Extremely aggressive with ear cleaning.. I don't know what to do anymore!!!!!
 

I have been trying for over 2 months now to try and get Chloe to let me clean her ears but it is just not happening! She constantly itches at them because I'm sure they have gotten dirty! The most I get to do is wipe the outside of her ear with the cleaning solution but even that is with her panting like she's about to have a heart attack and twisting/turning. I really don't know what to do anymore, this is really upsetting me because she is itching her ears constantly and not allowing me to clean them for her. Treats do not work and putting her on a grooming table does not work either. She gets so aggressive to the point that I'm scared she'll get a heart attack so I stop.

Is there a way to hold her so she won't kick or what do I do? I'm so frustrated with this.. :( I got the ear cleaner from the vet but could it be that she doesn't like it? I don't know what to think anymore!

I don't have a lot of advice, but hopefully someone on here might. One thing I was thinking is don't try to do it all at once. I would first just put the cleaner (i'm guessing they are drops) in one ear and then let her run around and then try the other ear later or even the next day instead of trying to hold her down to do everything which sounds like is stressing her out. I would think cleaning the inside is more important right now that wiping the outside, so I would start with that.




What I do is put the drops in the ear first, then she will shake her head which gets some of the cleaner out onto her outer ear. I then use a cotton ball to wipe the outer ear.

I know the feeling, Billi is constantly scratching at her ears- she came to us with ear mites and then had a yeast infection in there a few months later. Having to put drops in there every day, twice a day was a 2 person job, even as a tiny little puppy.

It sounds mean, maybe I'll catch some flak for it, but finally I had to start pulling her ear open and holding it that way while she fought me. I would do it after bath time so it's become a ritual. I'd dry her and then brush her and then I'd get the medicated or dry swabs out, so she'd learn to recognize them. I'd let her sniff them too while I'd start to hold her ear open. At first I'd barely get to rub the swab on the top inner ear before she'd pull her ear away. After several weeks she'd start letting me go deeper. Now I can very quickly get each one deep enough on both sides. I feel bad, cuz I had to be really firm with her, but she's become more accepting and I can be more gentle now.

It's something we have to do to ensure their health, so you might feel guilty at first, but it'll get easier and they will get used to it.

Ears
 

I wonder why she is scratching her ears, could it be something other than wax/dirt? I see you have some cleaner from the vet, were her ears OK then?
My vet prescribed Zymox drops for ear fungal/bacterial infections, when acute - and then maintenance every few days, then weeks. Ears can also get mites but that is a different treatment.
My boy does not like me doing the drops either and tends to snap when I massage them in. I get my hubby to hold him and wrap a towel over/around the dog's nose/face so he can't bite. Then I do the deed FAST! Followed by treats!
It is hard to do on my own. When I did I put sturdy gloves on, LOL! The presence of treats before and after makes life a little easier.
When he goes to the vet or groomer, they have no problems!!!

[QU old is sheOTE=Faboosh;4480503]I know the feeling, Billi is constantly scratching at her ears- she came to us with ear mites and then had a yeast infection in there a few months later. Having to put drops in there every day, twice a day was a 2 person job, even as a tiny little puppy.

It sounds mean, maybe I'll catch some flak for it, but finally I had to start pulling her ear open and holding it that way while she fought me. I would do it after bath time so it's become a ritual. I'd dry her and then brush her and then I'd get the medicated or dry swabs out, so she'd learn to recognize them. I'd let her sniff them too while I'd start to hold her ear open. At first I'd barely get to rub the swab on the top inner ear before she'd pull her ear away. After several weeks she'd start letting me go deeper. Now I can very quickly get each one deep enough on both sides. I feel bad, cuz I had to be really firm with her, but she's become more accepting and I can be more gentle now.

