# Yeast infection in my dogs ears



## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

Hello Everyone,
My springer spaniel has a yeast infection in both of his ears and all the vet told me to do was flush them out twice a week with 1/2 vinager 1/2 walet solution but it isnt working. He has a terrible smell in his ears and at this time I can't afford to take him back to the vet yet. Any advice?


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## BoxerMommie

Yes take him back to the vet. Really skip eating out for a week, or skip buying that whatever that you truly don't need, apply for Care Credit (which is interest free for an entire year), or simply call your vet, since they already have seen him they may simply prescribe something. And no offense intended, but if you cannot afford a $40-$50 office visit (you can always explain to the vet once you get there you cannot afford an expensive treatment) then you probably should not have the responsibility of an animal. You should always have a few hundred to one thousand in a savings account on a credit card SOMETHING to be able to provide medical care for your pet(s) when it comes up.


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## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

Well I am new here and just got my first put down. Thats sad. I did take it to offence. The vet that I go to charges way more than 50.00 for a visit. We were just there a couple weeks ago with all of our babies and had all shots and physicals cought up and thats why I cant afford to go back right away. Please dont tell me that maybe I should not have them because I try my best to give them everything they need as well as my 4 children. Times can get rough for people and that doesnt mean they should not have pets. This is just a hard time for me but I will pull through as always. 
I would like to know from others if you are going through a rough time with bills and everything else that life throws, would you just give your pet away? Would you let them down? 
Would you try your best to bounce back and do whatever you need to take care of them and your children? 
I didnt intend to come here to be bashed or to bash anyone. I just asked for friendly advice.


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## rannmiller

Man, sorry you got put down on your first try here. My dog had a yeast infection in her ears for forever. FINALLY the vet (a Science Diet vet, I might add) admitted that it might be a food allergy. Sure enough, upon checking her Science Diet prescription food, I found it was filled with nothing but corn, soy, by-products and pork among other disgusting things. Horrified and annoyed that they'd been pushing this food on my poor dog for the past 8 years (that's right, 8 years of health problem after health problem), they admitted the terrible food they'd prescribed for her might be the culprit. 

They kept her for a week, cleaned out her ears every day, gave us a medicine to put in them once a day and I switched her food to something more natural (none of the disgusting ingredients listed above). Lo and behold, her yeast infections in her ears went away, she can practically outrun me (she was practically crippled before) and she isn't shedding nearly as much. 

Sorry for the long response. The moral of my story is that sometimes a simple switch of food from terrible to natural and a little TLC is all a dog needs to fix a health problem.


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## BoxerMommie

Mommyof3PreciousDoggies said:


> Well I am new here and just got my first put down. Thats sad. I did take it to offence. The vet that I go to charges way more than 50.00 for a visit. We were just there a couple weeks ago with all of our babies and had all shots and physicals cought up and thats why I cant afford to go back right away. Please dont tell me that maybe I should not have them because I try my best to give them everything they need as well as my 4 children. Times can get rough for people and that doesnt mean they should not have pets. This is just a hard time for me but I will pull through as always.
> I would like to know from others if you are going through a rough time with bills and everything else that life throws, would you just give your pet away? Would you let them down?
> Would you try your best to bounce back and do whatever you need to take care of them and your children?
> I didnt intend to come here to be bashed or to bash anyone. I just asked for friendly advice.


So if you were going through rough times and one of your human kids was sick would you just say that you couldn't afford to take them to the doctor? Of course not you'd get a credit card, ask for financial assistance, SOMETHING to take your kid to the doctor. 

I would call around to different vets in the area, ask what they charge for office visits, my vet in a major city charges $42 my vet in a podunk small down of 2,000 people charged $20, my vet in southern California charged $35 and these were/are all good vets. You can also CALL the vet and let them know it isn't working, given you were JUST there they may RX something over the phone.

Also, like I said start putting $30 a month or so into a savings account for your pet(s) so the money is there when you need it. go to www.carecredit.com it's an interest free for 12 months credit card that is ONLY for medical, dental, or veterinary expenses so you have 12 months to pay it off without incurring any additional fees. Yes, I lost my job last year, yes we were only going on 1 income, yes I have a human child, and my dog had cancer and liver problems, needed an ultrasound and a few other things, yes it was over $1,000 and no I didn't want to part with that money right then when we only had one income so what did I do? I opened up a care credit card and put it on that and paid it off over 4 months or so. I have a dog that is severely ill with multiple problems so what do I do? I put $100 a month into a savings account (more if we have more) so that it's there if there is a large expense, if I work any overtime that's where that extra money goes into, I only do vaccinations once every 3 years and do clinics when I do, I do a clinic for heartworm tests, and then a once a year physical at the vet (still ends up being cheaper thang etting everything done at the vet) and just pay the office visit fee and go through discount clinics for the rest, to keep costs down. We aren't rich, we make a normal income for a family of 3 and I still manage to come up with the $1,500 a year for my girl's care with all of her problems and to get puppy all of his shots, neutered, and a premium food. It simply drives me crazy when people say they can't afford something when so many people eat out a lot, buy things they don't need, smoke, drink, go out to the movies, bars, strip clubs, out to dinner, whatever the case may be.

Again if your child was sick would you just say you couldn't take them to the doctor? I know I wouldn't, I'd find a way.

