Home remedy for ear infection?

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for your question.

You may not be happy with my answer though. :(

Unfortunately almost all ear infections need to be treated with medication prescribed by the veterinarian.

Sometimes if a dog just has excess debris in the ear then regular cleansing with an ear cleaner can help. However, if there is a lot of debris, or the debris keeps coming back after cleaning then this is likely an ear infection that will need stronger medicine.

Ear infections are really common in Golden Retrievers. They are usually caused by a combination of bacteria and yeast. Your vet may do a test called a cytology where they can determine if this is bacteria, yeast or a combo of both. Then, they can decide which medication is best.

I know it is expensive to see the vet but it is definitely worthwhile. I have seen so many dogs that have horrible problems with their ears because their owners tried to treat them at home. I have had some people try to treat the ears with an over the counter yeast medication. This ended up causing a horrible bacterial infection.

When ear infections go untreated for a long time they can be very expensive to clear up.

I hope things are ok soon!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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