chronic ear infections and fighting

Question
My Boston terrier has ear infections all the time.  My vet has had me change our food to see if that would help.  He has also put her on multiple antibiotics and steroids.  She has ear infections almost non stop for about a year and a half.  She has also been attacking our jack russell which was the 5th time today.  My jack russell had to have stitches in two different spots on her leg.  Our boston terrier is about 3 and half years old and our jack russell is about 6 yrs old.  Neither of them are aggressive to humans.  We have been trying to figure out why our boston (zoey) is attacking our jack (jasmine).  She is very loveable and they play all the time.. but we have noticed when jasmine barks is when zoey attacks her.. but not all the time.  I have been also told that small dogs are not suppose to have steroids.   Would you know if thats true?  I just don't know what to do about zoey's chronic ear infections and or her attacking jasmine.  I don't want to find another home for them either.  They are my babies.  Would you have any ideas why??  Please help me..

Thank you,
Rebecca Kennett

Answer
Frequent ear infections are often a sign of allergies, so if your vet is thinking food allergies, you need to have your dog on a very simple, restrictive diet. Simply changing foods may not help if, for instance, you are substituting one company's chicken for another company's chicken and chicken is the problem. You need a diet that is something like kangaroo and oats, or venison and potato, etc.

While steroids can seemingly work miracles at times and sometimes there is no other alternative, they can also be very dangerous.
http://dermnetnz.org/treatments/systemic-steroids.html
http://www.globalchange.com/steroids.htm
http://www.steroid.com/side.php

The last site mentions "significant psychiatric symptoms have been found in some steroid users, including aggression and increased violence, mania, and even psychosis". Possibly this has something to do with Zoey's increased aggressiveness? Something to think about....

What I am thinking is the fact that ear infections can be very painful. When Jasmine barks, it may hurt Zoey's already painful ears, and so she reacts. Whenever a dog's behavior changes so drastically, there is always a reason. The trick is in figuring out WHAT is causing the change.

I would try to find a wire or plastic muzzle that would fit Zoey and keep her in it during the day when the dogs are loose together. With a wire or plastic muzzle, she should still be able to drink, and while it won't prevent her from attacking Jasmine, it will prevent her from biting the other dog.

You might also try a product called "DermaPet MalAcetic Otic", an ear/skin cleanser that is 2% acetic acid and 2% boric acid, and is excellent for cleaning ears and setting up the proper pH level in the ears.