There's Care Credit, there's calling the vet back and seeing if they'll help without seeing you again, there's putting it on a credit card to pay off, there's borrowing from a family member, there's putting $30 away for the next 2 weeks and then going, there's a whole lot of things other than "I can't afford it". 

And no, you don't have to get rid of them but you shouldn't take on the responsibility in the first place if you cannot afford it and plan ahead in case something happens and you have a loss of income for a little bit (ie a savings account for the dog, pet health insurance, care credit, etc).

And I fail to see how telling the truth is a put down. Saying "I can't afford it" is an excuse, no you don't WANT to afford it there is a difference. It isn't a put down, it's the simple truth, if you cannot take care of a pet and be responsible, save money for their medical care, take the time to apply for Care Credit, get pet insurance, have a credit card just for them, etc then you shouldn't take on the responsibility of the pet. They don't just "pop up" (neither do kids), it is a CHOICE to take on the responsibility of them and you find a way to get them the medical care they need, same as you find a way to get your children the medical care they need.


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## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

Man she sure is on a roll!!!! 
Hey look lady I didnt mean to offend you in any way. I will not believe that I shouldnt have taken my pets in. For your information, When is rains it pours around here and thats a part of life. There has been other things in our lives that have put us in this bind and we are doing our best to bounch back so please dont judge me at all. Just because you are a stay at home(work from home) mommy and your husband is a cop and gets a free ride doesnt mean that we are all that lucky. Maybe your wealth has gotten to your head just a little too much.. Not everyone is you(THANK GOD) and not everyone can live the good life like you. That doesnt mean we dont deserve to have pets to love and do our best to care for. I started this asking for advice and you took to another level. Grow up. I see by reading your posts that I am not the only one you have chosen to bash and it is so sad that you have nothing better to do them to sit on your but at home and be this way to others. I feel for you I really do. 


I am so sorry if I have offened anyone with this thread. All I wanted was some advice.


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## BoxerMommie

Mommyof3PreciousDoggies said:


> Man she sure is on a roll!!!!
> Hey look lady I didnt mean to offend you in any way. I will not believe that I shouldnt have taken my pets in. For your information, When is rains it pours around here and thats a part of life. There has been other things in our lives that have put us in this bind and we are doing our best to bounch back so please dont judge me at all. Just because you are a stay at home(work from home) mommy and your husband is a cop and gets a free ride doesnt mean that we are all that lucky. Maybe your wealth has gotten to your head just a little too much.. Not everyone is you(THANK GOD) and not everyone can live the good life like you. That doesnt mean we dont deserve to have pets to love and do our best to care for. I started this asking for advice and you took to another level. Grow up. I see by reading your posts that I am not the only one you have chosen to bash and it is so sad that you have nothing better to do them to sit on your but at home and be this way to others. I feel for you I really do.
> 
> 
> I am so sorry if I have offened anyone with this thread. All I wanted was some advice.


Thanks but nobody's getting a "free ride". We spent years in the military on crap income (yeah $24K a year for a family of 3 is poverty level in case you didn't know), but we still managed to invest, put money away for our pets, as well as our son's college education and a down payment on a home. We got out, I work from home and work over 60 hours a week working 2 jobs, oh yeah PLUS I take 100% care of my child, school field trips, volunteer in his clasroom, and all of the "household duties" such as cleaning, laundry, etc. I work my a$$ off to have what I have, are we rich? Absolutely not, however we are money smart, pay in cash for 99% of our stuff, own our home, our cars, and have invested for our future and our pets medical care. Oh yeah and I volunteer and foster for a rescue too.

So until you are willing to say you have taken a 2nd job to provide the basics of care (medical) for your pet, get off it. I work for what I have, my husband isn't getting a "free ride" for anything, he lived at the academy for 6 months, spent 2 years in Iraq with the military and has also worked for everything we have. Nobody gave us anything, we simply don't sit around saying poor poor me, we figure out a way to turn things around, like investing smart, taking on more than 1 job if needed, and not complaining and saying "I can't". I got news for you, I have found that fi you put your mind to something yes you CAN make things happen.

You obviously cannot afford your pet in giving the simple basics and I'm sorry you have to get so upset at ME for telling the truth but there's an old saying of "don't bite off more than you can chew" and I think it applies.


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## carnivorediet

*yeast infections*

My old dog (pound pup) had a horrible yeast infection everywhere. She looked like a baboon in the rear and was called monkey butt when I got her. She was on Ketoconozole and every time we tried to take her off, the yeast infection would flare up. I changed all my dogs to homemade raw. She is off all medication for yeast and doing great. She looks like a normal old dog now.

This is what she looked like when I got her and then now.


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## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

Ok I called the vet she said that I would have to bring him back in and pay for an office visit and an ear scrape and they are going to work with me on the payments until pet insurance kicks in.


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## bellamicuore

Sorry BoxerMommie, but she asked a question and you passed judgement on her immediately then gave her a lecture. I don't blame her for being offended. People do the best they can. You don't know her circumstances and she shouldn't have to explain.




