Pugs have adorable black velvet ears that lay flat on their
wrinkled little heads. These ears are folded nicely and enhanced their looks,
however, because of the way these ears fold, they are more likely to contain
moisture that sits in the ears and cause irritation and infections.
To prevent bacterial infection in their ears, you will need to use a mild ear wash that your Vet recommends weekly or Bi-weekly.
If you notice that your Pug’s ears get dirty often, clean his ears more often. If you notice persistent scratching and head shaking, take him to the Vet for treatment.
To clean his ears:
With a gentle ear wash, alcohol, or mineral oil, pour solution on a cotton ball and squeeze off any excess. Lift up his ears and gently clean off any grime and dirt and wax. When the ear is thoroughly cleaned, take a dry cotton ball and remove any excess in his ears. Clean, dry ears will generally cut out ear problems.
If his ears have a thick black discharge in his lower ear, you may prefer to clean out his ears with a solution of diluted witch hazel. A wonderful mixture that I came across on the Internet from the Pug Dog Mailing list that not only cleans myPugs ears, but kills yeast and bacteria is:
1 part vinegar
1 part Benzyl Peroxide
1 part 70% Isopropyl Alcohol
I put the mixture in a previous bottle of ear solution. I put this in Theo’s ears twice weekly. He no longer shakes his head or scratches his ears and they are nice and pinkish and free of brown debries.
After I have cleaned the ears, I open a garlic capsule and dip a cotton swab in the garlic juice and swab his ears with it. You can also purchase garlic oil from a natural food store that is intended for use in human ears. After cleaning ears, pour the oil on a cotton ball and gently swap it in the ear for a soothing effect.
As I mentioned before, if your Pug is shaking his head or rubbing his ears on the ground and if you see a waxy, darkish substance in his ear, have this looked at by a Vet. It may need an antibiotic ointment and it may be ear mites.
If your Pug is afflicted with ear mites, clean his ears with the above solution of alcohol, peroxide, and vinegar and then treat his ears with ear-mite medicine from your Vet.
Some
Pugs have a lot of wrinkles around their necks and ears. Because of
the way the Pug's ears lay and because of wrinkles around them, it may cause
moisture to lay trapped in your Pug's ears. Some Pugs need a lot of
attention done with their ears to keep them from becoming red, raw, itchy and
irritated. Check your Pug's twice weekly and keep them squeeky clean from
black gunk. Most of the over-the-counter ear cleaners irritate my Pugs
ears, especially the one with all the ear troubles. I have a homeade remedy that
I got fromt he Pug dog mailing list that I use to keep his ears clean.
The recipe calls for equal parts of isopropyl alcohol, vinegar and peroxide,
however, I have eliminated the alcohol from mine. The vinegar and peroxide
kills yeast and bacteria. I also apply a product called
"Veterinarians Best" to the ears. I don't use the cleaner that comes
in this package, but I use the 'ear dry'. I use it 3 times weekly on one
of my Pugs ears because he has a chronic problem. Some vets will
tell you that your Pug has ear mites. Make sure this is true as I have heard of
several misdiagnosis of ear mites. If your Pug's ears get really raw and
red then you will need a special ointment from the Vet that will give him
instant relief.
Infections of
the Outer Ear
External otitis is and
infection of the outer ear and the ear canal. The ear canals are delicate
structures and can easily become infected if not properly cared for. 80%
of infections occur in breeds with long floppy ears. The reason this is
the case is that when the ears get wet for whatever reason (during a bath
or from being licked by another dog) not enough air gets to circulate in
the ear canals to help dry them out and keep them dry. Breeds with erect
ears have fewer ear infections because there is better air circulation.
Where there is moisture, bacteria is sure to begin growing and this causes
the infection to begin.
Other causes of outer ear infections include narrowing of the ear canal
which can cause wax build up and moisture collection in the ear, allergic
skin diseases, foreign bodies in the ears such as foxtails, or burrs, or
ear mites. Also well meant, but improper ear cleaning can actually cause
moisture to go further into the ear canal.
Signs of an external ear infection include: head shaking, scratching and
rubbing at the affected ear. The dog often tilts or carries his head down
on the painful side and cries or whines when the ear is touched. If you
were to look into the ear you would see redness and swelling of the skin
folds. There is usually a waxy or white discharge accompanied by a foul
odor. Hearing can also be affected.
Bacterial Infections. Infections caused by a bacteria are usually caused by staphylococci. The discharge is usually moist and light brown. Other bacteria that can cause ear infections include pseudomonas or proteus. They usually cause the drainage to be yellow or green. There can also be more than one bacteria growing during an infection. When this occurs treatment with antibiotics can be more difficult.
Fungal and Yeast Infections. Yeast infections can occur as a result of treating a bacterial infection with antibiotics. They are also common in dogs suffering from Hypersensitive skin disorders. Usually a brown discharge is noted along with a rancid odor. These infections tend to persist until the underlying disease is controlled.
Treatment:
Because infections of the outer ear can quickly move to the middle and
inner ear, it is extremely important to take your dog to your veterinarian
as soon as you suspect that they have an ear infection. Only they can do a
thorough inspection of the ear canal to determine the extent of the
infection, the type of infection, and determine if any damage has already
occurred to the inner and middle ear. Once a diagnosis has been made,
proper treatment (such as antibiotics) can then be prescribed. Always make
sure that the precise dosage of medication is given and do not stop giving
the medication to the dog even if he/she seems to feel better.