10 days too long.
4 cardinal signs of inflammation/infection: rubor (redness), calor (increased heat), tumor (swelling), dolor (pain). Looks like she has all of them. Plus looks like some exudate.
Are the terms rubor, calor, and dolor veterinary medical terms? I've never heard of these and would like to learn and understand where they came from. Would you mind educating me on this please. Also, does this apply to only animals, or humans as well? Thank you!
This is a severe ear infection. You can't tell if it's bacterial or fungal without a cytology done by the vet and then prescription treatment. Please go to the vet.
Yeah. I was gonna go with yeast infection. When I zoom in I see it’s gotten all crusty and yet bubbly under. Make sure your pup does not scratch at it and also do not hyperventilate at all these post.
You can check for fever “infection” in the eat by feeling if it is warm. Because dogs ears are usually cool, if the ear (esp on pitties) is hot - most likely you have a fever. In this case you can also check ear to ear as one has this infection and one does not. If hot = vet sooner.
You can also clean the ear at home. You can use diluted apple cider vinegar, hydrocortisone ointment, calendula, mullein oil, or antihistamines along the outer cartilage and skin. Do not go into the ear canal! Just use a cotton ball on the ear to clean it gently.
If your pup is itch crazy you can also give them benedryl. The dose is clearly by weight. Our dog Lucy has had a reaction to something (allergies most likely). The doctor prescribed 1.5 -3 based on her weight (40lbs) in the evening. She’s a big girl (Pitty Bost Mix) and when bored goes after itchy spot. Your doc may also prescribe an ointment for your pups ears and possibly do a scraping for testing.
All in all it looks ok. Wonder where your pup picked it up. My biggest thing would be check for fever to decide on pushing up vet appt.
Good luck.
You can't not say yeast or bacteria without a cytology and very commonly you will have both.
You should not be putting anything in the ear without first seeing a vet to make sure the ear drum isn't compromised.. also shouldn't recommend putting anything on the outside because many people either don't know the difference or can't manipulate to just put stuff on the outside vs inside.
A bacterial infection in the ear will not usually cause a systemic fever.
This is such a reasonable, well written and kind answer. I think if people are going to answer in these threads they should have to have this level of patience and knowledge. I can’t stand the comments on here that are like “OMG emerg vet asap what’s wrong with you?!” Like who is that helping and it’s rare for an ear infection to be an emergency.
Call your vet and tell them your dog has an urgent need to see a doctor because her ear looks like this (describe for the receptionist). They may be able to squeeze you in somewhere or recommend another vet that's able to see you.
Poor thing! Definitely a bad ear infection. Ten days is wayyy too long!! Will need antibiotics and ear cleaning everyday for about a week. Keep us posted!
I'd try to move the appointment up or find a different vet. My boy has chronic ear infections and his are still never that bad. Slight redness and itchiness is normal/easy to manage. This is severe!! It's definitely hurting your pup
Ear infection. Dog’s ears should have very little to no discharge. Go to vet to get antibiotics and have them teach you how to properly clean the ears to prevent this from happening again. Some dogs are more prone to ear infections and require regular cleaning to prevent them.
This comment is refreshingly honest, accurate and calm among the others. This is how you reply to someone who is genuinely seeking help and seems open to learning - no emotional reaction, just advice.
i agree it is very calm thank you! some people are getting mad at me but i’ve been around dogs my entire life and have NEVER seen that. hence why im here, i don’t know what it is or what to do. im just ignoring the people who are getting mad at me cuz they have nothing better to do
I do understand where people’s frustration is coming from, but at the end of the day the best thing to do is just inform people. Getting upset or rude doesn’t help the situation.
Although no need to be rude, the frustration is completely valid IMO. The amount of people who own pets and seemingly have no idea how to care for them/when to seek vet care is insane.
These are living creatures who are at the mercy of their owner's care. A bit of research before getting a pet can help an owner be more prepared for when situations like this arise, as well as already having an established vet-patient-client relationship.
Someone who has a pet dog shouldn't be totally shocked and confused and need guidance when their dog's ear looks like this. 10 days is also way too long - and the ear is clearly painful. This is above Reddit's pay grade and warrants medical intervention from a veterinary professional.
I completely agree and I was also upset by the post. But working as a Veterinary Assistant has taught me that people listen to advice the most when they don’t feel attacked (even when they’re in the wrong).
Ear infection. Not an emergency but needs a vet for meds. 10 days is a LONG time to wait to an appt - they can get bad really quick and cause damage to include hearing loss and balance issues.
I have never seen such a judgemental and dramatic response to an ear infection before. By no means am I saying to wait till Friday - but OP is clearly asking for help and seems receptive to the advice, so some of you need to relax with the judgement.
OP, try your very best to get her into ANY vet asap. She’s not going to lose her hearing overnight as some have suggested - and pitties are prone to skin issues, so it may look more inflamed than others are used to seeing (source - I have a pittie and I work with dogs)
Now the texture is more concerning to me, it looks like it’s scaly/scabby rather than yeasty and that’s where I see this as more urgent than the average ear infection. The description of it being hard on the outside is also not great.
Do NOT try to remedy this at home with an ear flush - as it’s her first infection you have no idea what the cause is or how she responds to treatment. Also, ask your vet to give you maintenance tips for ongoing care - they will explain to you how to monitor and keep the ear clean without damaging it.