BoxerMommie said:


> So if you were going through rough times and one of your human kids was sick would you just say that you couldn't afford to take them to the doctor? Of course not you'd get a credit card, ask for financial assistance, SOMETHING to take your kid to the doctor.
> 
> I would call around to different vets in the area, ask what they charge for office visits, my vet in a major city charges $42 my vet in a podunk small down of 2,000 people charged $20, my vet in southern California charged $35 and these were/are all good vets. You can also CALL the vet and let them know it isn't working, given you were JUST there they may RX something over the phone.
> 
> Also, like I said start putting $30 a month or so into a savings account for your pet(s) so the money is there when you need it. go to www.carecredit.com it's an interest free for 12 months credit card that is ONLY for medical, dental, or veterinary expenses so you have 12 months to pay it off without incurring any additional fees. Yes, I lost my job last year, yes we were only going on 1 income, yes I have a human child, and my dog had cancer and liver problems, needed an ultrasound and a few other things, yes it was over $1,000 and no I didn't want to part with that money right then when we only had one income so what did I do? I opened up a care credit card and put it on that and paid it off over 4 months or so. I have a dog that is severely ill with multiple problems so what do I do? I put $100 a month into a savings account (more if we have more) so that it's there if there is a large expense, if I work any overtime that's where that extra money goes into, I only do vaccinations once every 3 years and do clinics when I do, I do a clinic for heartworm tests, and then a once a year physical at the vet (still ends up being cheaper thang etting everything done at the vet) and just pay the office visit fee and go through discount clinics for the rest, to keep costs down. We aren't rich, we make a normal income for a family of 3 and I still manage to come up with the $1,500 a year for my girl's care with all of her problems and to get puppy all of his shots, neutered, and a premium food. It simply drives me crazy when people say they can't afford something when so many people eat out a lot, buy things they don't need, smoke, drink, go out to the movies, bars, strip clubs, out to dinner, whatever the case may be.
> 
> Again if your child was sick would you just say you couldn't take them to the doctor? I know I wouldn't, I'd find a way.
> 
> There's Care Credit, there's calling the vet back and seeing if they'll help without seeing you again, there's putting it on a credit card to pay off, there's borrowing from a family member, there's putting $30 away for the next 2 weeks and then going, there's a whole lot of things other than "I can't afford it".
> 
> And no, you don't have to get rid of them but you shouldn't take on the responsibility in the first place if you cannot afford it and plan ahead in case something happens and you have a loss of income for a little bit (ie a savings account for the dog, pet health insurance, care credit, etc).
> 
> And I fail to see how telling the truth is a put down. Saying "I can't afford it" is an excuse, no you don't WANT to afford it there is a difference. It isn't a put down, it's the simple truth, if you cannot take care of a pet and be responsible, save money for their medical care, take the time to apply for Care Credit, get pet insurance, have a credit card just for them, etc then you shouldn't take on the responsibility of the pet. They don't just "pop up" (neither do kids), it is a CHOICE to take on the responsibility of them and you find a way to get them the medical care they need, same as you find a way to get your children the medical care they need.


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## BoxerMommie

bellamicuore said:


> Sorry BoxerMommie, but she asked a question and you passed judgement on her immediately then gave her a lecture. I don't blame her for being offended. People do the best they can. You don't know her circumstances and she shouldn't have to explain.


You're right because how many people's excuse is "I can't afford it" when they're still buying potatoe chips going out to eat, buying cigarettes, going to movies, etc? People have this attitude that medical care for pets is a luxury and really it shouldn't be. Plan ahead, get pet insurance, put money away each month, get care credit, have a credit card FOR the pets, it isn't rocket science to plan ahead. It isn't passing judgment it's saying be responsible and plan for the future, your pets included and don't treat them like medical coverage is a luxury.


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## bellamicuore

BoxerMommie said:


> It isn't passing judgment.


It absolutely IS passing judgment. You don't even know this person OR her circumstances. This board is for sharing information amongst each other. Not judging people according to your standards.


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## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

Thanks Bella! I really apreciate you understanding where I am coming from. I do love my babies and do the best that I can for them. I do not smoke nor do I go out to eat and my children only get junk food for a treat once in a while so she has no idea how things are around here. All I wanted was some advice and what I got from her was rudeness but thats ok because I will not allow her to run me away. I am here in the best interest of my babies and not to deal with people judgeing me. 
Have a great night!


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## bellamicuore

Mommyof3PreciousDoggies said:


> Thanks Bella! I really apreciate you understanding where I am coming from. I do love my babies and do the best that I can for them. I do not smoke nor do I go out to eat and my children only get junk food for a treat once in a while so she has no idea how things are around here. All I wanted was some advice and what I got from her was rudeness but thats ok because I will not allow her to run me away. I am here in the best interest of my babies and not to deal with people judgeing me.
> Have a great night!


Just please don't feel like you have to explain to anybody. You know your circumstances. No one else needs to know. 

Yes, there are people out there who are irresponsible pet owners and shouldn't get a pet in the first place. But not all people are the same. People's circumstances change and they do the best they can. Judging people you don't even know doesn't help anyone.


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## BoxerMommie

Fish Oil can help with ear infections as can food changes. Most ear infections are caused via food allergies and lack of essential fatty acids (such as Omega 3). YOu can buy fish oil at any store for cheap (human grade), and I would recommend upgrading your food if you're feeding something crummy, if not buying another premium food with different ingredients. Many common allergens: corn, wheat, soy, gluten, by-products, beet pulp, beets, BHA, BHT, animal digest, so if your food has any fo these get something better. If not chicken can be an allergen for many dogs also so if your food has chicken maybe switch to a fish based food. Natural Balance makes many formulas for allergy dogs.

