My dog's ear infection won't heal, fluid, bad smell. What to do?

Ear infections are usually treated with an antibiotic ointment that is placed directly in the ear and left in the ear to work in between cleanings. A typical schedule of cleanings include cleaning out the affected ear every twelve hours, placing the ointment in the ear, massaging and letting it set. This continues for a period of 7-10 days to completely clear the infection. There are some OTC ear infection ointments available but it is likely you will need to visit your vet for a prescription version. Amoxicillin is a general antibiotic and is more common in other infections such as skin or minor internal infections. It is best to check with your vet to see if it is appropriate for your dog's type of ear infection rather than just giving it. Giving the wrong medication or wrong dosage for the problem can actually make it worse, or even make your dog very ill.

Yes, Snuffy probably has a bacterial or yeast infection still present in his ear, if there is still a smell present. Often an ear wash designed for dog ears will cure a mild infection, but if he is painful, itching, or scratching his ear then he needs to have a vet look down into the ear canal and take a sample to see what kind of infection is going on. Then he might need a treatment to put in the ear and an anti-itching medication like Apoquel to help heal the ear and make it less painful. The cephalexin is not likely going to help an ear infection, but might have been for a skin infection related to the dog bite wound. Hope that helps!

Amoxicillin is an antibiotic and not effective against yeast which is fungal. Contact your vets office to prescribe appropriate medications for him as well as a cleaner to remove as much debris as possible. Sedation may be required if painful

This looks like a very severe infection possibly due to bacterial proliferation inside the ear canal. Unfortunately antibiotics and antiinflammatory drops are needed in this case to be able to resolve the problem effectively.

Hello. Otomax is a broad spectrum medication the contains an antibiotic, antifungal as well as a steroid. It is possible that the steroid is preventing the lesion from healing. I would talk to your vet about this & switching to another antibiotic such as silver sulfadiazine. If it still does not heal, the lesion may need to be cultured or biopsied to identify why it is not healing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The medication has an antibiotic and an antifungal in it. If it didn’t help the infection, she may have a bacteria that is resistant to the antibiotic. I recommend taking her back to the vet for a culture of the bacteria in her ear to determine what medication will treat it. Good luck and kisses to Bailey!

If ear infections are left untreated, they can lead to hearing loss. Unfortunately this cannot be treated at home without prescription medication, but a vet should see you for this problem. Give your vet a call.