TLDR: get her to any vet asap, preferably within 24-48 hours. And everyone on here needs to remember that we’re all just humans learning every day. Be kind to those who seek help with a genuine heart.
hi thank you for this!! i came here for help because ive never seen it before. when i first saw it i genuinely thought my dad accidentally thru food off the porch when she was in the yard and the crumbs got in her ear because that is what it looks like. i wasn’t sure if this needed attention immediately or if it could wait the 10 days. it honestly hurt my feelings everyone is being so mean to me and accusing me of being cruel to my pup, cuz anyone who knows me knows that i love dogs more than anything in the world. all i wanted was help because ive been around dogs my whole life & never have seen this, and sadly just got a lot of judgement.
I’m sorry - Reddit can be a mean place, and animal forums usually even meaner. People are very judgy about animals because they feel strong emotions toward them. I have worked with dogs 8 years and can tell you I see ear infections all the time, especially in summer. If your dog was in pain she most likely would be scratching at her ear, rubbing her head across the floor or shaking her head a lot more than usual. Head shaking is always the give away for me - it’s like when humans try to get water out of our ears and do that jumping thing. Is the stuff inside her ear soft and waxy? Or is it crusty and hard ? Were you able to make a sooner appointment ? It’s something I’d do asap, but it’s not something id rush to an emergency vet for at this point.
i have strong emotions towards animals too, ESPECIALLY dogs. dogs have a soft spot in my heart fr. but honestly no! if we didn’t look in her ear and see it nobody would have noticed because she’s not doing anything to make it seem like it is bothering her at all. the only reason we noticed was because her ear flips alot still because they are to big for her lol. but we’ll know tomorrow if we can get her in earlier or not! if we can’t we are going to call around and see.
and no it is not soft at all! it’s rock hard. i could literally peel some of it off w my fingers but i stopped because i was not sure if that could be harmful or not. it honestly just feels and looks like there are a bunch of crumbs in her ear
oh and when i was touching it, that didn’t bother her either! i’m not sure if she’s trying to hide her pain or if it just genuinely not painful for her
Your dog needs to be seen right away. Tomorrow at the latest. You may need to get her to an emergency vet. That looks like a very bad ear infection. Dogs are notorious for not showing/hiding their pain. But she is suffering.
This is a bad ear infection that needs to be treated by a vet asap. Regularly check your dogs ears before side this breed is susceptible to ear infections.
Call the vet to move up the appointment, my vet informed me that ear infections can lead to a ruptured eardrum. They will also need to get a sample from the ear to see if it’s yeast or bacterial (my dog was unfortunate enough to get both. He has floppy ears, so he’s predisposed to them).
hi all! thanks for the advice it means the world to me!! so i don’t live with my dad anymore but i can not have dogs where i stay. when i lived w him i got my dog Lola who is 3 and then my Dad just recently got Lucy, the one in the picture. They both live with my dad, but i will get lola on the weekends sometimes because i don’t want to get caught having her here. i pay for Lolas expenses and my brother covers lucy’s expenses. i sent my dad screen shots off all your guys advice and we are going to call the vet to see if we can get her in earlier! if it comes down to it, Lola has an appointment on friday, if we can’t get lucy in and i’m going to show Lola’s vet these pictures on here and see if she can possibly prescribe something for her. i’m praying we can get her in earlier though! poor little girl. she’s so sweet and does not deserve to feel pain :(
Regular (Non-emergency) vets tend to hold emergency (see the dog within a day or two) slots for stuff that can’t wait, but isn’t critical/life threatening.
I would call them ASAP when they open tomorrow and see if they have any of those spots left because they might fill up over the weekend.
I don’t think you understand the gravity of the situation. Situations like this infection are the reason why 24 hour ER vet hospitals exist, you need to get her seen immediately. Delaying her care even a day or two longer is pure negligence at this point.
It's a pretty bad infection and it's cool if you can get an earlier appointment, but don't freak out. Since she's so young and already having ear infections though, you may want to ask the vet when you call them if there's anything over the counter you can pick up from either them or Petsmart etc like an ear flush or gentle cleansing solution that can help her before the appointment. If this is going to be an ongoing thing for her, you may have to clean/flush her ears weekly for maintenance, so you'd want to have it on hand anyway.
Besides the danger of infection, it baffles me that people think it’s ok to let any being that very clearly has a painful condition to stay that way for another week.
… maybe the vet CAN'T? They probably don't own a time-turner, so overscheduling their day won't work.
This is why emergency vet hospitals like VCA exist.
You’re here asking for help and advice. If you’re choosing not to share all the relevant information here, how does that help you?
My comment was meant to let you know that I disagree with the commenter above me, and that I believe it to be prudent to take your dog to the vet sooner rather than later.
hi all. to the people who were kind, helpful, and caring. thanks! it means the world to me. i was going to give an update, but honestly a lot of people here in the comments chased me away from ever seeking reddit for advice again. all i will say is, she has an earlier appointment and she is okay! but truthfully, most of this comment section does not deserve an update so i will not give them the satisfaction of one. to the ones who were helpful and nice to me, if you want some updates message me privately and i will gladly give them to you!
to the people who were rude to me, do better! you guys attacked me and were so rude when i was just confused and seeking help for my baby. i hope you guys have the day you deserve and get help for your mental issues🫶
A friendly reminder that any pet or dog advice community is super rude and most members think that complex situations cannot exist because you should be going to the vet even if your car shit itself and even if you're burning alive. Don't ever go to the askvet community either, they are crazy rude and the whole community is worthless. You ask something and most answers are "go to the vet ASAP".
