Ear infections and also agressive chewers

Question
I have 3 dogs, a 15month basset mix and 2 7month old English Mastiff puppies. They all get along great together, however having 3 agressive chewers does not leave many reliable dog toys out there.  I was wondering if you have any suggestions. Also ear infections seem to reoccur quite frequently dispite trying to keep their ears clean.  The Pups Katie and Conor are on Nutro large breed puppy and Dalton has already been moved to Science Diet Large breed.  It is a good food and other then the ear infections they don't have any other health concerns.  There is so much out there I would like to find a natural healthy help to the ear infections. I try to keep them on healthy food and snacks so they have a better living but again there is some much out there it can get confusing.  

Answer
Hi Linda,

Thank you for writing to me.  Sorry for the delay.  I have been having computer problems and am trying to catch up.

This is what I recommend for ear infections:

VINEGAR:

A timely vinegar rinse, cleaning out the yeast or bacteria, could make all the difference. Dilute the vinegar half and half with water. Either dip a cotton swab into the solution and gently clean the inside of the ear, or use a bulb syringe. NOTE: Never use a vinegar rinse if you suspect a ruptured eardrum! By the way, vinegar can serve as a homemade antibacterial cleanser too. Using the same half-and-half mixture, you can disinfect "hot spots" and other wounds. A vinegar-solution compress applied to the joints can also ease the pain of arthritis and hipdysplasia.

BLUE EAR POWDER WASH:

Note: The originator of this recipe is unknown. At this point it is a widely cited "folk remedy" which is highly effective in treating ear infections.

1 16 oz bottle of rubbing alcohol (pour off an inch to make some room)
8 to 16 drops Gentian violet (it's real cheap, but hard to find - try next to the Iodine at a Mom & Pop Pharmacy or ask someone to order it)
4 Tbs. Boric Acid Powder (also cheap and found at the pharmacy)

Shake well and for convenience transfer some to a small (4 ounce) "spout" bottle. Each time you use it, shake the bottle well to make sure the powder is in suspension.

The Gentian Violet will stain, so be careful where you mix it and where you apply it to the dog's ears.

If you're treating an infection, you want to clean the ears with this mixture on a daily basis. Otherwise from once a week to once a month is usually enough to keep the ears healthy.

Dr. Goodpet also makes ear drops that I have had success with. You can go to www.drgoodpet.com/

Your dog's ear infections may be due to alleries or a depressed immune system.

If you look at the ingredients in Science, you will notice that besides chemicals, there are also animal by-products.  I dont' think you want to know what by-products are but they aren't anything you would like to have your dog ingesting.  

Try changing your dog's food to a human grade, high quality food like Primal (one of my favorite) or Solid Gold Fish and Potato.  Fish is usually a food that is less of an allergen and Primal is organic and it comes as freeze dried raw or you can buy it fresh frozen and serve raw or cooked.  I like to mix it with a form of pumpkin or squash, some steamed veggies (never onions, grapes or raisins) and a form of oil such as avocado, fish oil and olive oil rotated during the week.  I also encourage the use of a digestive enzyme such as Prozyme and Missing Link as well as an occassional organic egg and yogurt.

As far as chewing is concerned, the best and healthiest source is a raw marrow bone from the butcher.  You can find marrow bones that have been smoked at stores like Petsmart, but I prefer the raw ones (never feed a cooked bone).  Just be sure to clean the front paws and the snout with soap and a bit of vinegar (not in the eyes).  This will prevent cross contamination.

Best of luck with your darling furry family.

Shelley Davis