That would be for the short term, for the long term I'd recommend putting as much away monthly as you can into a savings account as well as applying for care credit (it's instant approval and no risk of running up a ccd bill since it's only for medical, dental, and vet expenses www.carecredit.com). 

My point was not to make you feel bad, but again way too many people act like medical care is a luxury. What would you do if your human child had an ear infection? The dog shouldn't be any different.


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## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

BoxerMommie said:


> Fish Oil can help with ear infections as can food changes. Most ear infections are caused via food allergies and lack of essential fatty acids (such as Omega 3). YOu can buy fish oil at any store for cheap (human grade), and I would recommend upgrading your food if you're feeding something crummy, if not buying another premium food with different ingredients. Many common allergens: corn, wheat, soy, gluten, by-products, beet pulp, beets, BHA, BHT, animal digest, so if your food has any fo these get something better. If not chicken can be an allergen for many dogs also so if your food has chicken maybe switch to a fish based food. Natural Balance makes many formulas for allergy dogs.
> 
> That would be for the short term, for the long term I'd recommend putting as much away monthly as you can into a savings account as well as applying for care credit (it's instant approval and no risk of running up a ccd bill since it's only for medical, dental, and vet expenses www.carecredit.com).
> 
> My point was not to make you feel bad, but again way too many people act like medical care is a luxury. What would you do if your human child had an ear infection? The dog shouldn't be any different.


Ok I applied for the carecredit and wasnt approved. They are sending something in the mail within 7 days to explain why. 
I have changed his food from Pedigree to Alpo but the infection was already there. His body is very sensitive. He has flea allergies and is now on Comfortis which is a once a month pill and that seems to have helped control the fleas and ticks. I have tried Frontline and Advantix and neither worked for a full month. He is an indoor dog and only goes out to use the restroom and to run and play because I dont want to keep him indoors all the time, its not good for any dog. The vets says that his ears hanging down all the time can cause an ear infection because they arent getting any air so I put a ponytail in his ears and he looks girly but it doesnt bother him. He has an appointment on Saturday to have his ears checked again so this time I am going to make sure that she give him a perscription for the yeast infection and not just sends me away telling me to keep cleaning them with the vin and water. 
I will also pick up some fish oil for him today!
I appreciate the advice. 
Boxermommie...
Maybe we got off to a bad start and I do apologize on my end. Please understand that not everyone is alike and sometimes things do get hard. The answer to your question about would I do if my child had an ear infection would be to take him/her to the doctor as they are on insurance and take care of the problem. I normally do that for my doggies too but at this time it is a little harder for me. I have been trying to check into insurance for my pets but am a little scared to give my money to just anyone. Does anyone know of any pet insurance that is true and legit?
Thanks


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## bellamicuore

Okay, I strongly recommend you change your dog's food to a premium brand. Alpo is not a good food at all and could be contributing to his problems. I know it's a bit more expensive, but if you make some of the suggested changes here, along with changing his food, you may be able to avoid future vet visits. Some recommendations for foods:
Solid Gold
Orijen
Merrick
Innova
California Natural
Wellness

There are many more, but any one of these would be far better than what you're feeding him now.

Also, dogs with floppy ears (especially spaniels) are prone to ear infections.
Good luck

Boxermommie -
Had you given your suggestions instead making such blanket judgments, I think it would have gone a long way to actually helping rather than creating such a negative atmosphere.


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## BoxerMommie

I agree with the above partially. Both of my dogs have floppy ears they are not cropeed and neither have EVER had an ear infection, but I also feed a premium food and both are on fish oil and vitamin E. 

Alpo is full of corn, by products, wheat, gluten, animal digest, soy, BHA, BHT, among other things that are common allergens for dogs. I would recommend going to www.dogfoodanalysis.com and you want to be feeding at least a 4 star food preferably a 5 or 6 star food. Avoderm, California Natural, Innova, Blue Buffalo, Merrick, Fromm, Natural Balance, Wellness, Solid Gold to name a few. Some you can only get at a feed store, others PetCo has started to carry in their store, and PetSmart carries Avoderm and Blue. Personally I pay around $41 for a 36 pound bag of California Natural, with a 65 pound dog and a 70 pound (and growing) puppy that lasts me about 4-5 weeks, so I spend roughly $10 per week to feed 2 larger dogs. For "bang for the buck" I would say Avoderm, California Natural, or Innova are the best choices (NOT saying they are the best foods, but money versus nutrition they are cheaper than the others but still have good nutrition). A good premium food really should clear up the infection and yeah you'll pay more but you'll feed less plus you shouldn't have to go to the vet as often. You *can* clean your dogs ears with either a solution on the market or a vinegar solution, however I personally have never cleaned my dogs ears and they're very clean and no infections.

Also be careful with Comfortis it's been in the news about it killing some dogs for unknown reasons.

Also yes, if you do a search for "pet insurance" the companies are legit. But like any insurance there are limitations so it just depends on what it ends up being for on if it's covered, how much, etc. 

VPI is good http://www.petinsurance.com/index.aspx

Shelter Care is good http://www.sheltercare.com/

These are the 2 bigger ones I can think of off the top of my head.


