Gutted

[kev2560 7]

My sprocker dog is suffering from a bad infection in his ear and may be finished as a working dog. The vet has told me that spaniels have a long iner ear canal and can suffer from iner ear infections and he has to be kept out of the water which we all know is no good for a working dog. He has been on strong anti biotics for some time now with not much improvement so he is going to get is ear flushed to see if that will help. If not he will have to have his iner ear canal taken out ( not good ) I have had three spaniels over the years and apart from the usual problems you get with a hard working dog going through cover and ponds and ditches I haven't had any problems with ear infections has anyone else had issues with there spaniels?

Cheers kev.

[bird 9,872]

bad luck that mate, not kept spaniels my self , but was talking to the vet about breeds who suffer with ear probs in general , and top of the list were spaniels and gsd's which ive got a 1x gsd x grey, luckily my dog got the greyhound ears from his x. but prob lads with springer's or cockers will give better opinion on the these dogs who work them regular regards ear probs .

[kev2560 7]

Just seems to be me with the shit luck then !

[gnipper 6,465]

I'm not sure what you have tried or how much the dogs suffering but have you tried thornit powder? It's good stuff.

[socks 32,253]

I'm not sure what you have tried or how much the dogs suffering but have you tried thornit powder? It's good stuff.

You beat me to it gnipper thorn it is brilliant stuff .......

[HPR 1,160]

Is it both ears had a bull cross got cancer in his ear had canal taken out never affected his work style

[kev2560 7]

Thanks for the replys,its just the one ear what they have said is that they carnt get all the infection out by flushing and if it doesn't start improving with the wash and tablets they gave us that they would probably have to take his iner ear canal out and sew his ear up leaving him with just one ear (but) this could also leave him with complications such as having to drain the inside of his hear from time to time and (poralacis spelling ) down one side of his face leaving him like a stroke victim.so as you can imagine it ant a good prognoses has anyone els had problems with there working spaniels ? The vet aside that spaniels have a long ear canal and suffer with ear problems over the years I have had a couple of spaniels springers/sprockers and apart from the usual things like scrapes and crap stuck on them I havnt had any serous problems

Cheers kev.

[kev2560 7]

Just looked up the thornit powder and it wouldn't be much good to be honest my dogs problems are much deeper than that can be applied.he had to be knocked out the othere day so they could flush his ear and over a month ago when I first notesed somthing was wrong and took him the vet they told me to keep him out of water and don't let his ear get wet

(Keep a Working sprocker out of water mmmmmmm) so to me it sounds like the water in the ears from working ponds /ditches may have been the problem in the first place?

Cheers kev.

[socks 32,253]

When you pour the thorn it in you will be surprised how far it will migrate in the ear canal ... For the sake of a few quid what have you got to lose ........

[kev2560 7]

Your right nothing to loose I will give it a go cheers kev.

[pjmc 90]

Wel Kev to bad about your dog lad.my father had a working spaniel years ago with ear problems in both ears and the vet told him to warm up some olive oil and pour it down into the ear and just massage it under the ear.the dog loved it because it helped him alot and anything like the shit that came out of it was unreal.just had to keep it up every month or so.might be worth a try lad

[kev2560 7]

Cheers fella that's what I am doing every day the vet gave me some solution to put down his ear and I massage it for a few minutes under his ear and get crap out just hopeing this is going to help matters( fingers crossed ) cheers kev.

[kev2560 7]

Just an update,with all the steroids/anti imflam tabs and ear flushing by myself plus 2x he has been put under local anistetic and had his ear flushed more extencefly he may not have to have the surgery to take away his inner ear canal witch is good but his working days may well be over.has he won't be allowed to go into water and that is a reall problem as my land is all ditchess and ponds.this is the third working spaniel I have had over many years and this is the first dog I have had this kind of problem with, apart from the usual bramble/twigs and sticky bobs on the ear and keeping there ears clean.the vet tels me that spaniels have a long iner ear canal and are prone to this type of problem? So a question to the lads who have got experience of spaniels is this a known problem?

And for future reference as I may have to get my self another worker and before any one asks my sprocker will be staying where he is just not used for work anymore.

Is it a question you need to ask the breeder if the perant dogs have ear problems? But saying that would they admit it?

Or is there anything I could do to help matters? But saying that no amount of rubbing there ears down with a towel is going to shift all the water out they need to shake there head to get the rest of it out

Cheers kev.

[Dawn B 212]

Had a friend have a similar issue with a Springer. He clipped the coat off the dogs ears inside and out. Kept short like a Labs say. After the infection had cleared he kept him out of water retrieves for 2 months to make sure everything was 100% healed. He was able to shake the water out of the ears more efficiently without the weight of long coat on his ears and they dried very quickly too. Maybe a possibility? Or at least worth a try?

[socks 32,253]

Why can't the ear be packed with cotton wool and then sealed with Vaseline on working days ... Easy to take out and clean at the end of a day ......