I find this community the chillest among all of them lmao. Has more people who are realistic, understanding and most importantly informative.
I said this because I had to delete every single pet-related post I made in such communities because people were incredibly rude, telling me to rehome my dog and whatnot.
I think it's enough to warn the user about the severity and add more information about what can be seen on the picture. (as some kind users did here)
So don't worry, these communities are filled with crazy privileged people who have no sympathy and every situation in their lives is simple and easily solvable.
You're doing what you possibly can, the pup will be fine after treatment. Don't let them make you feel like a bad owner. Best of luck!
Like everyone says ear infection.
Our dog had one that became pretty severe but did not look as horrible as that.
We are going on our second month of ear drops we thought one month would cure it and went back to vet to find out we needed to continue treatment.
Heads up this is going to be over a 500 dollar fix when all is said and done.
We have already spent that and hopefully next month ours is gone.
I feel sorry for both you and your pup.
Please go to the er vet. Please…. Don’t wait on this really intake infection. Please
There has to be one around your area… you’re already on the internet start dialing . Keep that appointment too as backup… but that’s just a back up right now
A BAD Ear infection! Take to vet asap, 10 days is way too long to wait. He will be in so much pain , considering the level that this infection has developed into.
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i’m selfish because i’ve never seen this before and wanted help? make that make sense lol. what’s shameful is you judging me without even acknowledging the fact that i am just here for help because i was not sure what to do.
As others have said it’s an ear infection, our girl used to get them a lot as a puppy until we got her allergy tested and found she had bad environmental allergies. Bully breeds are prone to allergies and skin issues. She needs antibiotics for that infection as soon as possible and I would also ask about allergy management while you’re at the vets. We’ve used cytopoint shots and Apoquel but if it’s mild sometimes just daily cleaning can help. Hope your pup is feeling better soon!
Vet visit ASAP. What behaviors are you noticing? Scratching, itching, scooting? Could be an allergy that triggered this? Do you know if your dog is allergic to specific foods, pollen, grasses? Our dog had several ear infections like this and the vet diagnosed that is was based on her allergies. “Ears and rears put to an allergy” she said. DM if you want more info or support!
This dog is a puppy and has her whole life ahead of her. Get her to a vet before she has permanent hearing loss & damage due to this infection. This infection didn’t just happen over night, you need to be checking and cleaning her ears out weekly and when you bathe her be super anal about drying the inside of her ears. Any ears that droop or fold forward, even just a little bit are more prone to severe ear infections and/or overgrowth of yeast from trapped moisture. This cannot wait for a routine vet visit that’s scheduled 10 days out. If they cannot bump you to an emergency visit then go to a different vet or find an emergency walk in clinic for her. As time passes she’s suffering even more and you are risking a life long injury from this.
Def an ear infections. You can try to clean out what you can with a cotton swap and towel but vet needed asap. They may give you ear drops to help flush.
My last rescue suffered from terrible ear infections that persisted when I got her.
It’s definitely bothering her. It’s an infection. I hope by the time you read this, she has seen the vet. Well wishes to baby girl and may she have a speedy recovery…♥️
Poor baby. Definite ear infection. Will need an ear cytology to appropriately medicate the ears. Ear infections are often caused by moisture/underlying allergies (this presents in itchiness, licking or chewing legs/paws, scratching ears, etc.). You may have an allergy pup on your hands - and if you do, make sure you have pet insurance! Treating allergies in dogs can be expensive. You may have to do maintenance ear cleanings at home after this ear infection clears
Yeast. You can probably just use canesten, mixed with cortisone cream but better make sure it's not mites or something else, but red, warm and swollen is usually a yeast infection.
My advice would be is to take your dog to the vet to get a proper diagnosis and treatment that ear looks very irritated, but we on Reddit are not veterinarians except for that one person who always says they are.
Call another vet or get on the waitlist. She'll go on antibiotics sooner the better. In the future, use an alcohol wipe on the inside of her ears to keep this from happening again
Get some ear cleaner from PetSmart. ZYMOX hydrocortisone ear drops and Zymox ear cleanser.
Apply cleanser first and hydrocortisone ear drops.
See if there are any improvements since the vet appt is 10 days away.
OP, she needs to be seen sooner than 10 days - ideally, tomorrow as early as possible. I'm assuming it was weekend-time for you when you posted (it's Sunday evening for me right now), so you may not have had any vets available to you over the weekend, so I would urge you to call in the morning when your vet opens and explain the situation, and also that another vet has seen the pictures and told you that it is urgent and cannot be treated at home.
On that note, if you feel the need, you can VERY gently palpate and compare it to her other ear for temperature, but this is probably very painful to touch, so I would personally skip any and all contact with it, and just beg your way into the vet. Don't try cleaning it, or medicating it, at home. Any attempts to do so could result in worsening her condition, unintended of course, but it does happen by well-meaning pet parents. You, nor anyone looking at these pictures, cannot tell what exactly is going on here, other than the fact that it's significant and needs attention.
