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Author Topic:   dog ear infection causes deafness
Kellisue
New Member

Posts: 4
From:Iowa, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 09-04-2003 06:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Kellisue     Edit/Delete Message
My ten year old Scottie had an ear infection a few weeks ago, evidenced by his ears being tender to the touch and his not hearing well. We took him to the vet and got drops. He was no longer sensitive, yet he still could not hear. Took him back to the vet, who basically said, "Oh, I guess he's deaf now."

We are broken hearted for our dog. The vet offers no help. Should we take him to a city vet? Can anything be done or is it too late? He is so lonely and depressed. Thanks for any assistance that you can give us. Kelli

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jeminn
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Posts: 166
From:Colorado, USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 09-04-2003 08:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for jeminn     Edit/Delete Message
A second opinion would not hurt. It is common for an older dog to begin losing their hearing, although I am not sure if I would say your dog has reached that ripe age of "natural hearing loss", but maybe so. And, maybe it was the ear infection, it is hard to say.
My old husky began to lose her hearing at about at 13. She is now 16, and totally deaf, from what we can tell. She does not respond to our voices, loud noises or startling sounds, and she once was a very well obedienced trained dog. If you dog does turn out to be permanently deaf, don't despair! Deaf dogs can still be happy, but it may take time to adjust to a different kind of life. If this is the case, you just have to make the best of it and give her even more "hands on" attention and love.
Let us know what happens-

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Maisey
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Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 09-04-2003 11:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Maisey     Edit/Delete Message
It sounds like a second opinion would maybe put you at ease a bit more, and it can't hurt. Is it in both ears or just one? If he has lost all his hearing...something to remember is that he may now startle easier, and sometimes dogs will snap or nip when startled. Approaching him when he is sleeping should be done slowly and gently, a light touch on the shoulder, or tapping the floor with your foot. I had a Beagle that lived to be 23, she was stone deaf by about the age of 16, of course that happened gradually so she had time to adjust. We adapted with her, found ways of doing things that made it easier on all. She also became blind a bit later...and we learned to adapt to that as well. My daughter is losing her hearing slowly, she is 11 and for quite some time we have been studying American sign language as a family. No pressure kind of stuff...we try to keep it fun. One way we have done that is to teach our dog some signs. He learns then faster than we do! but she thinks it is cool so it helps motivate her. You could pick up a book and start teaching your dog a few, I do think old dogs can learn new tricks! Also try using your search feature on your computer for finding information on deaf dogs, there are good articles and sites out there where you could learn a few tricks that will help you and your dog adjust. Keep us updated...it's nice to hear how everyone is doing.

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puttin510
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Posts: 1179
From:,Calif. U.S.A.
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 09-05-2003 10:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for puttin510     Edit/Delete Message
Maisey, you are the bomb. Caring for a dog for 23 years, my goodness is that some kind of record or something. Good for you.

Kellisue: Please check out www.championpets.co.uk I use thornit ear powder on my poodle and she no longer gets wax, thus hopefully no infections. Question, I am curiuos as to what color the wax is in your dog. It kind of seems that dogs that get infections are the ones with brown wax.
Here is a direct link to the ear problems page. www.championpets.freeserve.co.uk/ears.htm
[This message has been edited by puttin510 (edited 09-05-2003).]

[This message has been edited by puttin510 (edited 09-05-2003).]

[This message has been edited by puttin510 (edited 09-05-2003).]

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Kellisue
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Posts: 4
From:Iowa, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 09-06-2003 07:48 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Kellisue     Edit/Delete Message
Thanks for all of the ideas.

I think we will get a second opinion. The vet tried to act like "oh he's probably just ignoring you when you call him because he doesn't want the drops". We tried telling him that it would not be in our dog's personality to ignore us. I think he knows he should have treated the infection more aggresively and wants us to think it is our fault. I am guessing that there is scarring on the ear drum now.

Our dog had such excellent hearing before all this. Within about a month's time he has gone almost completely deaf. We think we may be seeing a slight improvement as he seems to be able to hear if we get right in front of him and yell "HEY!" in our loudest, deepest voice. Or maybe it is the vibration.

We haven't noticed much ear wax with him. His ears are normally pretty clean and dry. I will start looking for it though.

Sorry to hear about your daughter, Maisy. Awesome that you are being so proactive as to learn it before you need it. I am sure it will make a huge difference for her. We have a student at our school who uses English sign. I have learned a bit so we have started some sign with our dog. He has caught on pretty quickly to sit, stay, and come. I think teaching him to be quiet will be a bigger challenge. He does love to let us know when he has spotted a fuzzy yard intruder of the bunny type. He can't hear us tell him that we see it, so he continues to bark.

