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I have also heard of grain alcohol (everclear) being used to dry out ear canals in pets and humans. I was on a dive team when I was a kid and I kept getting swimmer's ear. My grandmother purchased a bottle of it and with a capful would fill my ear, I would let it sit there for about 30 seconds and then tilt my head over a towel to drain. After that, never got another swimmer's ear infection again.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Your reply posted to an entry from 2011 -everyone can see it if they search that particular thread OR if you just click on 'Recent pet posts' where most new posts appear.
For super painful ears I prefer to use Zymox Otic enzymatic solution I buy online; it has a bit of painkiller along with enzymes that digest the yeast. It works well but is spendy. I like this because you do not have to flush the ears clean, you just have to squirt it deep into the ear.
For painful ears where the dog is crying, my first plan would be to make sure there is no raw skin or open wounds in the ear due to scratching. If there are wounds I would start with garlic infused olive oil or garlic infused coconut oil as both a balm and an agent to soften the waxy gunk in the ears which will aid in flushing it out. Do the garlic infused oil twice a day until the ears are healed so when you use the vinegar it does not sting. I would use 1/3 each white vinegar, water and isopropyl alcohol. Do this twice a day - for as long as it takes. You might also consider Ted's anti-fungal/anti-staph remedy in the ears as well.
There is a bigger picture when it comes to chronic ear issues - diet, vertebral subluxation, systemic yeast and allergies come into play.
What are you feeding your dog? Take a look at the ingredient label and if you see grain or corn in the first 5 ingredients it is time to upgrade the groceries to a grain free diet as grains have been linked to chronic allergies and systemic yeast in dogs. Any treats or chews should be made in the USA and not treated with sugary coatings and red food dyes and nitrates. A chiropractic adjustment is another option to consider as a misalignment of the neck vertebra can result in chronic ear issues.
You might consider Ted's Borax protocol for dogs or alkalizing your dog's drinking water with baking soda as well.
My 6 yr.old yorkie has suffered all her life from allergies, yeast infections in her ears, chewing on herself until she made sores. She has been treated with antibiotics,allergy medicines,Prednisone,medicated shampoos,& even ear surgery. Nothing worked for long. She was scratching and crying almost constantly. my daughter told me about Earth Clinic, so I started using some remedies I read about & they helped,but the one that worked a miracle for her ears was the one that you mix: 1- 16oz bottle of alcohol, 4 Tbsps.Boric Acid & 8 drops of Genetian Violet, mix together in the bottle of alcohol. Shake well before using. Clean the ears then apply drops to ears twice a day for one week, then once a day for a week. As soon as you see improvement,you can decrease how often you have to use it. I apply it once a week now and I can't beleive how much she has improved. I also give her the ACV & accidophilus in her food. I can't thank you enough !!!
Posted by Marie (Auckland, New Zealand) on 02/27/2009 ★★★★★
I tried the Vinegar solution but it only caused more redness in my dogs ears. But I have had great success with the Olive Oil and milk remedy. 2tbs oil to 1 tbsp of milk, warmed up. Soak a piece cotton wool in the mixture and rub on the inside of the ears making sure only a little goes into the ear cavity. It is really helping, the redness and smell is nearly gone. It will need to be kept up once a day a least to keep it at bay for now though.
Hi Jessica, you want to use apple cider vinegar (ACV). It's much better than regular white vinegar. And to Kathy, that is, equal parts apple cider vinegar (ACV), peroxide and water. My husband and I have a cattery in Oregon, and have 20 cats, at present. Unfortunately, one of our babies got sick with ear mites, which quickly spread to all the other 19 kitties, as most were litters of kittens from our queens! We have always favored natural remedies. My grandmother had been an advocate of apple cider vinegar, claiming it could cure just about anything that ails you. So, I decided to try the ear wash, made up of equal parts apple cider vinegar (ACV) and warm water, in a spray bottle. You want to use a bottle that has a setting for a light mist. Spray in cats/dogs ears twice a day, for 7-10 days. I'd recommend going a full 10 days, to be certain all larvae, as well as the mites, are good and dead! We decided to follow this method up with yet another natural home remedy, using warm olive oil and coconut oil. Just warm up a little of each kind of oil, together, dab with a cotton ball, in kitty/dogs ears. Be sure to wipe out any excess oils. These work beautifully together, as the oils, really help to calm and soothe the redness and irritation from the mites/infection. Which, in my opinion, the ACV/H2O mixture, because of its acidity, doesn't necessarily do, on its own. Another natural option, follow-up, to the ACV/H2O mixture, is Aloe Vera. I'm happy to report, our cattery is free of mites! I hope this is helpful! It certainly was for us and we have 20, very grateful babies!
