Because of the shape of our pets' ear canals, they are particularly prone to ear problems. Bacteria, viruses, yeast and many parasites thrive in a warm, moist (and dirty) environment. Cleansing your pet's ears should be a weekly ritual from a very young age. Cleaning ears and allowing adequate air circulation is especially important for dogs with long or floppy ears.
The following home remedy can help preventing infection but will not cure one!
Ingredients
4 oz. zinc oxide powder
4 oz. boric acid powder
1/2 oz. Iodoform powder
Mix well. Keep in a sealed jar in a cool dry place.
Instructions on use
Place a large pinch of powder in each ear, and use your finger to work it down. Wait five or ten minutes then remove the hair out of the ears, being sure to get all the way down. Allow the dog to shake, but leave the excess powder in the ears. Repeat monthly.
Treatment of an existing infection
Use as described above for maintenance. Apply powder to each ear. Wait twenty-four hours, and then use dry cotton to remove all the powder and the balls of dried substance. Apply again powder in each ear. Repeat daily until the ears are no longer runny. From this time, repeat every other day, until there is no more runniness, then three times a week, then twice, then weekly, then every other week, etc. When the ears remain dry for three weeks, go to the monthly maintenance routine.
How it works
The reason this works so well is that the iodoform powder kills anaerobic bacteria and fungi which flourish in warm, moist, airless places. The zinc oxide and boric acid keep the ear dry, which prevents further infections. In the days before antibiotics, Iodoform was frequently used in human medicine to pack puncture wounds where anaerobic bacteria also grow.
Always consult your veterinarian for medical advice.
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