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Old August 26th, 2012, 06:25 PM
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LoveCharlie LoveCharlie is offline
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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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Old August 26th, 2012, 07:25 PM
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What about bitter apple? Or Lavender essential oil?
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Old August 26th, 2012, 09:01 PM
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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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Old August 26th, 2012, 09:50 PM
Barkingdog Barkingdog is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LoveCharlie View Post
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...
What about that stuff you put on babies thumbs to keep them from sucking it all the time?
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Old August 27th, 2012, 06:53 AM
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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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Old August 27th, 2012, 12:46 PM
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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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Old August 27th, 2012, 04:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hazelrunpack View Post
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....
I tried putting his ears up in a hair scrunchy but he shakes his head until the scrunchy falls off
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Old August 27th, 2012, 07:37 PM
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Originally Posted by LoveCharlie View Post
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!
Can the fur be cut to make his ears shorter? I have a poodle mix and my dog ears can get really long if I let the fur grow.
I think it is funny that he like to chew on his ear. I never heard of a dog doing that before.
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Old August 27th, 2012, 08:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LoveCharlie View Post
I tried putting his ears up in a hair scrunchy but he shakes his head until the scrunchy falls off
Charlie, it's for your own good!!! *sigh*
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Old August 28th, 2012, 12:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Barkingdog View Post
Can the fur be cut to make his ears shorter? I have a poodle mix and my dog ears can get really long if I let the fur grow.
I think it is funny that he like to chew on his ear. I never heard of a dog doing that before.
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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Old August 29th, 2012, 04:36 PM
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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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Old August 29th, 2012, 06:16 PM
Barkingdog Barkingdog is offline
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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
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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Old August 30th, 2012, 11:10 AM
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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...
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Old September 10th, 2012, 01:16 PM
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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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Old September 10th, 2012, 06:06 PM
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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.
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Old September 13th, 2012, 07:17 PM
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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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Old September 13th, 2012, 07:26 PM
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Charlie!

If you throw his ball for him, will he drop his ear to chase the ball?
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Old September 13th, 2012, 09:26 PM
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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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Old September 14th, 2012, 02:07 AM
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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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Old September 14th, 2012, 06:27 AM
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LoveCharlie LoveCharlie is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hazelrunpack View Post
Charlie!

If you throw his ball for him, will he drop his ear to chase the ball?
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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Old September 14th, 2012, 08:10 PM
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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.



Have you tried giving a toy or bone to chew on instead of his ear? He is so cute, I think he is one of the cutest American Cocker Spaniel I have seen.
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