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## rannmiller

bellamicuore said:


> Okay, I strongly recommend you change your dog's food to a premium brand. Alpo is not a good food at all and could be contributing to his problems. I know it's a bit more expensive, but if you make some of the suggested changes here, along with changing his food, you may be able to avoid future vet visits. Some recommendations for foods:
> Solid Gold
> Orijen
> Merrick
> Innova
> California Natural
> Wellness


Listen to bellamicuore! Changing food from one type of terrible to another will not solve anything. However, those food are really pricey and you may be prone to balk at the price (I know I was when I was a sophomore in college and switched my dog from Purina Dog Chow to Canidae). I have three options that I don't know how much everyone on here will agree with:

1. If you want a decent dog food without ground whole corn, by-products, soy, chemical preservatives and artificial colors... I would suggest Nutro Max for your dog because while it may not be the _best _food out there, it is leaps and bounds ahead of Alpo or Pedigree without being as far ahead in price. Plus they have a money-back guarantee to improve the dog's skin and coat. 

2. If you want it _almost _guaranteed that your dogs problems will be solved, go with a grain free formula such as Innova Evo or Wellness Core. They're pretty much allergen-free foods and will get the job done.

3. Stop feeding dog food all together. The best way to control the ingredients your dog is ingesting is by making the food yourself. There's really only one good, safe, effective way of doing this and that is by doing raw for your dog. This is not nearly as expensive as it may sound, because if you're making chicken for dinner that night for your family, just set aside a whole chicken breast, drumsticks, thighs, etc (amount depends on how much your dog needs) all with the bone in it.

Raw is probably your best option because it's the least amount of work and added money and probably your best shot at putting an end to your dog's health problems. Raw meat has enzymes that keep your dog healthy and help it to digest the meat easily. With cooked meat, the enzymes have been destroyed so your dogs body has to work overtime to digest it and steal enzymes from other parts of its body to do so (this is called "enzyme-robbing"). 
Dogs don't get salmonella or other meat-related diseases from raw meat because they only have 7 feet of intestines, whereas we have 23. Our bodies have almost 24 hours to keep bacteria in meat in our system and give it a chance to take hold. Dogs have less than a third of that amount of time, not to mention their higher body temperatures assist as well. Simply put: dogs were made to digest raw meat. 
And lastly, don't worry about the dogs choking on chicken bones or anything because it's only the cooked bones that splinter and cause problems. Raw bones are soft and easy to eat and break down and completely necessary so your dogs get their proper amount of calcium. 
Feeding raw isn't nearly as scary or complicated as people make it out to be, I promise.


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## BoxerMommie

Just an FYI in recent months Nutro has come under controversy possibly killing dogs so I wouldn't recommend it. It's also had many recalls and it really isn't much cheaper than ones such as Avoderm and Blue Buffalo which are better and haven't been recalled nor has anyone claimed they have killed their dog.


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## bellamicuore

BoxerMommie said:


> Just an FYI in recent months Nutro has come under controversy possibly killing dogs so I wouldn't recommend it. It's also had many recalls and it really isn't much cheaper than ones such as Avoderm and Blue Buffalo which are better and haven't been recalled nor has anyone claimed they have killed their dog.


Yeah, I would avoid the Nutro.


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## WhiteDogHouse

I use Avoderm and Blue Buffalo because it doesn't have corn, gluten and all that nasty stuff. And, sometimes chicken can be a culprit in allergies. I use dog food with lamb. I know they look like more of an expense, but when you figure that you don't have as much waste, that is a big plus because the majority of it isn't coming out the other end. You can always get coupons for Avoderm (call the Petsmart close to you and ask if they have an Avoderm demo person and when they come in), and check out their websites.


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## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

Oh I get so confused reading all this! LOL
The Comfortis is a new flea drug that the vet has put my springer spaniel on. I tried to research it to see if there are any bad ads on it but only find things saying what it is and what it does. 
I have tried the vin and water mix for his ears and it isnt working. Once I go to the vet Saturday I will find out for sure what I need to do about his ears. I am willing to spend the extra money on his food if it is better for him and if it will help. My neighbors feed there dogs raw food all the time so I am going to talk to her about that end of it. I appreciate everyone advice and will look into everything. I want to start feeding raw food to all three of them but would like to know the best kibble that I can buy to rotate to it too.


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## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

Quick question,
Please look at this link and give me your advice on it. It is for an ear solution. 

http://www.1800petmeds.com/MalAcetic-prod10794.html


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## BoxerMommie

It's worth trying IMO, but obviously there's no guarantee. But it certainly won't hurt your dog.

On the food, I think if you decide to feed raw it's hard on the dog's system to bounce back and forth. I think the thing with raw is you have to switch or you don't switch but bouncing between it and kibble just messes with their system.

Kibble wise, personally I am feeding California Natural Herring and Sweet Potato and am going to switch between that and Innova. If you go to the website for them www.naturapet.com they will send you coupons in the mail their food is also 100% guaranteed so you can return it for a full refund if it does not work for you. If you need something a little more price friendly then I'd recommend Avoderm and Blue Buffalo.

Also, if a grain free formula would work better for you there's Innova Evo although if you need something a little cheaper there's Wellness Core, both of which are good grain free formulas.


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## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

Just wanted to let everyone know that I decided to get him in a vet earlier so we are going in just a few minutes. I will let you guys know what the outcome is!
Thanks


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## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

WooooHoooooooooo!! No ear infection anymore. The smell that is coming from his ears is just from them not getting enough air and he also has allergies. She has recommended Fish oil twice a day and to change his food to Purina 1 for sensitive skin. 

I feel so much better now!


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## bellamicuore

That's great news! But I would still highly recommend looking into a premium food. Purina 1 is just not a healthy food at all.


