Tips & Tricks or Muzzle?

[Maxie's Mom]

Hi folks,

Well we've had our rescued rottie Koda for just over a month now and we have been dealing with an ear infection since his first vet visit.

Initially he had infections in both ears and we were told to give him Mometamax in each ear once daily for 10 days. At his recheck the vet told us one ear cleared up but the other had not so he prescribed Miconosal twice daily for another 10 days.

So here's the problem... at first Koda tolerated the ear cleansing and meds but now he won't let us near him if he smells the cleanser or the medication.
We do have a leash on him whenever we try to administer the medicine but he still thrashes around and if we do get him still enough to lift his ear he growls and nips at the air and anything else within reach (like my arm this morning ).

Some background... Koda is 17 months old and had no formal training when he came to us 5 wks ago. He is in now in his 3rd week of private ob lessons and is doing well - yippee! We feed him CA Natural Lamb & Rice.

Our vet suggested using a muzzle. Anyone have any other suggestions?
We are not completely against the muzzle but just wondered what others have tried.

Many thanks for your help.

[Mochasmom]

When we first got Mocha she had chronic ear infections and was fearful so we used the muzzle. Eventually she got used to us cleaning them and we didn't need the muzzle anymore. Then we changed her food and she never had another one!

For such a new guy to you I would probably use the muzzle if he is acting up like that, why risk it? Once you get the infection out of the way you can make ear cleanings part of your weekly routine and make it fun and full of treats and praise and he should come around. For now if his infection is that bad, I bet it is painful as well, I would use the muzzle.

[gnwhite]

You can try a gentle leader and get out a peanut butter jar....and let one person hold the jar while he licks it. Then he should be distracted enough for you to get that medicine in his ear. The peanut butter helps to make.... an unpleasant thing seem a little better.

The gentle leader makes it a little harder for him to bite, but he can still eat!
If he is'nt fond of Peanut butter use cheese whiz in the jar.

Or you can just use the muzzle if you are unsure about him biting you. he can't bite at all with a muzzle. Just remmeber to give him a good treat("HIS FARVORITE") before and after, so if you have to treat his ears often.....then the expierence won't seem sooooooo unpleasant!!

Hope this helps you some.

~Norma

[Maxie's Mom]

Thanks Keri & Norma!!!
I think we will try a muzzle for now. We've tried distracting him with his favorites treats and he will not go for it. He'll let us touch and lift his ears all day as long as he doesn't smell the medicine or the cleanser - what a stinker.
We just want him to get better!

What kind of muzzle do you suggest? I've seen plastic baskets so the dog can still eat and drink water, leather strappy thingies and nylon muzzles where they can't open their mouths at all. We want him to be as comfortable as possible but only plan to use it for the ear meds and cleansing so does it matter?
Kerri, I really hope he grows out of it like your Mocha!

[SadiesDad]

Muzzles aren't bad. But if I were you, I'd work on putting it on outside of the treatment. IOW, get him to accept the muzzle willingly first before treating him to avoid another unpleasant experience to treatment.

[brunie's mom]

I also suggest muzzling...much safer for everyone. A soft nylon muzzle is the best..the kind they use at the vets office. The end of their noses stick out and it adjusts in the back of the neck. They are not expensive..maybe $15-20.??

Sore, yucky ears can be very painful...even if they are on the mend now...he may have just got used to not liking his ears being touched. The muzzle will help and you may not need to use it for long.

Gina

[groupieindenial]

Hopefully once it clears up it won't happen again. California Natural is good food, so cross your fingers. I no longer have to do regularly cleanings with my boy, thank goodness, cuz he was starting to resist. I smell them every week to see if they are getting stinkier. Once every 3 or 4 months I clean them with the solution but nothing comes out - squeaky clean, so i ceased the regimen. Just no need to anymore.

[NikitaChampagne]

I've known other rotts that have gotten ear infections while adjusting to a new food (my own girl included). The basket muzzle is usually used on racing dogs or dogs that are pinned up together to keep them from biting at each other, yet still letting them eat and drink. In this case you don't need something that big. Good luck.

[BostonRott]

I also agree with the muzzle. There is no need to spend a lot of money on a basket muzzle, as this is a muzzle that will only be on for a few minutes at a time. Get a good sturdy nylon on and work on having him wear it during non ear-cleaning times first.

[Maxie's Mom]

Thanks everyone we really appreciate your input!
Will look for a nylon muzzle after our lesson tonight.

[Maxie's Mom]

Hi everybody,
Well we tried the muzzle....
Introduced it to him with lots of treats and praise galore with no sign of the medicine a few times.
No problem getting it on but as soon the ear drops came out he tried like heck to get away from us. We tried to lay him on his side the way the vet does it but he wasn't having any of it. He would lay down, then scoot back as far as possible, stand up, growl and thrash around.
We did manage to get the drops in this morning but it was a major undertaking. He's perfectly fine with us as soon as we're done and once we put the drops away and take the muzzle off he gets tons of praise and treats but we're hoping he will eventually settle down for the actual application of the drops (w/ or w/out the muzzle) It's just such a battle and we don't want him to stop trusting us in the process of trying to clear up his ear infection.

[NikitaChampagne]

Could the ear drops be hurting him more then helping him? Nikita didn't have any problems with her ear drops. She was on MalOtic when she had an ear infection. She had the drops put in 2 times, once in the morning and once at night. 4 days in to the treatment her doctor flushed out her ears (she was sedated during this), and was treated again with the MalOtic. The infections in both ears cleared up 3 days later.