I have 4 cocker spaniels. Anyone who has had cockers knows they have ear problems. Also they are prone to skin conditions. I had 2 previous cockers one that skin condition so bad at 8 years old.........she got so sick and died. The other I spent a fortune on medications again and lived to 7. I bought a very healthy male and female at 6 weeks old. Waited to make sure they had no skin or health problems. Of course they were on otomax every other month That's the ear thing. We breed them and had a litter of pups. We kept 2 of them. One of them has severe ear and skin problems. All of a sudden the Mom started the skin problem. Again vet bills on medications. I have changed food so many times figuring allergy. I finally went to a no-grain dog food. The ears and skin cleared up , but it kept reacurring every couple months. I finally did 2 days of searching on the internet. They are still on the no grain dog food........but, I am adding a teaspoon of chopped garlic packed in water to their dinner meal. Also a few squirts of flaxseed oil, and a little powdered Acidophilis. We keep treating a condition and not getting to the root!!! After 4 days.and a bath 2x a week with Selsum blue shampoo. my baby that has had problems all her life (3 years) does not scratch any more. great skin and coat. and no more bad ears!!!! The other three have had same diet and they are amazingly more happy and active. They don't scratch anymore either!!! I know it's the garlic!!! It is the best natural medication there is!!!! They all weight about 20 pounds each..........and for 3 weeks now.no side effects except i can sleep with out my bed shaking from dogs scratching , licking feet and shaking their heads!
The recipe for the Blue Power Solution is incorrect. I am using this on my dog and it is awesome! The true receipe, from the book, It's all about the Animals, is:
16 oz. Isopropyl Alcohol 16 drops of Gentian Violet Solution (available at pharmacy) 4 tbsps Borac Acid Powder (available at pharmacy) 1 new hair dye bottle to serve as the applicator
The Gentian Violet stains, so be careful. Best to do this outside.
Mix everything in the alcohol bottle and shake well. Put in the dye bottle and gently flood the ear canal. Massage for 60 seconds and wipe with cotton ball. Do this 2x per day for 2 weeks. Always shake the bottle before each treatment to disperse the borac acid powder.
Thank you for the remedy about using the peroxide in the cats water. I believe it cured his ear infection and saved his life. My cat was running diarrhea,vomitting and would not eat for two days. I used an ear dropper with the water peroxide solution, gave him Pedialyte so he would not dehydrate. I also, rubbed apple cider vinegar on him until I could get him to the vet. He started drinking on his on even before I got him to the vet. He is back to his old self. Also for now, I'm not gaving him water from the sink. I'm also letting him eat a little raw chicken, which he loves. I freeze it first. He's doing great.
I was following advise about ear mite/ear infection(since I don't know which one it is) remedies and opened a garlic oil softgel to put in his ear. (They are 1000 gm extract that you get from the dollar general store.) When I opened the softgel, HE WENT WILD for the smell, even though they are mostly odorless. He loved the smell of it so much that he wanted to lick it off my fingers, and I couldn't get it in his ears, he wanted to lick the oil so bad! (He lets me stick my fingers in his ears, so that's not a problem.) He did lick the oil off my fingers and himself, then ran through the house like a nutty kitten. This can't be normal for a cat to love garlic. I then let him lick avacado oil off my fingers, to see if it is garlic oil in particular he wants, or is he short on fats in general, which he also licked off.
QUESTION: how much is too much garlic OIL for a 10 lb cat who LOVES it better than cat treats? He gets supplements(like I do, ) cracked chlorella/ life extension's cat mix/ collagen/hyaluronic acid.
A few more notes on garlic and thiosulfate. All the sources that I have seen do not explain the supposed toxicity to cats. AI does not report any cats harmed by it. There are people completely panicked and asking web vets for help, just because their cat "may have" chewed on a clove, or actually at one. The vets said that it would take 3-6 cloves to cause problems, and that the ingestion would need to be chronic. Also, the AI says that thiosulfate is not toxic, but used as a poison antidote. Unless I see more convincing info, I don't believe this to be an issue in practical terms. To urge cat owners to go to ER immediately upon ingesting a bit seems irresponsible.
