Ear infection remedies

Question

I just adopted a 3 year old pitbull. We took it to the vet and they said it has an ear infection, but I assume the ear infection is probably deeper in the ear as I cannot see it in the visible areas. Moreover, the dog doesn't seem to be in pain nor does he scratch his ear. So I'm not sure if this ear infection is that severe. But the vet still suggested an ear infection treatment and the bill comes to about 150$. So I'm hoping to treat it myself.

I bought hy-otic ear rinse and am planning to give its ear a good cleaning, based on some tutorials by vets on Youtube. But after that, what's the best way to go about doing something regarding antibiotics/medication, etc? Is there any good remedies?

Note: The previous owner had cut its ears short when it was a puppy apparently. For the last year or so, before he came to the pound, he's been a stray - hence the ear wax build up.

Answer 1

If he is not showing symptoms and the infection is in an early stage you can have luck with the cleaner you bought, worth a shot. If it is a yeast infection then this product may not be that beneficial as it's designed for bacteria.

If he is showing signs and it is moderate to severe then there is no over the counter treatment for ear infections besides the ear medication the doctor wants to provide you. Cleaning the ears alone will not kill the pathogens that reside in the canals and only provide temporary relief.

If the infection continuously returns even after completing the doctors prescribed medication there is an underlying cause that needs to be resolved.

Answer 2

If you don't treat it properly and it gets worse it will be harder to treat.

Our Pitt Bull had an ear infection and the vet had to clean the ears really well, they gave us an antibiotic that treated a wide spectrum of bacteria, and we were also given drops to put in the ears, and a rinse. Religiously applying the rinse and the drops for over two months we finally got the ear infection under control.

Our Pitt Bull had this ear infection for a few months and we tried different home remedies to treat it, none of which worked; in fact it most likely made it worse and our dog suffered. When you think of the time, money, pain, and risk trying to treat it yourself you're better off relying on your vet and paying the $150.