Friday, January 27, 2017

How to Prevent Ear Infections in your Dog

   Bentley spent his first 8 years constantly battling ear infections. We spent a fortune on vet visits where he would get shots, drops, and pills. The infection would go away for maybe a month or two.
A Basset Hound's ears are one of their most distinctive features.
   It was obvious when his ears were infected. He would begin with shaking his head and scratching at his ears. When I lifted his long beautiful ears, they would be red and stinky. Our wake-up call came when our veterinarian recommended surgery. We decided to get a second opinion and opted not to have the surgery. After he finished his medications and the vet gave him the all clear, I began a new regiment. It has now been ONE YEAR since he had any ear trouble. Believe me, that is a miracle and a blessing.
   Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian nor do I play one here on this blog. Always check with your vet before starting any treatment to get an official medical opinion. *Never use on a dog with a current ear infection. 
Purple Stuff for Dogs
Ingredients
16 oz. isopropyl alcohol
4 tbsp. Boric Acid Powder
16 drops Gentian Violet (1% solution)

How to Prepare
   Mix ingredients in the alcohol bottle and shake well. It is important to shake solution every time you use it to mix the Boric Acid Powder. You can use a baby ear syringe or a plastic squirt bottle to put the solution into your dog’s ears.
  Hold the squirt bottle under warm water so it is not a cold shock to your dog. Vigorously shake the bottle before using. Gently flood the ear with the solution and massage the base of the ear. You can hear the solution moving inside the ear. Allow your dog to shake its head to remove the excess. *It is best to do this outdoors because the Gentian Violet will cause staining. Wipe the ear with a dry tissue or cotton pad.
Treat 2 times daily for the first week to two weeks depending on the severity of your dog’s ears. Treat daily for the next one to two weeks. Treat once a month afterward.
After an 8 year battle with Bentley’s ears, I tell everyone that mentions their dog having ear problems about the Purple Stuff. I call it a miracle in a bottle. 
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24 comments :

  1. Great advice, us doggies wiv flap down ears can do a good job of hiding nasty thingys going on in our ears
    Loves and licky kisses
    Princess Leah xxx

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  2. We have never had ear infections but this is great advice to know. Thank you!

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  3. do you think I can still use that magic potion for my ears? or shall we wait till I am a little older?

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  4. Mom's old old dog had ear infections sometimes, and the vet sold her a bottle of purple stuff to squirt in and massage. Who knew you could make it!? Awesome info. Good luck, B.

    Love and licks,
    Cupcake

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  5. Little Madison is using it with us too! Wed. is our next cleaning day, always the 1st of the month so we don't forget :) Cheers to happy ears!

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  6. We love the idea of having a homeopathic recipe to use over commercial products! How cool is it that it has worked so effectively for sweet Bentley! Thank you for sharing. 😍

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  7. Glad it works. Ear infections are a pain - literally to the dog.

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  8. Mom probably always has to clean those long floppy ears
    Snorts,
    Lily & Edward

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  9. We cocker spaniels know all about ear infections with our long floppy ears! Our problem was that many cleaning solutions seemed to make things even worse. Now we use a product called Prep-it that ghostwriter got from a sales rep at the nursing home. She uses it to clean wounds and prevent infection. It works well and no irritation. You can buy it online here: http://globalhp.com/index.php/shop/prep-it-wc/

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  10. We've never had ear infections but we have filed this away just in case.

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  11. Poor baby! Ear infections are the worst! So glad you have something now to prevent them. Wonderful! ~Rascal and Rocco

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  12. We're so glad you found something that works to prevent infections ! Purrs

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  13. How great to find something that works!! Bailey has had a few ear infections. We clean his ears when we do his nails with something the vet gave us and it has helped
    hugs
    Mr Bailey, Hazel & mabel

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  14. Good information cuz no one likes ear infections!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  15. We're so glad Bentley is still doing so well with his ears!! We've only had occasional ones here so far, but it's great to know what to do if we start to see more.
    Jan, Wag 'n Woof Pets

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  16. We're glad to hear you've gotten Bentley's ear issues under control now. When Ernie was really young, he had a lot of problems with his ears...but seemed to grow out of them, thank goodness.

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  17. Holy crap one year, that is awesome good job on being so diligent with his cleanings. It paid off.

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  18. Ma has finally got my ears under control now ~ with new ear flush and a HUUUGE bottle of ear meds if I need it. The vettie is mighty pleased with the looks of them now! She says they look 'comfortable', and that's really the very best we can hope for....surgery is just too scary for both me and Ma! I don't even shake my head anymore when I bark! That's a biggie, cause I always have! I am so glads the purple stuffs worked for you Bentley!
    Kisses,
    Ruby ♥

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  19. Yes! This is exactly what got Leroy's ears under control!

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  20. *shudder* ear infections ... that brings back the first 5 months of Maxie's life with us ... Every single DAY of suffering.
    Ear infections are no trivial matter! It's far better to prevent them first!

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  21. Sounds like a good solution instead of surgery :)

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  22. Bruce went through a spell where he was getting terrible ear infections. Fortunately we were able to find and eliminate the cause (brewer's yeast.) Glad you have found something that works with Bentley!

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  23. Congratulations on being free of ear infection for a year! I'm so glad you didn't rush into surgery, but opted for the "Purple" remedy instead!
    Love & biscuits,
    Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them

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