His depression is another issue. He goes through it every year at this time. The kids and I spend so much time with him in the summer and then one day we just all up and leave to go to school. I know he can't figure that one out. With this hearing loss he is feeling even more isolated, thinking no one ever talks to him anymore. We did adopt (rescue) a companion animal for him about four years ago. The other Scottie is a year older, but the two share no common interests. Our first dog is an outdoorsman, a daredevil and a dignified gentleman. The second really doesn't like going outside, is a loverboy and wimpy. They will occasionally play, but for the most part ignore one another.

Thanks again for all the thoughts and info. I will let you know if we find out anymore.

[This message has been edited by Kellisue (edited 09-06-2003).]

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Maisey
Member

Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 09-06-2003 09:12 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Maisey     Edit/Delete Message
Kelliesue, Just a thought here...but When Mackenzie gets an ear infection, she gets a fluid build up that even after the infection has gone remains, it hardens and she has to have her Dr. remove it. When that happens she will test with a huge defecit for hearing in that ear. I don't know if dogs would be the same in any way, and I have a hard enough time understanding the human ear...but I thought I would mention it.
As far as Mackenzie losing her hearing...from the start she took the additude that she will still have "one good ear" and it's "no big deal", she is my toughie girl.

Puttin, Emily the Beagle who nearly lived forever, suprised us all time and time again. I got her from the pound when she was 5 years old and was about twenty minutes from being put to sleep. When she got into her last years she had about 7 strokes, each time I would think "ok this is it" I would stay up with her all night holding her and loving on her, only to wake up to a new dog in the morning. She would hop up and act like nothing happened. She never became incontinent until about a week before she passed. She had a cancerous tumor on her foot for most of her life while I had her and it never effected her, she actually died of kidney failure due to old age. I got her when I was 16, had just gotten my first car and license, she went to school with me every day and stayed in my car while I was in classes. Every morning I would stop at the mini market and buy her a Hershey bar and strawberry milk(not knowing any better). She had her dog bed, dog food and water in the car and a toy or two. It's amazing I didn't kill her with chocolate! My friends and I would spend our lunch time at the car playing with her and she loved it. I look back and wonder how with all the things I did wrong, she managed to live so long. She was with me through all the major points in my life, graduation, boyfriends, my first job, marriage, two children, buying our first house....sometimes I actually think I see her out of the corner of my eye still, it used to make me cry, now it makes me smile.

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puttin510
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Posts: 1179
From:,Calif. U.S.A.
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 09-06-2003 10:46 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for puttin510     Edit/Delete Message
Maisey you just about made me cry. Isn't it odd how all the things we gave our dogs years ago are now supposed to be very dangerous for them. Who makes up these rules anyway. Today you would have been sited for endangering a dogs life keeping him in the car in the summer. I was told that right in front of the A.S.P.C.A. I was dropping off food and metioned my girl was in the car, the lady asked if I had the windows cracked for her. Of course I said yes. She smilingly said good, because I don't want to have to site you. You have such great memories with that little sister of a beagle you had. (or your first baby).
Kelliesue: My son had many ear infections thru the years, ruptured ear drums and still has very good hearing. We have had him tested often. Maybe he does have some buildup in his ear. Also a case a holding a grudge for you guys having to go back to school. ask the vet to do a thorough cleaning an see if it helps.

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Kellisue
New Member

Posts: 4
From:Iowa, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 09-06-2003 03:02 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Kellisue     Edit/Delete Message
Thanks for the excellent idea! We will take him to a different vet and ask that his ears be cleaned out.

What a great attitude Mackenzie has!

God Bless!

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Maisey
Member

Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 09-06-2003 03:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Maisey     Edit/Delete Message
I never left her in the car during summer or on hot days...just while I was in school in fall and winter. For that matter there were a couple classes where I was allowed to bring her in. My AG class, FFA...and my french teacher loved her. I have broken someones car window before because there was a dog left in the vehicle with windows up on a 94 degree day. I called the police and they called animal control.

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puttin510
Member

Posts: 1179
From:,Calif. U.S.A.
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 09-06-2003 04:47 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for puttin510     Edit/Delete Message
What happened after the police got there and the aspca? Oh wait, you mean the police called the aspca, good for them. I thought you meant the car owner called the aspca. Ok, I'm with you now.

[This message has been edited by puttin510 (edited 09-06-2003).]

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