Here is another answer from AI: "Based on the available research, thiosulfate appears to be generally well tolerated in cats. There is no evidence to suggest that thiosulfate has inherent toxicity to cats. In fact, thiosulfate is often used to treat cyanide poisoning in animals, including cats, as it helps convert cyanide into thiocyanate, reducing its toxic effects."
Posted by Colleen (Greenwich, Ny, Us) on 10/25/2012 ★★★★★
After a year of trying to figure out the perfect solution to clean my dogs ears to cure and then prevent her ear infections I learned that the only way to keep her infection free is to put NOTHING liquid in her ears! I took her to the vet with a raging ear infection in both ears which they suggested removing her ear canal for a long term prevention treatment! Of course that was a big fat NO!
After clearing up her infection with Mometamax and Baytril Otic, I maintained her condition by wiping her ears out with a tissue every day!!!
I put NOTHING in her ears! Now I am able to wipe out her ears maybe 1x a week. I've also started putting a drop of Zymox Otic Enzymatic solution in her ears, wiping that out with the tissue then following it up with a little powder. She has been infection free for MONTHS!!! AFter 10 years of fighting for a solution for her problems i've figured it out! She smells great and doesn't hate her ear cleanings anymore! I hope this helps anybody who is struggling with this same problem. One last thought, I literally put a drop of the enzymatic solution in her ears, no more. Also, I always have the meds on hand in case I smell the beginning of an infection. Fortunately I have not had to use them!!!
My dog's ear was stinking real bad and she was itching. I used 2 cups vinegar 1 cup water 1 tsp rubbing alcohol mixed it all up put it in spray and treated her ears. She didnt like the smell but I noticed she wasnt scratching and the smell of her ears is going down. She is also a big swimmer will continue to treat her ears for a few weeks.
Posted by Liz W. (Durban, South Africa) on 03/12/2018
Hi
I try to use the most natural things for my baby puppy too.
HP is just liquid oxygen. The vets are the same all over.. I have been fortunate though. The veta at SPCA Durban and Brighton Beach have been exceptional to my girl.
COCO POP has an ear infection... going to be trying the HP today.
Posted by Jan (Downers Grove, Il) on 04/15/2011 ★★★★★
My shizh-tzu had ear pain so bad he yelped at the slightest touch. He would scratch at it and whine in pain and then shake his head. I always treat his ears after his bath with tea tree oil/water, and tried just plain tea tree oil a few times, to no avail.
Then remembered the Manuka Wound Honey I had just purchased, so I squirted a glob in his ear. Of course, it didn't go inside to well, so I followed it with 2 good sprays of apple cider vinegar, which washed it down into the ear canal. I massaged his ear for about a minute to work in well, then used a damp paper towel to remove most of the sticky residue around the outside of his ear. He shook his head once or twice, some brown crud came out, which I wiped away, and he has been fine ever since!
It has been 3 days, and no more scratching, shaking or pain! That is way faster than any antibiotic, which requires 2-3 applications a day for several weeks. I'm so thrilled to find something so healthy that works so perfectly, and for almost no expense at all! Win-win! ;D!
EC: APPLE CIDER VINEGAR -- AND WATER. One part ACV to two parts water seems about right.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
I agree that the vinegar and alcohol will sting and hurt a dog with such a severe ear infection.
If this were my dog I would go online and try Zymox Otic hcl 1%. This is a liquid and will need to be worked deep into the ear several times per day.
If you do the vet they likely will try to prescribe 'Oti-pack E'; please be aware this product has resulted in permanent deafness in some dogs.
If I had zero money and could not afford the Zymox or another vet visit, I would crush a couple of cloves of raw garlic into 1 cup of olive oil [Neem oil would be my first choice] and let steep over night and then warm that up and get that into the ear; raw garlic has strong antibacterial properties and the oil should be soothing. My next choice would be to spend the $20.00 or so to make up Wendy's recommended healthy ear formula, but my concern is that it is too thick and will not properly penetrate deep into the ear canal.