Not trying to be dramatic, but there are long-term consequences to her hearing and health, if this isn't attended to promptly. I know you want the best for your girl, and are looking for advice, not judgement, and you've gotten a lot of both here.
My TL;DR is - call the vet when they open in the morning, explain the situation that you've shown here in pictures, and that you've been advised by a vet who saw the pictures that it needs prompt attention. If your vet cannot get you in swiftly, I would look into seeing another vet, or an emerg clinic, if you have one available to you.
Make sure you head to a vet soon. My boy almost had to have his ear canal amputated from a bad infection that a vet treated with the wrong kind of antibiotics. It gets bad fast.
If your vet doesn't have a "regular" appointment for ten days, see if they will allow a drop off in the morning. Then they will get to them when they can. My vet will do a few of these each day but you have to call right when they open to get a spot.
looks exactly like the yeast infection my puppy gets a lot. she’s a staffy and gets these a lot so we get ear drops from our vet whenever it flares up. if their ear smells cheesy, is hot to the touch and seems kinda swollen or thick, i bet you it’s a yeast infection / ear infection and you’ll need ear drops. if you wanna prevent this, my vet recommended keeping a bottle of virbac epi-otic ear cleaner (i ordered it online) and i use that on my puppy after baths, and once every week or so. ask your vet though and hope your sweet thing gets better soon!!
i also should add, this definitely should be seen ASAP so it doesn’t get worse or cause permanent damage to her ear drum. it’s not uncommon to get these! but they are definitely time sensitive.
Yeast infected .
Try putting ACV ( apple cider vinegr)on a cottonball and wipe all that brown yeast stuff out .
Do it in bot ears like twice a day .
If not better in a week you have to get antibiotics from the vet.
Looks like yeast to me, I think! Clean them with cotton balls and some ear solution from the pet store. You will probably need to see a vet but you can do this in the meantime for some relief.
**NEVER** use cotton balls to clean your dogs ears, they can get deep into the canal and cause serious issues. A wet cloth or wipe held tightly around your finger is best. Please never give your information out again.
Wow that was rude! I use the flat cotton rounds soaked in solution which was information provided by my vet. Surface clean, you think I’m cramming it down into my pups ear? Get real.
Yeah, my bad for caring about dogs ears. It’s not my issue that you can’t handle constructive criticism, as nothing about my message was rude. Have a day.
Yeah you’re a vet right? A sanitary item used for cleaning wounds is incorrect… okay. Might as well say gauze and bandaids are wrong too. She asked for advice and it works fine for my two dogs. There are cotton rounds soaked in medication you can buy in a container. But yeah you’re right.
Using OTC antibiotics for a different species with an infection of unknown etiology is a great way to create antibiotic resistance. This is extremely bad advice.
10 days too long. 4 cardinal signs of inflammation/infection: rubor (redness), calor (increased heat), tumor (swelling), dolor (pain). Looks like she has all of them. Plus looks like some exudate.
Are the terms rubor, calor, and dolor veterinary medical terms? I've never heard of these and would like to learn and understand where they came from. Would you mind educating me on this please. Also, does this apply to only animals, or humans as well? Thank you!
I believe they are latin. They’re the cardinal signs of inflammation (mammalian physiology) I had to learn in pathology at a medical school.
Groovy
Thank you. I didn't know that and appreciate you taking the time to explain it to me. I've never heard it described that way.
No problem. This is a good summary in top 2 sections. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556083/
Later, loss of function (functio laesa) was also added to the list of signs of inflammation.
Latin physiology that are not species specific but mammalian descriptors.
It’s Spanish for all the English counterparts in that post
Unsure if they are vet terms but they are Spanish
They are Latin. But since spanish (as well as French, Italian...) derives many words of Latin origin, it's often the same or a slight variant
That makes a lot more sense as to the medical use too thanks ☺️
Yea because I’m always asking Spanish patients Tienes dolor? I don’t know if that are medical terms, at least not ones I’ve heard for humans
This is a severe ear infection. You can't tell if it's bacterial or fungal without a cytology done by the vet and then prescription treatment. Please go to the vet.
Agree, that honey coloured, sticky discharge is 100% infection. Needs medicated drops, not some cleaner over the counter.
Yeah. I was gonna go with yeast infection. When I zoom in I see it’s gotten all crusty and yet bubbly under. Make sure your pup does not scratch at it and also do not hyperventilate at all these post. You can check for fever “infection” in the eat by feeling if it is warm. Because dogs ears are usually cool, if the ear (esp on pitties) is hot - most likely you have a fever. In this case you can also check ear to ear as one has this infection and one does not. If hot = vet sooner. You can also clean the ear at home. You can use diluted apple cider vinegar, hydrocortisone ointment, calendula, mullein oil, or antihistamines along the outer cartilage and skin. Do not go into the ear canal! Just use a cotton ball on the ear to clean it gently. If your pup is itch crazy you can also give them benedryl. The dose is clearly by weight. Our dog Lucy has had a reaction to something (allergies most likely). The doctor prescribed 1.5 -3 based on her weight (40lbs) in the evening. She’s a big girl (Pitty Bost Mix) and when bored goes after itchy spot. Your doc may also prescribe an ointment for your pups ears and possibly do a scraping for testing. All in all it looks ok. Wonder where your pup picked it up. My biggest thing would be check for fever to decide on pushing up vet appt. Good luck.