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## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

It is so hard to know what to do when it comes to feeding them because I get so many people telling me different things.I want the best for all of them. I did go to Natruapet.com to check out the foods and there is one for sensitive skin so I really think I am going to go that route and see how it goes. Thanks a bunch everyone!


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## BoxerMommie

bellamicuore said:


> That's great news! But I would still highly recommend looking into a premium food. Purina 1 is just not a healthy food at all.



Ditto that. Vets get about 1 week of so-called nutrition in vet school, so really they don't know much if anything (most of them) unless they are also a certified nutritionist. Hence the reason they recommend foods like Science Diet and have never heard of foods like Timberwolf. Especially if your pup has allergies all the more reason to switch to a food with no corn, wheat, by-products, animal digest, and the like.


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## bellamicuore

Mommyof3PreciousDoggies said:


> It is so hard to know what to do when it comes to feeding them because I get so many people telling me different things.I want the best for all of them. I did go to Natruapet.com to check out the foods and there is one for sensitive skin so I really think I am going to go that route and see how it goes. Thanks a bunch everyone!


Before you make a decision about the food, please just read these 2 links:
http://www.acreaturecomfort.com/truthaboutpetfood.htm
http://www.acreaturecomfort.com/ratingpetfood.htm


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## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

*When it Rains is Pours*

Like I stated before. With my luck, when it rains it pours. Harley is doing very good now. The meds he is on is starting to show improvment but guess what??
My Jack Russel Terrior was bitten by a copperhead last night when I let him out to use the bathroom. I took him to the emergency vet just in time to save his poor little life. He started to swell so fast that his airway was almost closed by the time we got there. He was given fluids to stop the swelling. They kept him overnight to observe since he is so small and his temp was kinda high. We are home now and he is starting to show signs of his true personality so thank god! 

Advice for everyone. Please watch your pets when they go outside. I normally would let Jax and Sammy go out in our fenced in back yard for about an hour to make sure they were all finished but now I will go out there with them at all times. The poor baby. He was so sad.


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## Apdfranklin

Its great to hear your dog is doing good.

I am proudly owned by 2 jack russells myself and I don't think a snake bite would keep them out long haha.

Hope he gets better quickly.


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## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

*Here is a pic of his face. Poor lil guy.*

See the bite marks on his snout? Poor baby. His neck is still swollen too.


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## bellamicuore

Mommyof3PreciousDoggies said:


> Like I stated before. With my luck, when it rains it pours. Harley is doing very good now. The meds he is on is starting to show improvment but guess what??
> My Jack Russel Terrior was bitten by a copperhead last night when I let him out to use the bathroom. I took him to the emergency vet just in time to save his poor little life. He started to swell so fast that his airway was almost closed by the time we got there. He was given fluids to stop the swelling. They kept him overnight to observe since he is so small and his temp was kinda high. We are home now and he is starting to show signs of his true personality so thank god!
> 
> Advice for everyone. Please watch your pets when they go outside. I normally would let Jax and Sammy go out in our fenced in back yard for about an hour to make sure they were all finished but now I will go out there with them at all times. The poor baby. He was so sad.


OMG! How scary! I'm so glad he's doing okay now.


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## Mommyof3PreciousDoggies

Just wanted to let everyone know that Jax was back at the emergency vet last night. He seemed to feel better and eating well and drinking water just fine but started getting sick all over the house and it lasted for a few hours so I took him back and his temp was 104.3. The vet decided to keep him over night with constant fluids and to make sure he was able to keep medicine down. 
Darn Snake. I hope I find it because it sure will have a short life if I do. I have researched getting rid of snakes in my yard and am in the process of cleaning it up more and doing a few other things. I will keep everyone posted. 
Thanks


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## BoxerMommie

I hope he ends up okay.

Yeah the best thing you can do is keep shrubbery trimmed nicely keep stuff like wood piles, leaves, piles of twigs, boxes, basically anything that can be a hiding place not there, and to keep the grass at a decent shorter length and unfortunately that's about it. We have them here in AZ too, but luckily I've never had one in my yard. Good luck.


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## Guest

*Ear Infections*

A couple of things your vet left out were:

~the right formula is 1/3 white vingear, 1/3 peroxide, and 1/3 water.
You put that in your dog ears and squish it all around and then dry it out with a cotton ball or kleenex. They also make a powder for swimmers ears that works well for drying.

~acipopholus. This is a yeast infection. One of my dogs was treated for an ear infection for two years. When they finally mentioned it was a yeast infection I said never mind, I know what to do - yogurt. Then I got tired of putting that on my dogs food so I went straight to the capsules.
I continued to clean his ears out every other day or so. tTey are warm dark places where moisture loves to lurk so you have to keep them dry.

It is a symptom of allergies so find the best food you can afford with the best ingredients.


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## HARLEY1

*a holistic ear cleaner and food*

I GROOM DOGS AND HAVE USED THIS SOLUTION FOR QUITE A WHILE AND IT NOT ONLY IS NONTOXIC LIKE MEDS THE VETS MIGHT SUGGEST IT HELPS HEAL THE EARS AND IF USED REGULAR MAYBE 1-2 X WK CAN ELIMINATE ANY FURTHER IN FECTION OR YEAST PROBLEM. EAR CARE FORMULA $12.45 AND CHECK OUT THE FOOD LIFES ABUNDANCE NO WHEAT,CORN OR SOY. POSSIBLE ALLERGENS www.circleoflifewellness.net
MY SPRINGER WILL BE GOD WILLING 15 AUG 22. 70# AND HAS BEEN EATING HLOISTIC FOODS AND SUPPLIMENTS FOR 15 YEARS AND LOOKS GREAT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HEARING LOSS AND SIGHT NOT SO GOOD. ANY MORE QUESTIONS LET ME KNOW.


