Why does my dog have a chronic smelly ear infection with black gunk?

Question

Hi my dog seems to suffer from her right ear being constantly infected, it’s not swollen or red but it smells and it leaks everyday with hard black chucks stuck in her ear, I’ve been to the vets for over a year with this and they don’t seem that bothered about it but it seems to annoy my dog and wondering if you can help me please. Pet's info: Dog | Staffordshire Bull Terrier | Female | spayed | 12 years and 8 months old | 44 lbs

Penelope Graben, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hey there, Sorry to hear about Cleo's ear. I agree that an ear producing copious amounts of a foul discharge is infected. Sometimes chronic ear infections can be secondary to allergies to their food or their environment. Food allergies in pets often crop up in skin or ear infections. These allergies tend to be to an animal protein- such as beef or chicken. I would recommend finding a second opinion veterinarian to examine Cleo. They will likely recommend doing a swab of her ear, to see what kind of bacteria or yeast is present. This helps to narrow down the causes and pick the best treatment possible. The treatment for this will likely consist of topical medications, such as medicated ear wash or ointment, and possibly oral medications as well, such as steroids or antibiotics. They may also recommend doing a food trial if they notice any signs of food allergies. I like Purina ProPlan Hydrolyzed Vegetarian formula or Royal Canin Hypoallergenic as my two favorite hypoallergenic diets. Some dogs stay on these foods long term, while some dogs benefit from eating them for a few months to get infections under control before finding another select protein diet that they don't react to. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck getting Cleo's ear under control!

Why does my dog have a chronic smelly ear infection with black gunk?

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