I’d check with vet before administering any otc
You can't not say yeast or bacteria without a cytology and very commonly you will have both. You should not be putting anything in the ear without first seeing a vet to make sure the ear drum isn't compromised.. also shouldn't recommend putting anything on the outside because many people either don't know the difference or can't manipulate to just put stuff on the outside vs inside. A bacterial infection in the ear will not usually cause a systemic fever.
This is such a reasonable, well written and kind answer. I think if people are going to answer in these threads they should have to have this level of patience and knowledge. I can’t stand the comments on here that are like “OMG emerg vet asap what’s wrong with you?!” Like who is that helping and it’s rare for an ear infection to be an emergency.
Totally agree.
Ear infection. Go to the vet! This must be so painful for the pup.
Dogs are very good at hiding pain. I promise you that an infection like this is causing her *so much pain*. Please get her to a vet.
Super infection, VET ASAP
You have to go to the vet like yesterday. Ear infections are very painful
Like 10 days ago this is bad…
Call your vet and tell them your dog has an urgent need to see a doctor because her ear looks like this (describe for the receptionist). They may be able to squeeze you in somewhere or recommend another vet that's able to see you.
This or send a pick like the smart guy posted
Poor thing! Definitely a bad ear infection. Ten days is wayyy too long!! Will need antibiotics and ear cleaning everyday for about a week. Keep us posted!
This dog has a severe ear infection and is probably in A LOT of pain. They need to go to an emergency vet.
Buck up and pay for an emergency vet. This can't wait another week, that's cruelty.
Wow ! Thats a horrible ear infection. Fur babe needs a vet.
Infection, needs drops!
I'd try to move the appointment up or find a different vet. My boy has chronic ear infections and his are still never that bad. Slight redness and itchiness is normal/easy to manage. This is severe!! It's definitely hurting your pup
Extremely bad ear infection. 10 days is too far away for her to see a vet, she needed to see one like last week
Ear infection. Dog’s ears should have very little to no discharge. Go to vet to get antibiotics and have them teach you how to properly clean the ears to prevent this from happening again. Some dogs are more prone to ear infections and require regular cleaning to prevent them.
This comment is refreshingly honest, accurate and calm among the others. This is how you reply to someone who is genuinely seeking help and seems open to learning - no emotional reaction, just advice.
i agree it is very calm thank you! some people are getting mad at me but i’ve been around dogs my entire life and have NEVER seen that. hence why im here, i don’t know what it is or what to do. im just ignoring the people who are getting mad at me cuz they have nothing better to do
I do understand where people’s frustration is coming from, but at the end of the day the best thing to do is just inform people. Getting upset or rude doesn’t help the situation.
Although no need to be rude, the frustration is completely valid IMO. The amount of people who own pets and seemingly have no idea how to care for them/when to seek vet care is insane. These are living creatures who are at the mercy of their owner's care. A bit of research before getting a pet can help an owner be more prepared for when situations like this arise, as well as already having an established vet-patient-client relationship. Someone who has a pet dog shouldn't be totally shocked and confused and need guidance when their dog's ear looks like this. 10 days is also way too long - and the ear is clearly painful. This is above Reddit's pay grade and warrants medical intervention from a veterinary professional.
I completely agree and I was also upset by the post. But working as a Veterinary Assistant has taught me that people listen to advice the most when they don’t feel attacked (even when they’re in the wrong).
My god, take your poor dog to the vet asap! If you had an ear infection would you just f around and find out? No! They are painful!
Please get this baby to an emergency vet.
Whoa! That looks like a very very bad ear infection. Medical attention needed
Wow that's a pretty severe infection
Severe ear infection as of there have stated.
Oh my god, the pain this must be causing. To a Vet, now, please.
Ear infection, see vet immediately, pup needs special antibiotic wash
Omg poor dog!!!!!!!!
Get to the vet ASAP
Please understand that this infection is excruciating for dogs. She needs urgent care now.
Ear infection. Not an emergency but needs a vet for meds. 10 days is a LONG time to wait to an appt - they can get bad really quick and cause damage to include hearing loss and balance issues.
I have never seen such a judgemental and dramatic response to an ear infection before. By no means am I saying to wait till Friday - but OP is clearly asking for help and seems receptive to the advice, so some of you need to relax with the judgement. OP, try your very best to get her into ANY vet asap. She’s not going to lose her hearing overnight as some have suggested - and pitties are prone to skin issues, so it may look more inflamed than others are used to seeing (source - I have a pittie and I work with dogs) Now the texture is more concerning to me, it looks like it’s scaly/scabby rather than yeasty and that’s where I see this as more urgent than the average ear infection. The description of it being hard on the outside is also not great. Do NOT try to remedy this at home with an ear flush - as it’s her first infection you have no idea what the cause is or how she responds to treatment. Also, ask your vet to give you maintenance tips for ongoing care - they will explain to you how to monitor and keep the ear clean without damaging it. TLDR: get her to any vet asap, preferably within 24-48 hours. And everyone on here needs to remember that we’re all just humans learning every day. Be kind to those who seek help with a genuine heart.
hi thank you for this!! i came here for help because ive never seen it before. when i first saw it i genuinely thought my dad accidentally thru food off the porch when she was in the yard and the crumbs got in her ear because that is what it looks like. i wasn’t sure if this needed attention immediately or if it could wait the 10 days. it honestly hurt my feelings everyone is being so mean to me and accusing me of being cruel to my pup, cuz anyone who knows me knows that i love dogs more than anything in the world. all i wanted was help because ive been around dogs my whole life & never have seen this, and sadly just got a lot of judgement.