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## HARLEY1

*a holistic ear cleaner and food*

I GROOM DOGS AND HAVE USED THIS SOLUTION FOR QUITE A WHILE AND IT NOT ONLY IS NONTOXIC LIKE MEDS THE VETS MIGHT SUGGEST IT HELPS HEAL THE EARS AND IF USED REGULAR MAYBE 1-2 X WK CAN ELIMINATE ANY FURTHER IN FECTION OR YEAST PROBLEM. EAR CARE FORMULA $12.45 AND CHECK OUT THE FOOD LIFES ABUNDANCE NO WHEAT,CORN OR SOY. POSSIBLE ALLERGENS www.circleoflifewellness.net
MY SPRINGER WILL BE GOD WILLING 15 AUG 22. 70# AND HAS BEEN EATING HOLISTIC FOODS AND SUPPLIMENTS FOR 15 YEARS AND LOOKS GREAT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HEARING LOSS AND SIGHT NOT SO GOOD. ANY MORE QUESTIONS LET ME KNOW.


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## nez

*yeast infections*

Hi,
I have a cockerspaniel,that when I first got her,had alot of infections in her ears.
I changed her to wellness,duck and rice,and I clean her ears every 3 days with a cleaning solution,and use ear powder afterwards,to keep them dry.Also,use a cut off sock that works perfectly to hold her ears back ,a hour a day she has this on.
So far,so good no infections in 6 months.So ,this is working for autumn.
Good luck,I hope this helped very simple,And nice to meet all.
I am the mom too 5 wonderfull furbabies,1 maine **** cat.
thanks ,have a nice day ,nez


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## Lovemydogs

My cocker get's the same thing. I go too a place called Mudd Bay. They have great ear wash. Also high quality food.And if the ear stuff doesn't work or your dog eats half the bag of food and it doesn't work you just take it back and they will talk too you and set you back up with something else free of charge. You also can take your dog into this store. Wonderful people. They know what their talking about. Good luck.


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## T&R Boxer mom

You may want to look into the breeds health, I have boxers and they have allergies to wheat and poultry. I know that some dogs who have allergies will get ear infections and are very hard to get rid of and keep coming back.


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## rannmiller

I know of a boxer with an allergy to dirt. I can imagine that's a pain in the butt to take care of!


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## Lovemydogs

nez said:


> Hi,
> I have a cockerspaniel,that when I first got her,had alot of infections in her ears.
> I changed her to wellness,duck and rice,and I clean her ears every 3 days with a cleaning solution,and use ear powder afterwards,to keep them dry.Also,use a cut off sock that works perfectly to hold her ears back ,a hour a day she has this on.
> So far,so good no infections in 6 months.So ,this is working for autumn.
> Good luck,I hope this helped very simple,And nice to meet all.
> I am the mom too 5 wonderfull furbabies,1 maine **** cat.
> thanks ,have a nice day ,nez


What kind of powder do you us? Also the sock thing sounds great. I'll try it.


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## nez

*ear powder*

hi,nice to meet you lovemydogs,do you have a cockerspaniel.
I use doctor foster and smith Ear powder,so far it works great.Use it a few times a week in autumns ears,then put her ears back with the cut off sock(both ends are cut off).
I wish you the best,hope this helps.thanks nez


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## RawFedDogs

*yeast*

The easy way to control yeast is simply to eliminate carbs from the diet. Yeast feeds on carbs.


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## Lovemydogs

nez said:


> hi,nice to meet you lovemydogs,do you have a cockerspaniel.
> I use doctor foster and smith Ear powder,so far it works great.Use it a few times a week in autumns ears,then put her ears back with the cut off sock(both ends are cut off).
> I wish you the best,hope this helps.thanks nez


Nez, Yes I have a Pure bred cocker Spaniel. You can see her in the picture posts. Thank-you for the info. on the powder.


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## nez

*your welcome*

They are a rough breed lol,mine is very very moody,only when she wants to be loveable is she.
Very high maintainence,but absolutely gorgeous.have a nice day nez


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## Catahoulagirl

My Catahoula had terrible ear yeast infections when he was young. I was also feeding Pedigree. His ears were so bad I was told he would need a very expensive surgery to clear it up. I went to another vet and was told to change his diet to a premium brand. At that time Nutro Natural Choice was good. He also told me to mix 1/3 water, 1/3 vinigar and 1/3 rubbing alcohol and put in his ears. 

Now six years later we haven't had a single infection flare up. He is on a premium brand of kibble and fed raw a few times a week. I really believe that the premium foods while cost a little more save you a bundle of money in the long run.


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## rannmiller

I concur! My 10 year old lab/shepherd had a horrendous yeast infection when she got put on SD prescription. I switched her to Nutro Natural Choice and she did much better. Then I switched her completely over to raw and she'd doing even better!


