border collie ear issues

Question
Hello Diana,
I have a b.c. Mix who has had cronic ear issues. An ear hematoma in left ear and then consantly has smelly ears (which we clean when we notice her scratching and shaking her head). Now I have noticed that my other b.c.'s ears are starting to smell. Is this something common in b.c.s? We have tried changing dog food so that there is little yeast they consume, yet it is still an issue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, we have seen the vet for the older mix and they have simply told us to change food and keep her ears clean.

Answer
Thank you for your inquiry.  Border Collies do have a breed disposition towards ear problems.  It sounds as though extensive testing has not yet been done as to the cause
of the chronic problem.  Food allergies can be one cause, so food changes might help some dogs, but there are definitely others.  Apologies if I am suggesting anything that has previously been attempted.

I would suggest having a culture done by your veterinarian especially for your mix with the chronic problem.  It is quite likely that an infection is present, either primarily starting in the ears or secondary to a skin infection. Treatment with the appropriate antibacterial or antifungal can go a long way towards getting the ear problems under
control.  

While keeping their ears clean is a good suggestion you will also want to make sure that they are kept dry.  Excessive moisture remaining in their ears can enhance growth
of infectious organisms.

A thorough exam should be done of the dogs ears, especially noting their structure and making sure that the ear drums are intact.  Barring any other treatments working there
is the option of surgical resection of part of the ear to prevent moisture buildup, but it sounds at though there is still testing to be done to try to find a much simpler solution.

As you can see, your dog's scratching at a bothersome ear can lead to additional problems such as the hematoma so that it is not something that can simply be left on its own.  I wish you the best of luck in determining the specific culprit causing problems for your canine companions.

Have a wonderful day.