ear mites or yeast infection?

Question
Hi Nicole,
My question is, my cockapoo has an ear problem its smelly, red and itchy, kind of dark waxy stuff in it also. I have cleaned it out with cotton balls using a mix of water, peroxide, and alcohol. it dont seem to be working what should I buy, or do with her ears. How can I tell if its ear mites or a yeast infection?  
Thank You,
Cindy

Answer
Hi Cindy!

Ear infections are fairly common and simple to treat. If they're ignored, however, the middle ear and eardrum may be damaged, leading to deafness. Keeping your pet's ears clean and healthy is about the only way an owner can actually help prevent deafness. If you notice a foul odor coming from your pet's ears or she is often busy scratching and rubbing them, take her in for a checkup. In some cases your vet may recommend that you clean her ears daily or weekly to keep infections at bay. That's a small price to pay for keeping her hearing. When cleaning your pet's ears, use only products recommended by your vet. Ear-care products that are safe for humans may be toxic to pets.

there are a number or conditions other than ear mites that can set up an itchy- and sometimes dangerous- ear infection. Some warning signs include:

*Dark, creamy wax that resembles peanut butter and smells like yeast. Your pet could have a yeast infection, particularly if she's been in the water recently. They get swimmer's ear.

*The ear canal is red and there's moist yellow paste with a fruity strong smell. This could indicate a bacterial infection, which may require oral or tropical antibiotics.

*She's tilting her head continually. This could signal problems with the inner ear, such as a punctured eardrum. In chronic inflammation of the ear canal, the eardrum is perforated (torn) in half cases.

Swelling, squinting, redness or discharge could indicate eye problems such as conjunctivitis or glaucoma.

Keeping you pets' ears clen cn help ward off future infestations by removing ear mites before they have a chance to colonize. Use a cotton swab- dry or dipped in hydrogen peroxide- to gently clean out the canal. Don't go too deep. ( If you can't see the cotton tip, you're in too far.) Plan on cleaning the the ears about once a month. After bathing is often a convenient time. A lot of dogs kind of like it. You'll see them turn their heads like they're in doggy heaven.

I hope this is helpful! Sending wagging tails your way!
Nicole.D.