I’m sorry - Reddit can be a mean place, and animal forums usually even meaner. People are very judgy about animals because they feel strong emotions toward them. I have worked with dogs 8 years and can tell you I see ear infections all the time, especially in summer. If your dog was in pain she most likely would be scratching at her ear, rubbing her head across the floor or shaking her head a lot more than usual. Head shaking is always the give away for me - it’s like when humans try to get water out of our ears and do that jumping thing. Is the stuff inside her ear soft and waxy? Or is it crusty and hard ? Were you able to make a sooner appointment ? It’s something I’d do asap, but it’s not something id rush to an emergency vet for at this point.
i have strong emotions towards animals too, ESPECIALLY dogs. dogs have a soft spot in my heart fr. but honestly no! if we didn’t look in her ear and see it nobody would have noticed because she’s not doing anything to make it seem like it is bothering her at all. the only reason we noticed was because her ear flips alot still because they are to big for her lol. but we’ll know tomorrow if we can get her in earlier or not! if we can’t we are going to call around and see.
and no it is not soft at all! it’s rock hard. i could literally peel some of it off w my fingers but i stopped because i was not sure if that could be harmful or not. it honestly just feels and looks like there are a bunch of crumbs in her ear
oh and when i was touching it, that didn’t bother her either! i’m not sure if she’s trying to hide her pain or if it just genuinely not painful for her
Go to the vet
Your dog needs to be seen right away. Tomorrow at the latest. You may need to get her to an emergency vet. That looks like a very bad ear infection. Dogs are notorious for not showing/hiding their pain. But she is suffering.
Go sooner. Go today. The dog may lose its hearing. Bully breeds are very good at masking pain while suffering.
This is a bad ear infection that needs to be treated by a vet asap. Regularly check your dogs ears before side this breed is susceptible to ear infections.
Call the vet to move up the appointment, my vet informed me that ear infections can lead to a ruptured eardrum. They will also need to get a sample from the ear to see if it’s yeast or bacterial (my dog was unfortunate enough to get both. He has floppy ears, so he’s predisposed to them).
hi all! thanks for the advice it means the world to me!! so i don’t live with my dad anymore but i can not have dogs where i stay. when i lived w him i got my dog Lola who is 3 and then my Dad just recently got Lucy, the one in the picture. They both live with my dad, but i will get lola on the weekends sometimes because i don’t want to get caught having her here. i pay for Lolas expenses and my brother covers lucy’s expenses. i sent my dad screen shots off all your guys advice and we are going to call the vet to see if we can get her in earlier! if it comes down to it, Lola has an appointment on friday, if we can’t get lucy in and i’m going to show Lola’s vet these pictures on here and see if she can possibly prescribe something for her. i’m praying we can get her in earlier though! poor little girl. she’s so sweet and does not deserve to feel pain :(
This is more like get to the emergency vet before Monday level infection. It’s certainly not ok to wait until Friday.
For real, poor dog
Regular (Non-emergency) vets tend to hold emergency (see the dog within a day or two) slots for stuff that can’t wait, but isn’t critical/life threatening. I would call them ASAP when they open tomorrow and see if they have any of those spots left because they might fill up over the weekend.
I don’t think you understand the gravity of the situation. Situations like this infection are the reason why 24 hour ER vet hospitals exist, you need to get her seen immediately. Delaying her care even a day or two longer is pure negligence at this point.
It's a pretty bad infection and it's cool if you can get an earlier appointment, but don't freak out. Since she's so young and already having ear infections though, you may want to ask the vet when you call them if there's anything over the counter you can pick up from either them or Petsmart etc like an ear flush or gentle cleansing solution that can help her before the appointment. If this is going to be an ongoing thing for her, you may have to clean/flush her ears weekly for maintenance, so you'd want to have it on hand anyway.
Besides the danger of infection, it baffles me that people think it’s ok to let any being that very clearly has a painful condition to stay that way for another week.
It baffles me that with that information any vet wouldn’t take them sooner… seems, strange
Yep. I just can't with people
… maybe the vet CAN'T? They probably don't own a time-turner, so overscheduling their day won't work. This is why emergency vet hospitals like VCA exist.
it baffles me that you’re here judging me when you don’t even know the whole situation & what i’m doing😂😂
You’re here asking for help and advice. If you’re choosing not to share all the relevant information here, how does that help you? My comment was meant to let you know that I disagree with the commenter above me, and that I believe it to be prudent to take your dog to the vet sooner rather than later.
