They’re your best friends, your personal protection dogs, and in some cases you and your family protection dogs and you want them to be healthy and happy all the time. The next time you see personal protection dogs for sale, think of all benefits of buying one. However, they are all susceptible to ear infections, and chronic ear infections can be frustrating because they keep coming back. Your furry best friends are usually given antibiotics but this is a short-term fix for a chronic problem. You will notice the ear infections coming back again and again so we will be discussing the signs and symptoms, and the top five natural ear infection cures that will keep this chronic problem from flaring back to life.
What to Look For
The first warning sign that your protection dog is getting an ear infection or their chronic problem is flaring is a lot of head shaking or tilting along with an odor. As soon as you notice these symptoms look in their ears and look for:
- Inflammation
- Brown, Yellow, or Bloody Discharge
- Sweet Smell
- Hair Loss Around the Ear
- Loss of Balance
- Scabs
Some of these warning signs are more severe and do need veterinarian attention. If you see your dog walking in circles, having trouble with his balance, or seems like he can’t hear you, get him to the vet immediately as these are all warning signs of a deeper infection and this usually can’t be cured with natural remedies.
Causes of an Ear Infection Flare Up
There are many things that can cause your family protection dogs to ear infection problems to flare up, but it is usually triggered by three main categories and they are:
- Fungal or Yeast Infections. Bacteria are naturally occurring in your dog’s ears and usually, it doesn’t cause any issues. However, things like allergies or hormone imbalances can cause them to react and flare, resulting in an ear infection.
- Bacterial Infections. As I stated before, bacteria are naturally occurring in your dog’s ear but if your dog becomes stressed it can cause the Staphylococcus bacteria to multiply far too rapidly and this results in an ear infection or chronic flare.
- Hormone Imbalances. Your dog’s immune system is a delicate thing and when it gets unbalanced by stress this puts added pressure on your pet. Stress will cause an imbalance that causes ear infections.
Causes of Chronic Ear Infections or Flares
Your protection dog could be lucky and have just one or two ear infections in his life or the problem could be chronic. If your dog has chronic ear infections there are several things that could be causing them to flare again and again. A poor diet with high processed, grain-based foods is the leading cause of ear infections. Over vaccination and overuse of anti-inflammatories, flea and tick treatments, antibiotics, and chronic stress can all play roles as well. As anyone with personal protection dogs for sale will tell you, those dogs are prone to stress-related issues like ear infections. But the benefits of having one of these dogs far outweigh the risks and as far as problems go, this is a relatively easy and inexpensive one to treat and cure.
Proven Natural Remedies for Ear Infections
There are several natural remedies out there that will help your personal protection dogs with his or her ear problems. However, some have been proven to work better than others and we are going to discuss the top five remedies.
- Apple Cider Vinegar. This is a useful method of treating ear infections as the ingredients in the vinegar will kill the bacteria and yeast which is causing the ear infection. Dilute a small cap full of vinegar with twice the amount of water and either squirt it in your dog’s ear with a syringe or soak a cotton ball in the solution and hold it to the ear. If your dog’s ears are inflamed don’t use this remedy. It can be painful. Also, never use a q-tip on your dog’s ears as this can push dirt and debris deeper into the ear canal!
- Oregano Oil. Oregano oil is another natural treatment for ear infections in pets. Add 1 drop of oil into 1/2 oz of pure Aloe Vera oil, and apply to your dog’s ears with a syringe or cotton ball.
- Coconut Oil. Coconut oil is a fantastic option because not only is it gentle, it is an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial solution. You put two tablespoons of coconut oil along with an optional two cloves of garlic to give the remedy a boost into a saucepan. Simmer until the coconut oil turns to liquid and let it cool. Apply to your dog’s ear with a syringe or cotton ball.
- Calendula Oil. This herb is well known for treating skin problems as well as ear infections. You can either buy an infused oil or make your own. You make your own by packing the calendula flowers in a clear glass jar with enough olive oil to cover the flowers. You can add garlic again for an added boost. You let this sit for 3 to 4 days and apply it to your dog’s ears with a syringe or cotton ball.
- Mullein Oil. This herb, much like Calendula, is great for ear infections because of its antibacterial properties. You can either buy the infused oil or make your own by packing the Mullein flowers in a clear glass jar with enough olive oil to cover the flowers. Let it sit for 3 to 4 days and apply to your dog’s ear with a syringe or cotton ball.
The next time your furry friend has an ear infection try these herbal remedies before you take a trip to the vet. They are better for your dog’s overall health and can save you both time and money. It will also cut down your dog’s stress level if you can avoid a trip to the vet.
