Natural Remedies for Ear Infections

Did you know that dogs hear sound at 100,000 cycles per second, while humans can only hear 20,000? Cats hear at even higher frequencies, truly amazing if you really think about it! To keep their amazing sense of hearing up to par, their ear canals are shaped like an L, which helps to prevent eardrum damage, but unfortunately, it allows the ears to trap moisture, debris, wax and parasites.This can lead to ear infections, which are not uncommon in dogs and cats. While antibiotics and anti fungal drugs treat ear infections, these medications disturb the chemistry inside the ear, and can cause long-term side effects. It makes much more sense to prevent ear infections than to treat them, and this can be achieved by strengthening the immune system so that it is better able to combat bacteria and germs before they lead to infection.

Signs of Ear Infection in Pets • Animal shakes his head or holds it on one side • Scratching or rubbing of ears, on carpet/furniture • Yellow, black or brown discharge in ears • Ears smell bad, are tender/red What can you do? You can clean your pet’s ears with vinegar if you notice wax/discharge. This may signal allergies or a yeast infection. Using diluted vinegar or vinegar mixed with water, wipe the inner ear with a soaked cotton ball once a day until cleared up. You may also stop infection with pau d’arco, aka Inca Gold. A natural antibiotic, it stops bacteria and fungi from growing. Mix equal parts of the Inca Gold tincture and oil and use a few drops in your pet’s ears. Use 2-3 times a day for 4-5 days or until better. Giving your pet Vitamin C will help to reduce inflammation from infection. Pets under 15 pounds may have 100-250 mg of the vitamin per day. Animals 15-50 pounds can have 250-500 mg, and larger dogs may have 500 mg 2-3 times per day. Vitamin C has been known to cause diarrhea in animals, so you may have to experiment with the dosage until you find the right amount. You can eliminate toxins and improve your pet’s health by giving them an all natural food that doesn't contain the fillers, additives or preservatives found in commercial pet food. Giving your pet supplements like bromelain and super quercetin will decrease allergies in the digestive tract, helping to eliminate food allergies. Administering a few drops of almond or olive oil in each of your pet’s ears will kill ear mites and allow infection to heal. You may need to do this for 3-4 weeks, using 3-7 drops of oil in each ear everyday. Cleaning the ear beforehand will make the oil remedy work better. Over-the-counter remedies like Nature’s Defender will stop ear mites and also kill other pests like lice, scabies and fleas. It is safe for animal and human use, and can be used on carpet and bedding. Products like Natural Animal and Pet Gold are natural insecticides that work safely and efficiently. Ear infections are not typically serious, but if you try at home remedies to no avail, you will need to see your veterinarian for further treatment. Too much scratching of the ears can cause hematoma and serious side effects. If your pet has an inner ear infection (dizziness, head tilting, drooping eyes), it needs to be treated with an antibiotic. Content courtesy of: PreciousPets.org