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My dog's ear is bothering her. Can I use an OTC remedy before the vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | spayed | 9 years and 10 months old | 90 lbs

Ember has been experiencing some difficulty with her left ear which could be an infection or just an itch. She HATES riding in the car and going to the vet so I'm wondering if there's something I can try first before making the dreaded trip to the vet. Would there be an antibiotic the vet could prescribe or something OTC we could use? Thanks so much for any help you can provide!

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on August 28th, 2023

Poor Ember! If she is having difficulty with her left ear, I am worried she could have an ear infection. Unfortunately we cannot legally prescribe medications from this site, and there isn't anything OTC that can help with an ear infection. Ear infections are causing by mites, yeast, or bacteria, and the cause has to be diagnosed in order for it to be treated correctly. In addition, before putting any medication into the ear, the ear drum needs to be visualized with an otoscope to make sure the ear drum is intact. She does need to see a vet for this problem, and the sooner the better, as leaving ear infections untreated can lead to hearing loss. Please give her vet a call now to make her an appointment. I hope this helps!

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2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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