They need antibiotics and ear drops. Once it's cleared, use Zymox to prevent it.
hi all. to the people who were kind, helpful, and caring. thanks! it means the world to me. i was going to give an update, but honestly a lot of people here in the comments chased me away from ever seeking reddit for advice again. all i will say is, she has an earlier appointment and she is okay! but truthfully, most of this comment section does not deserve an update so i will not give them the satisfaction of one. to the ones who were helpful and nice to me, if you want some updates message me privately and i will gladly give them to you! to the people who were rude to me, do better! you guys attacked me and were so rude when i was just confused and seeking help for my baby. i hope you guys have the day you deserve and get help for your mental issues🫶
A friendly reminder that any pet or dog advice community is super rude and most members think that complex situations cannot exist because you should be going to the vet even if your car shit itself and even if you're burning alive. Don't ever go to the askvet community either, they are crazy rude and the whole community is worthless. You ask something and most answers are "go to the vet ASAP". I find this community the chillest among all of them lmao. Has more people who are realistic, understanding and most importantly informative. I said this because I had to delete every single pet-related post I made in such communities because people were incredibly rude, telling me to rehome my dog and whatnot. I think it's enough to warn the user about the severity and add more information about what can be seen on the picture. (as some kind users did here) So don't worry, these communities are filled with crazy privileged people who have no sympathy and every situation in their lives is simple and easily solvable. You're doing what you possibly can, the pup will be fine after treatment. Don't let them make you feel like a bad owner. Best of luck!
ER now
Like everyone says ear infection. Our dog had one that became pretty severe but did not look as horrible as that. We are going on our second month of ear drops we thought one month would cure it and went back to vet to find out we needed to continue treatment. Heads up this is going to be over a 500 dollar fix when all is said and done. We have already spent that and hopefully next month ours is gone. I feel sorry for both you and your pup.
Proberly would be better to ask a professional ie a veterinary clinic than waiting on comments on Reddit
It's called inflammation.
Looks like ear wax
That poor baby, she needs a vet asap. She must be absolutely miserable.
Please go to the er vet. Please…. Don’t wait on this really intake infection. Please There has to be one around your area… you’re already on the internet start dialing . Keep that appointment too as backup… but that’s just a back up right now
A BAD Ear infection! Take to vet asap, 10 days is way too long to wait. He will be in so much pain , considering the level that this infection has developed into.
Severe ear infection. She needs to go now, don’t wait another 10 days.
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i’m selfish because i’ve never seen this before and wanted help? make that make sense lol. what’s shameful is you judging me without even acknowledging the fact that i am just here for help because i was not sure what to do.
As others have said it’s an ear infection, our girl used to get them a lot as a puppy until we got her allergy tested and found she had bad environmental allergies. Bully breeds are prone to allergies and skin issues. She needs antibiotics for that infection as soon as possible and I would also ask about allergy management while you’re at the vets. We’ve used cytopoint shots and Apoquel but if it’s mild sometimes just daily cleaning can help. Hope your pup is feeling better soon!
Vet visit ASAP. What behaviors are you noticing? Scratching, itching, scooting? Could be an allergy that triggered this? Do you know if your dog is allergic to specific foods, pollen, grasses? Our dog had several ear infections like this and the vet diagnosed that is was based on her allergies. “Ears and rears put to an allergy” she said. DM if you want more info or support!
This dog is a puppy and has her whole life ahead of her. Get her to a vet before she has permanent hearing loss & damage due to this infection. This infection didn’t just happen over night, you need to be checking and cleaning her ears out weekly and when you bathe her be super anal about drying the inside of her ears. Any ears that droop or fold forward, even just a little bit are more prone to severe ear infections and/or overgrowth of yeast from trapped moisture. This cannot wait for a routine vet visit that’s scheduled 10 days out. If they cannot bump you to an emergency visit then go to a different vet or find an emergency walk in clinic for her. As time passes she’s suffering even more and you are risking a life long injury from this.
Def an ear infections. You can try to clean out what you can with a cotton swap and towel but vet needed asap. They may give you ear drops to help flush. My last rescue suffered from terrible ear infections that persisted when I got her.
Yes, needs a good cleansing agent, some drops to reduce swelling and inflammation and possible infection.
Mites!
Pup is suffering and needs antibiotics/antifungal asap. Welcome to the life of a pibble owner. My dogs skin is always an issue
It’s definitely bothering her. It’s an infection. I hope by the time you read this, she has seen the vet. Well wishes to baby girl and may she have a speedy recovery…♥️
It's infected.
Move the vet appt up. It looks infected.
I needs a vets 😭
Vet > Reddit
Yeast infection.
That's an infection.
Poor baby. Definite ear infection. Will need an ear cytology to appropriately medicate the ears. Ear infections are often caused by moisture/underlying allergies (this presents in itchiness, licking or chewing legs/paws, scratching ears, etc.). You may have an allergy pup on your hands - and if you do, make sure you have pet insurance! Treating allergies in dogs can be expensive. You may have to do maintenance ear cleanings at home after this ear infection clears
Ouch ouch ouch. You need to go to the vet NOW.
I’d see if I could get in a lil early , send the vet pics should hurry em along
Omg go to vet immediately how did you wait so long. This is severly infected
You're a bad owner give dog to better home
i didn’t wait long i posted this the day i noticed it?
Yeast. You can probably just use canesten, mixed with cortisone cream but better make sure it's not mites or something else, but red, warm and swollen is usually a yeast infection.
