About canine ear yeast infections

What you should know about canine ear yeast infections. Ear yeast infections are the most common ear problems for dogs. Some veterinarians believe ear yeast infections are caused by allergies or even possibly underlying health diseases. There is no clear answer as to why, really, dogs get ear yeast infections. Dogs can get ear yeast infections just as they can get urinary yeast infections for any number of reasons.

With the Goldendoodle hybrid, the most common reason can be growing hairs down in the ear canal. Hairs growing deep in the ear canal is very common in Poodles, which is why it can happen for the Goldendoodle as well. Dogs with long, floppy ears or heavy long hanging ears are the most susceptible to ear problems. Moisture becomes trapped inside the ear canal which provides the perfect area for bacteria and yeast to grow.

It is believe that ear mites can also cause ear yeast infections or the dog being possibly allergic to a specific type of food that he or she is eating. There are just so many reasons why ear yeast infections occur that it is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause.

WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF EAR YEAST INFECTIONS

Symptoms that your Goldendoodle or other canine may be getting an ear yeast infection can be a build up of wax inside the ear and/or other secretions. Ear wax may be a pinkish brown and have a foul smell coming from within the ear itself. This condition can not be seen without magnification, so ear yeast infections are not easy to spot or recognize. Upon examination, your vet may notice a spongy, thick mucus type of ear tissue inside the ear canal. Perhaps your Goldendoodle has been pawing at his or her ear/s or may have "itchy" ears. Sometimes a Goldendoodle with long, low hanging, heavy ears with alot of hair coverate may have recurring ear infections. Many Goldendoodles get an ear infection around summer time. For some Goldendoodles, they may not have any ear issues except for one specific time of the year.

Diagnosis of an ear infection does not tell your vet why the infection has occurred or what may have caused the problem. In order for your vet to know for sure that your Goldendoodle has an ear yeast infection, he or she will have to perform an ear culture. This means taking a swab and collecting evidence from the ear canal and then sending the swab to a laboratory for diagnosis. Your veterinarian can not determine ear yeast infections based on appearance or basic physical evidence alone. Your vet may ask you if your Goldendoodle has been shaking its head, pawing at its head or having what is known as an "itchy" ear. Clinical signs may help your vet determine if there is an ear problem going on, but without a laboratory culture, your vet can not determine exactly what is causing your canine the ear problem.


TREATING EAR YEAST INFECTIONS


If mites are the cause of your Goldendoodle's ear yeast infection, your veterinarian will recommend that your canine's ears be cleaned thoroughly and then ointment such as "mitex" be placed inside your dog's ears a few drops each day until the problem clears up. Many breeders and canine owners use Mitex to remove ear mites from their canine's ears. Many breeders and canine owners also use drops of Ivermectin. Most of the time, treatment is recommended for up to 14 days. If you are going to use Ivermectin, it is important to be careful with this drug. In large doses, Ivermectin can be fatal. Ivermectin 1% can be used in small droplets for between 10-14 days as treatment for ear mites. Do not use on dogs known to have sensitivities to Ivermectin.

If you are going to use Mitex, this is the most common over the counter drug that is used for ear mites. Use for 14 days in doses labeled upon the bottle. Both Mitex and Ivermectin can be purchased at most pet stores such as Tractor Supply. Both medications can also be ordered over the internet.

There are topical flea preventatives that can be used to help kill ear mites or prevent ear mites but it is not recommended for usage on Goldendoodles. Topical flea preventatives such as Revolution, Frontline and Preventic can cause early organ failure with Goldendoodles after a period of time. They can also cause seizures. Goldendoodles seem to be sensitive to topical flea treatments and these toxins can build up in the liver as well as kidneys. Over time, this can cause early death, liver or kidney failure with your Goldendoodle. Medications to prevent fleas
such as Comfortis or Program...a once a month flea tablet... is best to use on Goldendoodles.

For puppies or Goldendoodles six months to one year, I highly recommend staying away from all flea preventatives that have high pyrithrin levels. Many Goldendoodles can become sick or even die from pyrithrin toxicity. For many years, I have recommended to our customers to visit their local walmart store and purchase what is called "EQUATE" lice shampoo. This shampoo has low levels of pyrithrins and is safe for humans. Furthermore, this shampoo has been regulated by the FDA. Many dog products are not properly regulated and can be toxic for your dog. Equate lice shampoo will kill fleas, ticks, bird lice as well as ear mites. Follow the same directions on the bottle for usage. I also recommend not blow drying your Goldendoodle after using this medicated shampoo. Let your dog's coat dry naturally as the medication will bind to your dog's hairs.

Permethrins is a synthetic insecticide that can cause a toxic build up in the organs of your Goldendoodle. Many people do not give it a second thought when their veterinarian sells them topical flea treatments and other high level permethrin medication to kill fleas, mites and ticks. Months and years of this type of treatment can build up in the organs of your canine.

