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Is your dog or cat tormented
by ear infections? Do you spend time and money at the
veterinarian's office trying to bring relief to your
beloved pet, only to find that another infection appears
over time? If so, you may want to try some more natural
approaches to preventing and treating your pet's ear
infections.
Dogs and cats have an
incredible sense of hearing. To protect their hearing and
prevent damage to the ear drum, their ear canals are
L-shaped. The problem with this design is that it allows
the ears to trap parasites, moisture, debris, and earwax,
and any of these can lead to ear infections. Up to 80
percent of ear problems in dogs are linked to allergies,
and earmites are often the cause of infection in cats.
The traditional treatment
for ear infections is to give antibiotics, antifungal
medications or other drugs. The problem with this approach
is that drugs upset the normal chemistry inside the ear
and can possibly turn a simple infection into a long-term
problem. It makes more sense to deal with underlying
allergies and strengthen the immune system so that it is
able to fight bacteria and other germs BEFORE they cause
infection. Also, there are many natural treatments for
cleaning the ears and stopping infections without using
drugs.
These are the Signs of an
Ear Infection:
*Pet shakes head or holds
it to one side.
*Pet scratches or rubs
ears, or rubs head against furniture or carpet.
*There is a yellow, brown
or black discharge in one or both ears.
*Ears smell bad or are
tender or red.
The Solutions
*Clean the ears with
vinegar - If your pet's ears are filled with brownish-pink
wax, there is a good chance that allergies have caused a
yeast infection. To clear up yeast infections, clean the
ears thoroughly. Veterinarians often recommend using white
vinegar, also called acetic acid, because it removes dirt
and debris and helps restore a healthy chemical balance in
the ears.
Diluted vinegar works well.
When using vinegar, pour a small amount into the ear
canal, massage the area, then gently wipe the inside of
the ear with a cotton ball. Do this once a day until the
ear is better.
*Stop infections with pau
d'arco - The herb pau d'arco, which comes from the inner
bark of a South American tree, is a natural antibiotic
that quickly kills fungi and bacteria. At the first sign
of infection, mix equal parts pau d'arco tincture and
mineral oil and put several drops in your pet's ears. Give
the drops two or three times a day for several days.
*Reduce inflammation with
vitamin C - The adrenal glands produce a natural steroid
that can help reduce inflammation when ears get infected.
Giving pets vitamin C can help the adrenal glands work
more efficiently. Pets weighing under 15 pounds can take
between 100 and 250 milligrams of vitamin C a day. Cats
and dogs 15 to 50 pounds can take 250 to 500 milligrams a
day, and larger dogs can take 500 milligrams two or three
times a day. Vitamin C can cause diarrhea, so you may have
to cut back the dose until you find an amount that your
pet will tolerate.
*Eliminate toxins with a
healthy, all natural diet - Giving your pet a healthy,
homemade diet or high quality commercial food that doesn't
contain corn, additives or preservatives can greatly
reduce the amount of wax that the ears produce, while also
helping to boost the immune system.
*Air out the ears -
Increasing air circulation inside the ears can control the
growth of bacteria, yeast and fungi. Trim or pluck hair
inside the ears periodically to allow more air to get
inside.
*Strengthen the digestive
tract - Supplements such as bromelain and quercetin (with
bromelain) can help prevent an allergic response in the
gastrointestinal tract, making food allergies less of a
problem.
*Stop ear mites with oil -
When an infection is caused by ear mites, putting a few
drops of almond oil or olive oil in each ear will smother
the mites and may allow the infection to heal. You usually
need to continue the oil treatments for three to four
weeks, putting three to seven drops of oil into the ear
canals each day. To help the treatment work more
efficiently, clean wax and other debris from the ears
before using oil.
*Try an over-the-counter
remedy - One of the best ways to stop ear mites is with
over-the-counter products containing pyrethrins. Made from
chrysanthemums, pyrethrins are natural insecticides that
are very safe to use. Just follow the instructions on the
label.
When to Call the Vet
Ear infections can look and
smell awful, but they usually affect only the outer part
of the ear and aren't too serious. If you're unable to get
to the source of the problem (especially if your pet is
still scratching a lot), you will want to see your
veterinarian to find out what is causing the problem.
Vigorous scratching can break blood vessels in the
earflap, causing the entire ear to swell like a balloon.
This condition is called hematoma and must be drained by a
veterinarian to prevent permanent damage.
Other symptoms to watch out
for include head tilting, clumsiness, walking in circles
or drooping eyes. These are signs of an inner-ear
infection, and must be treated by a vet. Your pet will
probably need antibiotics to knock out the infection. In
addition, your vet may need to drain pus and other fluids
from inside the ear!
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About
The Author
Deena
Caruso, author, teacher, & distributor
of natural pet products Helps pet owners
create healthy, happy pets. To receive
FREE "Pet Pointers" Newsletter,
go to: http://www.healthyfoodforpets.com
deecaruso@cox.net
Ph: 760/758-7963, 877/877-0665 |
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