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My senior dog has a chronic ear infection. Can I treat it at home?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Rat Terrier | Female | spayed | 12 lbs

My Rat Terrier dog is about 12 years old. She has a bad ear infection in her left ear now for about 6 months. I can't afford to take her to a vet and I would like to know what kind of medication I can put in her ear to clear this infection up? J. Huff , Texas

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on May 9th, 2017

Unfortunately there is nothing you can do for Lady at home, and it's quite serious she has been suffering from this bad ear infection for about six months. If left untreated for too long, it will cause hearing loss which can be permanent. At this point, this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. I will give you a number of resources that may help you afford a vet. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ God's Creatures Ministry helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help.
 The Onyx & Breezy Foundation has many programs including helping people with medical bills. They are a good resource for information.
 Brown Dog Foundation provides funding to families with a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to circumstances, there is not enough money immediately available to pay. IMOM is dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged. I cannot stress enough how important it is that Lady sees a vet as soon as possible, so I hope one of these resources helps you afford a vet.

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