Posted by Bonnie (Southwest Harbor, Me Usa) on 10/14/2009 ★★★★★
I read a post about treating dog ear infection with home remedies. I used 1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp. hydrogen peroxide and 3 Tbsp. water and swabbed ears with this. Two treatments and the irritation and redness was gone. Cleaned ears for three day and she was cured. No doctors visits. This works!!!
the yeast infection in the ear is candida...the best natural way to completely eliminate it is with garlic. My son who is now 17, when he was a baby he had food allergies & constantly sick with ear infections. I went through the normal course of the pediatrician & ended up having him on different antibiotics for over a year. He developed a severe case of candida. I took him to an homeopathic doctor who tested him for the food allergies. I had read about candida & learned about the garlic which I gave to him everday in a pill form crushed up. Because of the severity it took nearly 6 months before it was completely gone. He has never had it again. This also works for your pets. I buy the already peeled whole garlic from Costco's & using a chopper add it to the dry Costco brand dog food along with olive oil for their coats & joints. It helps eliminate the fleas, they have no worms or intestinal parasites.
Posted by Amelia (Malibu, California) on 06/13/2009 ★★★★★
My Lhasa Apso had chronic ear infections. After trying several different medications, the vet tested the smelly, runny discharge from her crusty ears. She had multiple colonies of bacteria including staff and strep etc. We did the best we could for quite a while and then I changed veterinarians. The new vet prescribed quite a bit of thyroid and her ears cleared up immediately and stayed clear as long as she was on the thyroid. Thyroid medication cured the ear infections.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
If this is a recurring issue with your dog you might also consider diet. Take a peek at the ingredient label and if you see corn or grains it could be your culprit as grains have been linked to skin and ear infections in dogs. Yo might also consider alkalizing your dog's drinking water with baking soda, and also Ted's Borax remedy for dogs.
Posted by Jackie (Grand Rapids, Minn) on 01/28/2008 ★★★★★
My cousin's lab puppy's ear was red and hot. there was dried blood and dirt in it too. i have a book of home remedies for dogs and cats. cleaned ear with acv plus water then mixed 1 tbsp pure aloe vera gel and 1/2 tsp hydrogen peroxide. she's getting over it nicely' at first i used 2 eyedroppersful but got better results with 3 she had a small growth under an eye on the same side as the affected ear and it has disappeared. could it have been a mite? just want to mention,i mixed up the mixture to put in her ear fresh everyday.
You can purchase violet solution and boric acid powder at the drug store. Pour a little of the rubbing alcohol out of a 16 oz. bottle. Add the violet solution (be careful! - it stains) and the boric acid powder. Shake well. Put 5-8 drops in each ear several times per week. Shake each time you use it. You will save loads of money on vet bills - no more ear infections in your dog!
Posted by Elba Martinez (Columbus, OH) on 11/24/2008 ★★★★★
My Golden Retrieves has been getting ear infections every couple of months for the last year. The bill is over $200 every time I take him. I got the gentian violet and the boric acid at the pharmacy (special order because they do not carry it any longer) and started using it. I saw my dog's ear getting better within two day. I am still using it twice a day as recommended. Bingo's ear is like new and I only spent $21 and have solution for several month. I am even sharing it with a friend who also has a Golden Retriever and has spent over $1200 in vet bill. I am sure this is going to work. Thank You!! Does anybody know how often to use it after the infection is gone?
Posted by Vince (Philadelphia) on 02/05/2007 ★★★★★
My guys both had an ear problem, that wasn't mites. I had heard about using rubbing alcohol and white vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide and something else that I couldn't remember. I tried the alcohol and vin, which I tested on my elbow pits and eyelids, with no irritation. They shook for 20min, probably being a watery liquid it was different than mineral oil, and went deeper. They had been scratching themselves silly before, but they didn't scratch after treating them.
I have been using rubbing alcohol and white vinegar (half/half), no water, on my dog's ears. My little malteese poodle has a tendency to get smelly ears, yeast problem, so I decided to use this mixture. I tilt his had side way and put about 3-5 drops in each ear and massage it in for a few seconds, then I wipe off the excess from his ears with a tissue. I do this after I bathe him. I continue doing that once a day for the next 2 days. He shakes his head for a few minute, afterward he is fine. I have been doing this for about 2 months now and he has no problem with smelly ears. I'm relieve to have found an easy solution to take care of his ears. Thank you all for the very helpful information.
Art, when I ask if there is real evidence that garlic harms pets, I am asking for actual cases of damage. I have a bad experience with "official sources." Sad, I know. But there it is. Has a cat ever died from eating garlic? Or from being fed garlic as a dewormer? (I have been intending to deworm the stray that recently adopted me.)
They say that thiosulfate harms red blood cells. Why would this damage only cat (or dog) red blood cells and not anyone else's? Baffled.
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