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## apbtproud

I was late in the conversation but I was going to suggest beside the changing the dog food to give your dog some Plain yogurt.. 
Yogurt is very good killing the bacteria. ;


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## RawFedDogs

apbtproud said:


> I was late in the conversation but I was going to suggest beside the changing the dog food to give your dog some Plain yogurt..
> Yogurt is very good killing the bacteria. ;


Since when did yogurt start killing bacteria?


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## apbtproud

The good bacteria in plain yogurt helps fight yeast and yogurt can be used both internally and externally. BUT, be sure you buy plain, unsweetened yogurt.


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## nez

*information*

thanks for the information on makeing the ear cleaner,I will certainly try it,wonderfull information,thanks catahoula.

lovemydogs,your cocker is beautifull,love the color.
I have a buff colored cocker,ya'll have a nice day.nez


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## Lovemydogs

Do you have a pic. of your dog ? And thank-you I think she is beautifull as well.  My Daughters family has my cockers sister she is a blonde cocker.


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## nez

*photos*

yes,I have my furbabies on my profile,have a nice day,nez


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## rockymtsweetie82

Hi! I just thought I'd chime in here and say I know someone who has a dog with yeast in her ears and they changed her food to lamb and rice based. I think it's just an off brand kind of food, I'm not sure. But it's worked a lot. They clean her ears regularly with some special yeast cleanser and it doesn't seem to bug her so much and the smell has diminished almost completely. Good luck with all of your research and trying to get your baby better. 

I too, understand the tries of financial difficulty. We recently quit smoking about a month ago to save on money (and of course our health). Our children are small, don't go to school yet, and eat healthy. We can't afford to go out to eat and our credit is too poor to get some creditcare.com card. Also, we refuse to get credit cards again because we really screwed up our credit that way. Too much temptation! We do put money away every month, however my husband got into a car crash just before we quit smoking and our savings were used up (insurance wouldn't pay for it because he swirved to miss a deer so it was his fault). So, I understand just wanting some friendly advice, and I understand not being able to take your baby right back to the vet. And yes, if my child had an ear infection, I'd try to take her to the doctor but guess what, that's because my husband at least has medical so it does help us a little bit. -My bad for not having pet insurance right now but we can't afford another monthly payment until we get our financial abodes back together. Take care and I hope to hear good news about your babe very soon! -rockymtsweetie82


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## Oz'sMommy

just my 2cents...

while the salmon in purina one will likely help, the fact that it has brewer's rice and corn won't. my oz has allergies and a sensitive stomach AND used to get the worst ear infections. even after antibiotics they'd always come back. i switched him over the natural balance sweet potato and venison kibble (and since the 1st ingredient is a carb on the list i also add some 100% canned meat as a topper) and use veternarian's best ear solution and he's been ear infection free for months.

for awhile i also put a few drops of apple cider vinegar in the canned and a bit of organic nonfat plain yogurt.


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## zomo

I guess I am chiming in really late but I have to agree that carbs feed yeast. If you have ever made bread you'll know that to make the yeast rise you add sugar. Carbs =Sugar and sugar feeds yeast. So go grain free or raw if you want to get rid of yeast infections. Also seen in dogs who are constantly licking their paws and have redness between their paws. A great site that I have visited is the great dane lady.com 
I have been able to control Melvin"s food allergies by feeding him a high grade grain free kibble( Orijen and Evo) I also add a tbsp spoon of apple cider vinegar to his water. And then in the summer he has allergies to grass or pollen or something arrrrrrrrrrrr ! Well save that one for later ! he he 
I think I have saved about 1000 dollars by just changing his diet.


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## ILuvLabs

I didn't read every post in this thread because there are lots & lots so ignore me if this has been discussed before.

Because Hannah had all kinds of ear problems (mostly from neglect) when I first got her, I use an ear wash every two weeks to clean out her ears & it has worked great. She isn't real happy about it though.....only time she ever tries to hide from me.....

She also has had one yeast infection after another. I use the yeast kit I got from Dog Health - Cat Health - Pet Health - Horse Health - Human Health | NZYMES.COM (PT) (recommended by a couple of friends who also have dogs with regular yeast infections). The Oxy Drops are supposed to be good for yeast problems in ears, besides other things. Actually, just going to the website tells you a lot about yeast infections, what foods to avoid, etc.

I certainly don't agree with some of their choices for pet food but that's a whole other story!:wink: The important thing is that you use a good quality pet food & avoid the foods that they say to avoid.

I don't work for them & know nothing else except their products have worked for me to clear up yeast infections.


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## techampion

*yeast infection*

I can only speak from my personal experience, but my Alice had chronic yeast issues with her ears and paws. Finally the vet and I came to the conclusion to switch her diet to a grain free diet with a protein source she never ate before. Alice had been on Innova Reduced Fat and had the yeast and skin issues. I switched her to Natural Balance Potato & Duck kibble & wet combination...one of the grain free Natural Balance formulas.

After a few months on that the yeast and skin irritation went away so we were able to add things in...come to find out wheat and chicken were triggering the itchiness and beef was triggering the yeast.

Now I just stick to the Natural Balance and dried sweet potatoes for treats. I do switch her shampoos I rotate 3 different one...Etiderm, Malasab, & Oatmeal shampoos...with Etiderm leave in conditioner. Also she get a fish oil supplement once a day

Much of Alice's skin issues are gone though still have a bit of a yeast issue with her nails...someone recommended something called Blue Goo (or some similar name) for that issue.

Hope this helps.


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