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My dog has an ear infection, can I safely give her Amoxicillin?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

My dog has an ear infection, can I give her Amoxicillin?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

Veterinary Technician

Published on December 2nd, 2014

Ear infections are usually treated with an antibiotic ointment that is placed directly in the ear and left in the ear to work in between cleanings. A typical schedule of cleanings include cleaning out the affected ear every twelve hours, placing the ointment in the ear, massaging and letting it set. This continues for a period of 7-10 days to completely clear the infection. There are some OTC ear infection ointments available but it is likely you will need to visit your vet for a prescription version. Amoxicillin is a general antibiotic and is more common in other infections such as skin or minor internal infections. It is best to check with your vet to see if it is appropriate for your dog's type of ear infection rather than just giving it. Giving the wrong medication or wrong dosage for the problem can actually make it worse, or even make your dog very ill.

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14Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

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    Answered By Penelope Graben, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 22nd, 2018

    Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I agree that it looks like Journey's ear is pretty irritated. Do not give her any Amoxicillin or Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is toxic to dogs and can damage their stomach lining and kidneys. Amoxicilin is not toxic to dogs, but will not help much with an ear infection. Ear problems are often caused by allergies, leading to inflammation, leading to infection. I would recommend buying an ear cleaner made for dogs and cleaning her ears once a day until you can take her into a vet, where they will likely recommend a swab to find out what the infection is caused by, a medicated cleanser, and a topical ointment. I hope this helps!

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 13th, 2017

    No, do not give this to Abby. The ear has a very poor blood supply, and oral antibiotics are not prescribed for ear infections because the medication will not reach the ear to treat it. With ear infections, medications are applied in the ear itself, and the only medications available to treat it are prescription only from the vet. In addition, ear infections can be caused by ear mites and yeast as well as bacteria, so the cause of the infect needs to be diagnosed so it can be treated correctly. I would take Abby into the vet in the morning to have her ear examined and diagnosed so it can be treated correctly. I hope this helps!

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