Pancreatitis. Normally he only has allergy problems late summer - early fall, so this must be a new seasonal allergy popping up. They can develope new allergies, just like humans can.
So I just bring out the Zymox with Hydrocortisone in it and it sooths the ear. If I don't give him some relief, he gets him big honking feet in there and scratch until he yeps in pain. Some times just fludhin his ear with the Zymox cleaner helps also.
Bacteria, yeast, allergies....who knows. I don't have the energy to play vet myself so I'm taking her in. It is most likely allergies, with being sick I haven't vacuumed - could the dreaded mites be taking over my house?!!! Perhaps it's the mugwort LOL Was it you, Jean, who had the mugwort allergy too?!!! I can't think straight so I'll let the professional handle it. Thanks for the ideas and good wishes.
poor thing!
I hope all goes well.
Brady use to get ear infections and or yeast infections
until I put him on Dog OPC. (been 2 yrs since last infection)
If you are interested I'll sent you the link Market america puts it out. I also use the regular OPC for Myself
Thanks "little" Oakley -- you aren't so little anymore!!
Gracie's ear was fire engine red this morning so I threw a 50 mg benadryl in with her breakfast. It doesn't look as mad as it was earlier. I am so tempted to put a lampshade collar on her to keep her from scratching. I hate telling her to stop, as it is obviously uncomfortable, but scratching is making it worse. I didn't think to ask him about hydrocortisone cream but if she is getting the tresaderm drops, I don't know if I can put anything else in there. He also wants me to put some on my finger and rub the solution around the entire lobe (is it an earlobe on a dog?).
You could use Cortaid (hydrocortisone 0.10) -- mild topical steroid. (You can almost always find a store brand generic.) You can find this sometimes in 0.05 solution (as generics), not as effective, obviously. http://www.cortaid.com/prod_cream.jsp
I prefer Cortaid myself. It's what my vet has recommended in the past. And I figure that if I'm already giving oral Benedryl, I don't need to load my dog up with more.
Ask your vet. Sometimes, they don't think of simple OTCs as options.
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