I have a boxer named buddy.  Our vet informed us after costly medical test that the reason for his ear problems is due to allergies.  We've tried everything we even switched his dog food to an extremly expensive naturally preserved food.  Our vet said we will have to learn to deal with this problem because buddy will have this problem for the rest of his life.  The vet recommended leaving him on prednisone but using that for an extended period of time it will cause liver and kidney problems.  I've done some searching on the internet and read about natural herbs you can give you pet that works as well as medications (but without  the damaging side effects). If anyone has used any of these holistic approaches to helping your pet, please let me know.  I want to research this as much as possible before giving him anything that might hurt him.

thanks,
shon

Hi Shonna, have you thought about putting him on a raw food diet? This will certainly help with his ears but you`ll need to sort them out first. There is a treatment that I`ve used with amazing success on one of my dogs who had chronic ear probs & I`ve put the link below but I`m not sure if you can find boric acid powder in the UK. I wouldn`t use prednosone for an extenede length of time, it is not a cure for allergy and will only suppress the symptoms, harm his immune system & do more damage in the long run.
I have some herbal books that I`ll look thru a bit later for you & see what I can find. My other books are out on loan at the mo but hopefully one of the others will come along with some h/pathic treatments for you as well.

http://itsfortheanimals.com/Adobe/Blue%20Power%20Ear%20Treatment.pdf

Christine, Spain.

You say the vet has informed you that the reason for his ear problems are due to allergies; has he actually been diagnosed with specific allergies or is the vet "guessing".  Unless and until you can actually pinpoint the allergens you cannot treat him.  Is he allergic to foods or environmental factors such as pollen.  If it is the former than the cure can be extremely simple; just because a commercial food has no synthetic preservatives does not guarantee that it is free from allergens!

I had a dog with chronic ear problems before I had him; he was diagnosed allergic to soya, wheat, maize, oats, potato and beef; once these were removed from his diet he never had another ear problem.

Before you start "giving" your dogs "cures" to alleviate symptoms you need to identify the CAUSE of the problems and REMOVE them!

Environmental factors are more difficult although in SOME dogs desensitising shots can help.

HTH

The only problem I have is that the test to determine what he is alergic to is expensive. I would have to take him to a lab 100 miles from where I live to have this done.  I have tried special diets of different things (including RAW), cortisone shots, antibotics, creams, special dog foods, giving him bottled water instead of faucet water, shampoos, ear cleaners, and the only thing that I have accomplished is several THOUSAND dollars in debt.  I love my dogs like I love my kids.  I am at the end of my rope, so if anyone has used herbs before let me know.

thanks,
shon

Can your vet not take a blood sample and post it off?  This is what is done in the UK?

Hi Shonna

I would also recommend the raw feeding route for Buddy.  If the diet you settle on includes yeast in the form of Brewers or anything else then omit this.

Christine