squirmy foster dog trouble

[Jamiya]

So, I took in this 20-pound rat terrier guy (http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7105476) because he was having trouble at his other foster home. A day after I got him, he started tipping his head funny and yelping a lot, so I brought him to the vet. He has an ear infection, and I now need to try to get this ointment stuff into his ear twice a day.

Anyone have tips on how to pin a slippery eel down long enough to squash the medicine in his ear?! This dog never stops moving. And he screams when I touch his ear, which is very disconcerting.

[tuttifrutti]

With dogs like this at the vet I work at, this turns into a 3 person job, lol. We usually have one person hold the dog tightly around the neck (so that the bottom of their neck is in the crook of your arm) and the other hand up under the stomach and around, so that they can't really move their body. If they won't hold their head still, we add a third person who rougly pats on the head because it distracts the dog and they don't seem to think to move their head out of the way of the patter. The other person puts the ointment in the ear. Sounds like you've got a fun job ahead, lol, although he may not be quite as bad as a lot of the dogs we have to pat, as they are also usually trying to bite or turn around to see what we're doing to them, which moves them while they have a needle in their skin. Ouch!

[hermann muenster]

I'm usually alone when these jobs need to be done. It's not worth battling with them!
So, I give mine a big rawhide or some other very special long chewing treat. I administer the medicine, or get whatever job done that I need to do -- and then reward the guy with another treat and take away the chew for the next time I need it. They seem to be distracted enough by the chew to give me a few seconds to do what I have to do. I use this trick to clip nails, trim paw fur, and clean ears. My guys are alway willing to give up the rawhide for a spoonful of peanut butter, a little liversausage, or even a milkbone!

Good luck!

[Jamiya]

I managed it myself yesterday morning (somehow), but I had my daughter help last night and she was really good at it! She pinned his body and held his muzzle so I could use both hands to hold his ear and get the meds in. My son helped this morning and it got done, although I think we got as much ointment on the carpet as in his ear.

It's hard because he SCREAMS as soon as you touch his ear. It's getting a little better now, but it was very painful the day I brought him to the vet and they had a heck of a time with him as well.

He is a VERY mouthy little dog, so he is always trying to chew on your hand no matter what you do. But he's a really sweet dog. He seems to be calming down somewhat, although he will always be high energy and very active. I think he's getting used to our house and probably feels a lot better with his ear being treated. We'll just have to warn whomever adopts him that they need to let him settle in for at least a week before they despair of him ever sitting still.

He is quiet as a mouse and calm in his crate, though - go figure! He sleeps all night and doesn't make a peep in the morning even if you take a little while to let him out. He's confident enough to not trigger Nala very much, and if she does go off on him he screams and runs away which is the perfect reaction for her, LOL. I guess there was a small fight the other day when I wasn't home. He was pestering Nala and she finally had enough. I guess he learned his lesson, though, because the kids said afterwards he was very polite. I often wonder if we had an older dog when Nala was a puppy who had clobbered her a few times for being a pest if she wouldn't have learned better manners!

[coppersmom]

What a cute little fella! I grew up with a terrier like that and he was quite a character.

Brie does that scream thing when she is messed with.