My dog has chronic ear infections. What are treatment options if drops fail?

Question

My dog has suffered with ear infections for 9 years. She's had a partial ablation in her left ear but the infection just doesn't shift. It's now impossible to put it drops as the hole that was made its far too tiny and tight. I'm getting sick and tired of going back and forth to the vet, only to be given the same antibiotics. He doesn't want her on steriods anymore due to the risk of her developing diabetes. Surely there's an oral antibiotic out there (uk) specifically for stubborn infections?? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | 61 lbs

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

The problem with oral antibiotics is that they aren't always good at penetrating to the surface of the ear. If Jess is becoming difficult to treat effectively, you can talk to your doctor about newer ear medications that are applied at the vet and last 1-2 weeks. Not knowing her specific medical history, I am not sure which ones will be most appropriate. I agree with your vet that the long-term use of oral steroids is not great for the body. A topical liquid ear flush containing a steroid may be a better option. Other things to discuss with your vet would be a culture and sensitivity of the bacteria in Jess's ears. After having issues for such a long time, it is possible that she has grown a resistant bacteria that your current ear medications aren't able to treat. She may also be a candidate for total ear canal ablation, especially if the canal that was left after the partial ablation is too small to allow for good air flow to the remaining part of the ear. Another common cause for chronic ear infections is food allergies. If you haven't already, I would discuss special food diets with your vet that may help with the inflammation during an ear infection.

My dog has chronic ear infections. What are treatment options if drops fail?

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