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06-21-2016, 02:58 AM | #1 |
aka ♥SquishyFace♥ Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: n/a
Posts: 1,875
| Vet Recommended Ear Plucking Teddy has really fearsome allergies which make his ears itch like crazy. Also, wax build up from the allergies results in his impacted ear 'clicking' every time he shakes his head or scratches his ear. This is mostly a problem in the summer when allergies peak. The vet cleaned his ear out and suggested we get his ears plucked either by them, who will use local anaesthetic, or the groomer. My question: is this reasonable given that when the vet cleaned the ear the problem was temporarily fixed? I understand that ear plucking hurts and is normally recommended for breeds with extremely hairy ears. I'm hesitant because I just think that if cleaning the ears every now and then works - I can't see why plucking is required but I might be missing something. Thoughts/experiences appreciated? Thank you x |
Welcome Guest! | |
06-21-2016, 07:51 AM | #2 |
♥ Maximo and Teddy Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 25,041
| Hi Misty! Reading YT over the years, I believe the amount of plucking required is unique to each dog. Some dogs require every single hair removed from the inside of the ear. Other dogs are better off not having aggressive removal of the hair. Some YT members wrote that their dogs developed their first ear infection after having all of the hair removed. Definitely do not want the ear canal to become filled with hair, but a little hair can be okay. My boys only recently started growing more hair in their ear canals. I use a flea comb daily to remove loose hairs and keep the remaining ones clean, free of wax and debris. Sometimes I use my fingers to remove more, and rarely I use tweezers to remove something I can't get with my fingers.
__________________ Kristin, Max and Teddy |
06-21-2016, 09:57 AM | #3 |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | Kristin gave fab advice, per usual . And I agree with her, some dogs may need some plucking, some not at all. I have 3 yorkies, and none of them have ever needed to be plucked. I would elect to do a couple things if it were me: I'd clean the ears occasionally, but not overly much - especially since you already saw something positive doing this. I'd then treat the allergies immediately, bc if that indeed is the root (and I agree) -- *that's* what you want to treat...bc this will help mitigate all those other symptoms that branch out from that root. I'd recommend either Atopica or Apoquel unless the allergies are truly, truly seasonal only (this is not the majority, it seems). If the allergies were truly seasonal, then I'd probably try Temaril-P and see how that goes...it doesn't seem to be the best, most effective med for allergies, but it may help 'enough' (you have to decide what 'enough' is). How long have the allergies been going on? Have you tried anything for them?
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° |
06-21-2016, 10:53 AM | #4 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: ny
Posts: 816
| Do most people clean their dogs ears w a solution? Ella doesn't have excessive ear hair but hudson does. I have no idea how to deal w it |
06-21-2016, 02:45 PM | #5 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 2,631
| Teddykins have you found the source of the allergies. Have you tried a nutriscan to see if it's food related? |
06-21-2016, 07:59 PM | #6 |
Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md
Posts: 23,247
| I was told by my vet to keep Callie's ears plucked because of her allergies. You don't need anesthesia though so I would worry about a vet telling you that. I pluck Callie's myself and it doesn't bother her at all. It is not supposed to hurt.
__________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart! |
06-21-2016, 08:14 PM | #7 | |
♥ Maximo and Teddy Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 25,041
| Quote:
I do not pour the solution in the ear as some cleaners recommend. That makes me nervous. I would only do that if the vet advised it for an ear problem. Healthy ears do not require it, in my opinion. To keep Hudson's ears from becoming clogged with hair, you can use a flea comb and it will remove loose hairs. You can follow up with your fingers. I don't use a "ripping" motion. I slowly pull and the loose hairs come out gently on my boys.
__________________ Kristin, Max and Teddy | |
06-22-2016, 02:07 AM | #8 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: ny
Posts: 816
| Ok thanks kristin. I have a face comb or a rat tail comb, can I use one of those? I don't actually have a flea comb- do I need one? |
06-22-2016, 02:11 AM | #9 |
aka ♥SquishyFace♥ Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: n/a
Posts: 1,875
| Hi all - thank you all very much for responding - really appreciate it! Since Teddy was a puppy, his eyes get swollen when he's in or around fresh cut grass and his ears become itchy around spring - summer. He doesn't have these issues in the winter/fall, so I have assumed he has seasonal allergies. Regarding this, the vet recommended Piriton (Chlorphenamine) over the counter three time a day in tablet form. Teddy, however, refuses to take the tablets and is currently on Prozac (drop form) which is an issue - so not sure what other alternatives are available. Something to ask the vet on Saturday, I guess? Regarding ears, I never see any wax in his ear fur. I just knew there was an issue because he itches his ears until he squeals, incessantly, and a clicking noise develops. The vet rubbed his ear with a cotton ball and some solution and goops of wax came out. The problem went away for a couple of months and is back again. She advised the issue was allergies .. so I dunno! I read about ear plucking and understand it's a controversial issue which is why I wanted help cuz, despite this, the vet recommended I consider it so don't really know how to proceed. |
06-22-2016, 03:51 AM | #10 | |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | Quote:
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° | |
06-22-2016, 03:57 AM | #11 | |
aka ♥SquishyFace♥ Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: n/a
Posts: 1,875
| Quote:
These are tablets, though, right? Teddy won't take tablets, whole, crushed, with or without food or in water. I guess I'm going to have to do some research re: giving pills to dogs. Cheese, peanut butter, cream cheese, parmesan, eggs, crushed in food/water etc. doesn't work. He just refuses to eat and now has food phobia since I tried to do all the above with Piriton and his Prozac. He'll be the death of me! | |
06-22-2016, 04:39 AM | #12 | |
♥ Maximo and Teddy Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 25,041
| Quote:
Admittedly, I would be reluctant to do this with a dog who really struggles and resists. Why can't all dogs be like Max and eat the pill when served up on a plate?
__________________ Kristin, Max and Teddy | |
06-22-2016, 04:43 AM | #13 |
♥ Maximo and Teddy Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 25,041
| The advantage of the flea comb is it has closely spaced teeth that really separate and clean debris from the hair. A face comb comes close, but flea combs are best for some purposes.
__________________ Kristin, Max and Teddy |
06-22-2016, 05:59 AM | #14 | |
YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Urbana, IL USA
Posts: 3,648
| Quote:
Last edited by pstinard; 06-22-2016 at 06:01 AM. | |
06-24-2016, 07:58 AM | #15 | |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | Quote:
Have you tried a pill plunger? Those can be helpful. Otherwise, you may be able to get a compounding pharmacy to make a liquid form for Atopica or Apoquel.
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° | |
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