It's something we have to do to ensure their health, so you might feel guilty at first, but it'll get easier and they will get used to it.[/QUOTE]

I personally would stick to the drops and not the swabs. You can easily damage the inner ear if you go to deep especially if she is fighting you while doing it. Plus the drops are quicker and easier for little ones who don't like getting their eat messed with. Lexi came to me with an ear infection. Trying to put the dots in were horrible. I had to wrap her in a blanket and hold her really tight to get her to stop fighting. Now i clean her ears twice a week and she is so used to it that she doesn't fit it anymore.

BabyCloe- How old is she? Maybe try wrapping her tightly in a blanket to help keep her still.

I would if my vet hadn't specifically told me to do it and showed me how. Unfortunately, Billi has recurring ear problems and the drops weren't doing enough. I'm supposed to check them weekly to make sure bacteria isn't regrowing in there. If there is, then we move to the drops.

I believe if she were mine, I'd get the vet to check her ears and see if they are inflamed or even have some infection deep inside or there is something going on that you can't see that is making them exceptionally painful and sensitive. Have him clean them this time and show you have to properly restrain her using large towels, etc., for the future until she learns that the cleanings won't hurt her.

I just tried the towel and she got out of it. She fights me really hard and scratches me... I think I will take her to the vet tomorrow. The vet is worse than me but I guess a dog doesn't understand that. I'm going to leave her alone today because I've used too much time on it today with no luck just a stressed out dog (and me). I think she just knows she can get her way with me because it's been a really long time that she's been having her way with the ear cleaning situation.

She's very fiesty for a 10 month old!!

I completely understand. You may need a second pair of hands. One to hold her in the towel/blanket and one to put the drops in. It's a good idea to go to the vet and maybe double check to make sure there is no infection. Good luck!

Ears
 

YTJ: I agree about the vet visit, usually dogs have a problem if constantly scratching. For my boy, the vet inspected the ears, cleaned them out, put in the drops, massaged in, and the scratching soon stopped with my home follow-up treatment.
When putting in drops, there is no need to push the dropper far into the ear. The hard part is the massaging afterwards (get the vet to show you how to do this as dogs have weird ear canals!), and if there is pain, that is when the rebellion occurs…in my case anyway. Infected ears HURT!

BC. Sorry that the towel did not work, they can sure put up a fight! As I mentioned earlier, it is very hard to do alone. Also they allow vets and groomers to do this, it is only us they give a hard time to. Grrrr!
Good idea to take a break today. :-)

Something has her really spooked about this ear cleaning that she would fight you like that! My dogs have all always let me clean their ears, even when one had ear mites when he came here and had to be hurting though he'd been given initial treatment/cleaning by the vet in his initial vet check-up. I'm glad you are letting the vet see her and perhaps even give her a mild sedative or pain medication and even use a helper see to her little ears and get her started on the right path. Then have them show you have to restrain her so she's not so scared when you have to take over the cleanings at home.

Does she let you brush her teeth and clip her toenails and it's just her ears she's so wild over keeping you away from? Usually routine things that you do to them very often such as ear cleaning(I clean Tibbe's before every bath), tooth brushing(almost daily), nail clipping(once a week), brushing/bathing, they will accept as an unfortunate part of life as they know treats are coming when it's all over as a reward. Poor baby - I hope those ears feel better soon.

What kind of ear cleaner is it? Usu all you need to do is drop a few drops in the ear & let them shake it off. Have someone hold her while you put the drops in her ear.

FYI, if a dog has any pain/ inflammation in their ear, they will not let you go near them.

I think there is something going on with her ears and she needs to been by the vet. It sounds as if she is in pain with what you have described.

Could it be that she is afraid of the applicator bottle? Try soaking a cotton ball with the wash and squeezing that in her ear, then rub her ear and let her shake. Wait a while then repeat on the other.

Do not let her see the bottle!

Definitely take her to a vet! She might have yeast infection in her ears. When Milana gets yeast infections in her ears, she fights really hard with me to put anything in her ear since they are irritated and inflamed. If she is really scratching her ears that bad and fighting fiercely, it might be yeast infection. She would need antibiotic to treat them!