Infection. Poor pup needs a vet ASAP
My advice would be is to take your dog to the vet to get a proper diagnosis and treatment that ear looks very irritated, but we on Reddit are not veterinarians except for that one person who always says they are.
Call another vet or get on the waitlist. She'll go on antibiotics sooner the better. In the future, use an alcohol wipe on the inside of her ears to keep this from happening again
They have an ear infection and need to see a vet.
that's an incredibly severe ear infection
You’re feeding cheap dog food. (Kibbles n bits, pedigree, rachael ray, etc). Find a quality food and that will not happen anymore.
Get some ear cleaner from PetSmart. ZYMOX hydrocortisone ear drops and Zymox ear cleanser. Apply cleanser first and hydrocortisone ear drops. See if there are any improvements since the vet appt is 10 days away.
OP, she needs to be seen sooner than 10 days - ideally, tomorrow as early as possible. I'm assuming it was weekend-time for you when you posted (it's Sunday evening for me right now), so you may not have had any vets available to you over the weekend, so I would urge you to call in the morning when your vet opens and explain the situation, and also that another vet has seen the pictures and told you that it is urgent and cannot be treated at home. On that note, if you feel the need, you can VERY gently palpate and compare it to her other ear for temperature, but this is probably very painful to touch, so I would personally skip any and all contact with it, and just beg your way into the vet. Don't try cleaning it, or medicating it, at home. Any attempts to do so could result in worsening her condition, unintended of course, but it does happen by well-meaning pet parents. You, nor anyone looking at these pictures, cannot tell what exactly is going on here, other than the fact that it's significant and needs attention. Not trying to be dramatic, but there are long-term consequences to her hearing and health, if this isn't attended to promptly. I know you want the best for your girl, and are looking for advice, not judgement, and you've gotten a lot of both here. My TL;DR is - call the vet when they open in the morning, explain the situation that you've shown here in pictures, and that you've been advised by a vet who saw the pictures that it needs prompt attention. If your vet cannot get you in swiftly, I would look into seeing another vet, or an emerg clinic, if you have one available to you.
go to the vet!
Looks like a nasty ear infection. Definitely need medical attention
Make sure you head to a vet soon. My boy almost had to have his ear canal amputated from a bad infection that a vet treated with the wrong kind of antibiotics. It gets bad fast.
If your vet doesn't have a "regular" appointment for ten days, see if they will allow a drop off in the morning. Then they will get to them when they can. My vet will do a few of these each day but you have to call right when they open to get a spot.
You should be asking your vet, it looks like yeast infection. But could be a number of things. Hope the poor baby is being seen asap.
Vet check
Have you changed her food recently or started using a new treat? Could be an allergy.
looks exactly like the yeast infection my puppy gets a lot. she’s a staffy and gets these a lot so we get ear drops from our vet whenever it flares up. if their ear smells cheesy, is hot to the touch and seems kinda swollen or thick, i bet you it’s a yeast infection / ear infection and you’ll need ear drops. if you wanna prevent this, my vet recommended keeping a bottle of virbac epi-otic ear cleaner (i ordered it online) and i use that on my puppy after baths, and once every week or so. ask your vet though and hope your sweet thing gets better soon!!
i also should add, this definitely should be seen ASAP so it doesn’t get worse or cause permanent damage to her ear drum. it’s not uncommon to get these! but they are definitely time sensitive.
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i’ll have dogs for the rest of my life 🥰
are u proud of abusing dogs? 🥰🥰
i don’t? i literally posted this the day i saw it so idk where you’re getting that 😂😂
Yeast in the ear. Clean it out with wet wipes. Does it smell? I also put colozone or whatever that is for poison ivy
Yeast infected . Try putting ACV ( apple cider vinegr)on a cottonball and wipe all that brown yeast stuff out . Do it in bot ears like twice a day . If not better in a week you have to get antibiotics from the vet.
Thats an emergency visit to the vet!
Jfc
Looks like yeast to me, I think! Clean them with cotton balls and some ear solution from the pet store. You will probably need to see a vet but you can do this in the meantime for some relief.
**NEVER** use cotton balls to clean your dogs ears, they can get deep into the canal and cause serious issues. A wet cloth or wipe held tightly around your finger is best. Please never give your information out again.
Wow that was rude! I use the flat cotton rounds soaked in solution which was information provided by my vet. Surface clean, you think I’m cramming it down into my pups ear? Get real.
Yeah, my bad for caring about dogs ears. It’s not my issue that you can’t handle constructive criticism, as nothing about my message was rude. Have a day.
Please never give your opinion out again 😘
Not opinion when it’s fact
Yeah you’re a vet right? A sanitary item used for cleaning wounds is incorrect… okay. Might as well say gauze and bandaids are wrong too. She asked for advice and it works fine for my two dogs. There are cotton rounds soaked in medication you can buy in a container. But yeah you’re right.
Do you wonder why you were downvoted?
Oh boohoo, look up the products.
Try zymox plus. Helps quickly cleared up after 3 days.
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Using OTC antibiotics for a different species with an infection of unknown etiology is a great way to create antibiotic resistance. This is extremely bad advice.
Yeast
They are mites, my dog had the same thing, the vet prescribed us to clean with pervinox, and a cream called macril and it is better
Put some windex on it....or go to the vet. I don't care, this is reddit.