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Ear Obsession
I'm trying to make a long story short here...
On August 4th, I found a HUGE lump on the side of Charlie's neck, just below his jaw. It wasn't there the day before so of course I freaked out. The next morning, I took him to the animal ER. They sedated him and got a sample of the stuff inside the lump. There were not cancer cells but lots of infection. The vet gave him novo-lexin (antibiotic) and Metacam (for the pain). She said it could be: infected lymph node, infected salivary gland or infected abscess. She instructed me to follow up with our regular vet at the end of the week. I couldn't wait until the end of the week because I could tell Charlie was in pain and he was not himself. So Tuesday morning, I took him to our vet. She confirmed it was in infected abscess and said I did the right thing by taking him in sooner. She opened the abscess to drain it and installed two draining tubes that had to stay on until Friday. Charlie came home that night with a second pain medication to take on top of Metacam. But I could tell he was much more comfortable than before. Charlie took his last antibiotic pill today and his incision is all healed up. So why this long story about an abscess turns into an ear obsession? Charlie had to wear a cone while he had the draining tubes on his neck. Since his ears are so long, they were always hanging in front of his face so started chewing all the fur off his ears. I just took the scisors and cut the fur. But his ears are long enough to reach his mouth. He keeps chewing on his ear, his ear is always wet, sometimes there's a bit of blood because he chews on it hard, I don't know what to do about it anymore. And it's always the same ear. He used to great us and guests at the door with a tennis ball in his mouth, now he has his ear in his mouth! Does anyone know of something that taste really bad but that is still safe that I could put on his ear? I don't know what to do anymore... If I can fix that ear problem, we'll be back to normal...
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Charlie, American Cocker Spaniel (06-26-2009) |
#2
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What about bitter apple? Or Lavender essential oil?
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#3
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Lemon? and I know it sounds crazy but pickle?
Poor Charlie! Hope he is on the mend soon!
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Tabitha April 10, 1995 - August 23, 2013 Bomber April 10, 1995 - July 12, 2010 Winston Nov 15, 1999 - September 15, 2011 Sophie Aug 30, 2011 "UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED" He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -Unknown |
#4
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#5
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Wow guys, those are all helpfull ideas. I had only thought of Tabasco sauce but I didn't want to do that to him
I took him for a walk this morning before going to work and he had his ear in his mouth most of the walk. It's kind of cute but I don't want him to chew on it, he could hurt himselt!
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Charlie, American Cocker Spaniel (06-26-2009) |
#6
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Could you pull his ears up together over his head and wrap them with vet wrap to keep them up there? Or maybe a show snood? If he can't reach them, he can't chew.... Then try to reacclimate him to his toys? Maybe he'd get out of the ear-noshing habit....
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"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
#7
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I tried putting his ears up in a hair scrunchy but he shakes his head until the scrunchy falls off
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Charlie, American Cocker Spaniel (06-26-2009) |
#8
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I think it is funny that he like to chew on his ear. I never heard of a dog doing that before. |
#9
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Charlie, it's for your own good!!! *sigh*
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
#10
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Oh yes I did. When I noticed he was chewing the fur on his ears, I took scisors and cut it as short as I could. But the actual ear flap (I'm French, I don't what what it's called ) is long enough to reach his mouth. I can't cut it shorter than it is now.
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Charlie, American Cocker Spaniel (06-26-2009) |
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My mommy hates when me chews my earz but me don't care
And after I chews me earz, I show cockertude! Check out me wet earz! He's lucky he's cute, he gets away with everything
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Charlie, American Cocker Spaniel (06-26-2009) |
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He sure is a cutie! That is so funny . I have seen people chew on their hair but never seen a dog do that. What have you to decides to do get him to stop doing this or are going to let Charlie have his own way?
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#13
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Dang, he's cute!!!!! That's so odd about the chewing, though. Have you talked to the vet about obsessive/compulsive disorder? He may have a suggestion as to how to break the habit...
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
#14
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We've tried a few things but so far, nothing's working. The best thing was using electrical tape to tape his ear against his neck (I know, sounds pretty drastic but it worked) but I can only do that when we're home to watch him. I'd never let him by himself with tape around his neck.
I also picked up a bottle of Bitter Apple Spray but haven't had the chance to try it yet because....................................the lump on his neck came back this weekend He's on another 4 weeks of antibiotic treatment but I'm 99% sure he'll need another surgery.
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Charlie, American Cocker Spaniel (06-26-2009) |
#15
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Sorry to hear about the return of the lump. Pls give him a hug from hazel! Maybe the antibiotics will do the trick this time.
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
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Charlie was scheduled for surgery Tuesday afternoon but the vet decided not to do it because the antibiotics are working very well this time. If the abscess comes back after this 4-week treatment, he will have the surgery. This is so stressful!
Here he is celebrating in the yard after I brought him back from the vet.
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Charlie, American Cocker Spaniel (06-26-2009) |
#17
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Charlie!
If you throw his ball for him, will he drop his ear to chase the ball?
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
#18
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Make sure whatever you put on his ears won't hurt his eyes because it is likely that it will get in his eyes when he puts his head down. Maybe you could get a groomer to shave his ears...maybe if they aren't fuzzy they won't be so fun to chew.
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Ella - Jun '20 - Reg AmStaff Squeak - '15/16? - Tabby cat (adopted Nov '18) Streak - '18 - Black cat (adopted Nov '18) Peewee - Jan '06 - 6.5 lb Chi (adopted May '09) -------------------- Roxy - Feb '05 to May '20 AmStaff (adopted Jul '11) Myka - Nov '98 to Jan '10 - APBT X Lacy - Sep '92 to Jul '03 - Sheltie |
#19
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As Hazel mentioned in an earlier post I'd try a dog snood that way he has no access to his ears at all
Some local handmade ones here: http://www.etsy.com/search?q=dog%20s...ax=0&ref=auto1 Charlie is mighty cute chewing on his ears though
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Avoid biting when a simple growl will do The Spirit Lives As Long As Someone Who Lives Remembers You - Navaho Saying |
#20
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Nope, it's like his ear became the favorite tennis ball. He use to greet us at the door with a tennis ball every day. Now it's a wet ear. I know it looks cute looking at it on pictures but it's so annoying to cuddle a dog with a wet ear. Also, at night, I can hear him chew on it and I'm always nervous I'll wake up to a pieces of his ear missing or full of blood.
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Charlie, American Cocker Spaniel (06-26-2009) |
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