Symptoms of toxicity:

Drooling, vomiting, seizures, lethargy and muscle tremors.

Even if you have been using topical flea treatments for a long period of time on your Goldendoodle, it is especially important that you take him or her immediately to your vet if your Goldendoodle experiences the above symptoms. Toxicity can occur from once a month flea preventatives as well. Try to select a flea treatment with the lowest level of permethrin.

Skin and hair tests can confirm toxicity, but it may take several days for a laboratory to confirm this. Your vet will have to go by blood testing as well as clinical history and symptoms for a quick diagnosis. Toxic levels of permethrins can cause death in your canine.

If you suspect your Goldendoodle is having a toxic reaction to a topical flea treatment, immediately give your Goldendoodle a warm soap bath PRIOR to taking your Goldendoodle to your vet, to help immediately remove the chemicals from your doodle's hairs and skin. Take your doodle to your vet right after your dog's bath. He or she may administer what is called "diazepam" to help reduce the chances of a seizure. Your vet may also administer "methocarbamol" to treat possible muscle spasms or tremors. Both medications may be given through out the entire hospital stay. Permethrin toxicity will cause your Goldendoodle a hospital visit and the cost can be staggering. It is better to be safe than sorry and NOT use flea, tick or ear mite medications with high levels of permethrins that can cost you and your Goldendoodle, in the long run. You may want to try holistic preventatives as well as "EQUATE" lice shampoo.

If your Goldendoodle's ear yeast infection is caused from other issues, your veterinarian will prescribe medication such as an ear ointment (Otomax is a common drug used for most ear infections) and will tell you how long to apply the drops inside your canine's ears. For mild, ear yeast infections, your vet may also prescribe another type of medication such as Zymox otic enzymatic solution with hydrocortisone. This medication is also available without hydrocortisone. Please note that the above medication can be purchased over the counter and WITHOUT a prescription from your vet.

If your Goldendoodle has a bacterial infection inside of his or her ears, your vet may prescribe an oral medication to help treat this problem. Baytril is a common oral medication given to canine with bacterial ear infections. It is important to watch for allergic reactions if your vet prescribes your Goldendoodle Baytril. Difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling anywhere on the face or itchy bumps that appear to be hives are just some of the allergic reactions that can occur. There are many other type of medications your vet may provide to you as a means of treating your Goldendoodle's ear yeast infection.

Ear ointments or ear drops can be used to help clear up a yeast infection within your Goldendoodle's ear canal. Panalog, Tresaderm and Otomax are some of the most common ointments used. After applying any type of ointment or drops inside of your Goldendoodle's ears, he or she will shake their head. This is common, so do not be alarmed. Your Goldendoodle shaking his or her head does not mean the medication isn't working.


EAR YEAST INFECTION CAUSES

While any type of ear infection that your Goldendoodle may experience is painful and causes great discomfort, having an ear yeast infection does not mean your Goldendoodle has some underlying disease. Ear yeast infections can be caused from many things. Ear mites is just one of the most common reasons. Believe it or not, canine ear yeast infections are very common in dogs that have long, heavy or floppy ears. Goldendoodle dogs are very susceptible to ear infections because their long hair that covers their ears provides the perfect environment for bacteria and yeast to grow. Your doodle's body also provides a great place for parasites and pesky mites to survive and cause problems for him or her.

While it may be true that endocrin diseases such as hypothyroidism may predisposition your Goldendoodle to more frequent ear infections, your Goldendoodle must present a long history of health problems before this can be determined by your vet. A weakened immune system caused by chronic respiratory health problems and other long term health issues with your Goldendoodle may make him or her more susceptible to ear infections. Goldendoodles who have allergies seem to also be more prone to these common ear problems. Certain characteristics of the canine's ear is just one of the reasons why some dogs get more ear infections than others. Keeping your Goldendoodle's hair trimmed short around the ears will help reduce the possibility of an ear infection. The long hairs that hang close to your doodle's ears helps trap moisture which then allows bacteria and yeast to grow.

Your vet can not determine the exact reason as to why your Goldendoodle has an ear infection or has yeast or bacteria inside of his or her ear without knowing a full history of other possible health problems that may be going on. If your Goldendoodle has presented other long term health issues and is having frequent ear infections, clinical signs may help your vet determine whether or not your Goldendoodle has a weakened immune system. Blood tests can rule out other problems such as hypothyroidism. If your Goldendoodle has an ear infection or yeast ear infection, do not panic. This is a common ear problem for many dogs that can easily be treated.


**About the author: Dee Gerrish, of Goldendoodle World, has been a private breeder since 1996. Dee has been writing about the Goldendoodle dog since 1999. She was the first breeder to register the Goldendoodle hybrid with a kennel club in the United States. Dee is also one of the original founders for the Goldendoodle dog, for the entire southern region of the United States.