DEAR PAW'S CORNER:
My little dog "Sandy," a 3-year-old Shih Tzu, has had an ongoing ear infection for the past four months. The vet said it was a yeast infection and gave me some drops for it. It cleared quickly, but within two weeks it was back again. This time the vet suggested I change his dog food, along with giving him the drops again, so now he is on a grain-free dog food. It cleared up for a while, but it is back again. Any suggestions on what to do now? -- Donna, via e-mail
DEAR DONNA:
Keep trying! Continue working with your vet to find a solution to Sandy's recurring ear infections. It may take a combination of treatments to stop them from happening, including a change in diet (such as the prescribed grain-free diet), drops or oral medication.
Signs of an ear infection in a dog typically include head shaking, yellow or brown "gunk" in the ears, a yeast-like smell, redness and swelling. Causes include debris or water in the ears, allergies, or unexplained factors.
Shih Tzus are prone to ear infections because of the shape of their ears, and because of the long hair growing over the ears -- fluids don't drain from their ears as easily. Owners must clear the hair from their dogs' ears frequently and must be sure to dry their dogs' ears after swimming or bathing.
Dogs like Sandy who have repeat infections may benefit from having the hair clipped away from around their ears (let the veterinarian do this). Sandy may be given a long-term course of treatment, too -- usually oral medication. In severe cases, vets may recommend surgery to reconstruct the ear canal to improve drainage, but this should be considered only when other avenues have been exhausted.
