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My dog's ear is swollen, red, itchy, and oozing pus. What should I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 1 year and 2 months old | 20 lbs

His ear is puffy, red and swollen. He keeps itching it and puss is coming out

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on February 6th, 2019

Poor Ron! It sounds like he has a very bad infection. Unfortunately there is not really any options for home care for something like this and he needs to see the veterinarian. This is likely painful as well so try to get him in quickly. Dogs have various types of ear infections and the doctor will need to look under the microscope to know what type of infection is present and what type of treatment is most appropriate. The doctor will also provide medications to decrease inflammation and pain. I hope he starts feeling better quickly and that you found this helpful. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

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3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By C. Rathjens, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on November 7th, 2017

    Poor Chotu - that sounds like very uncomfortable! The signs you're describing sound like an ear infection, but it could also been something stuck in his ears (unlikely since it's both ears) or a infection around the ear. He needs to visit your regular veterinarian for an exam, testing, and likely medication. They will most likely swab his ears with a q-tip and look at the material under a microscope to determine what kind of medication is most appropriate. I do not recommend trying any home treatments, especially since there is pus (which indicates a more severe infection).

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