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My dog has a red, smelly ear. What home remedies can I safely try?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Female | spayed | 3 years and 7 months old | 66 lbs

My dog has a red smelly ear only one of them and she tries to scratch it but nothing! Is there any home made remedies that I can try on her? I cleaned her ears with hydrogen peroxide with the tip of the towel today.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on June 19th, 2017

If she has a bacterial or yeast infection in her ear, she will need medication in order to treat it. These medications will need to be dispensed by your veterinarian. A swab of the ear can be done to diagnose the cause. Place an e-collar (cone) on Sammie to prevent trauma from scratching or rubbing. Peroxide is not recommended since it can cause tissue damage. One of the components it breaks down into is water which can make an ear infection worse. Use an approved ear cleaner such as Epi-Otic and dry thoroughly afterwards.

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    Answered By Liz DeWandeler, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Poor Sammie! A red, smelly ear can mean a bacterial infection, yeast infection, foreign material in the ear canal, allergies, or an injury to the ear. Although a bacterial or yeast infection is most likely, your veterinarian will need to examine Sammie's ears and perform an ear swab to determine the cause. In the meantime, you can gently rinse Sammie's ear with a 1:1 mix of vinegar and water. Be warned, however, that this may sting a bit. Your veterinarian will be able to prescribe an appropriate cleaner and medication depending on the cause. Best wishes!

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