medication

Question
Can a 110 lb. German Shepherd be given a human anitbiotic, such as amoxicilin, for an ear infection? Please forgive my spelling.
Thank You
Liz

Answer
Hi Liz!

I would HIGHLY recommend not using any kind of human medication for any animal as it is highly dangerous.

For an ear infection,here are some things you can do.

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.

Examine the ears.They should be light pink and clean.A foul odor,discharge or redness could be a sign of infection.

Ear infections are a common cause of bad odors.While ear infections require a veterinarian's care,you can help prevent them by washing your dog's ears.Pooches prone to problems may need to have their ears scrubbed as often as once a week.Vets recommend mixing on part whit vinegar with two parts water,then gently flushing the ear with a bulb syringe.Rub the ear gently to distribute the liquid,then wipe with a cotton ball.

Keeping your pets' ears clean can 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 cleam out the canal.Don't go in too deep.(If you can't see the cotton tip,you're in too far.)Plan on cleaning 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 thy're in doggy heaven.

There are a number of conditions other than ear mites that can set up an itchy-and sometimes dangerous-ear infection.Some waring 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 a moist yellow paste with a fruity or strong smell.This could indicate a bacterial infection,which may require oral or topical antibiotics.

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

I hope this has been helpful and I wish yo the best of luck!Please keep me posted and give that German Shepherd millions of kisses for me!Sending wagging tails your way!
Nicole