Eve is due at the vet tomorrow for yet another ear flush and examination ( both ears) under GA. This time I've decided to ask for a swab to be taken, as the ear infections are continuous, for the last year - they go with using the drops, for about a week, but then she's back scratching, rubbing and hanging her head again. It is absolute murder trying to get the drops in!!!! She has had 2 haematomas, ops on both ears and now 1 ear canal is closed :-(

At the vet last week, discussing worming options, the vet briefly mentioned  TECA - I hadn't heard of it so googled when I got home.

IF we decided to go down this route as being the best option to finally put an end to the infections, what has your experiences been post op? I've read it is one of the most painful post op!

Is there anything else we can try first? is it best to try something less invasive  first? maybe all it needs is to actually identify the bug causing the infections and treat it properly!

Any advice, experiences etc welcome xxx

We have been told treacle may need this too, Steroids do stop the itching/inflammation for a while but then back it comes. We have her on allergy desensitisation injections which helps a bit. We were told the op was a last resort and we are considering using Atopica first.

Not sure how much surgery she has had already but my old lab years ago had an aural resection, they took away the piece of skin that makes the canal turn a corner  up towards the top of the head (If you follow me...wish I could draw a picture for you) It competley cleared the problem as not only could I see right into her ear to clean it properly but the gunk only had to run out and not try to go uphill!! Apart from a nasty rash from a reaction to the cleaning fluid used to scrub her before the op and a horror of the collar she recovered pretty fast and never had another days trouble with her ear. May be worth a try first.
Aileen

Winnie, my Sussex Spaniel, had this done a few years back following constant ear infections, and like you, numerous flushes under GA. She had one ear done at a time, a month apart, and apart from having to wear the delightful elizabethan collar for a number of weeks, the recovery was swift and she was stoic throughout. After the 1st op. she had some facial paralysis, meaning she couldn't blink and I had to administer artificial tears, but after a month or so she was back to normal. The 2nd op went better, with no paralysis.

It does seem quite a drastic option, but Winnie is so much happier without the constant cycle of cleaning, drops, infections etc and can still hear (when she wants to!).

Ah thank you all. I have read quite a bit about it - my main concern was the after pain and maybe infection that can return years later. 1 ear canal has just closed but the ear is still upright for now ( less haematoma stitches ), the other canal is open but the ear has drooped from the haematoma surgery. Will definitely ask about the canal wall resection - she has a narrow canal anyway but with lots of folds - holding the infection in I think.

The only ops she's had so far, have been for both haematomas and the stitches removal but she has to be put under just to look at her ears - the discomfort and soreness has gone on so long, she won't let you any where near her ears! Just to see her without the pain and discomfort would be wonderful. I am even feeding raw now ! :-D

thanx again :)

I can sympathise with you - Treacle runs a mile whenever we take the ear cleaning fluid out of the cupboard. I think our vet may have suggested the canal wall resection the last time I spoke to him. Fortunately Treacle is a setter so has droopy ears so any op would be hidden - don't know how it would be for upright ears though?

> maybe all it needs is to actually identify the bug causing the infections and treat it properly!

ear problems are a common symptom of food allergy.

My dog was getting repeated, very bad ear infections. I put him on an ellimination diet (explained in the above link) and found chicken to be the trigger. Once we identified that and removed it from his diet he never had another ear infection.
HIs ear problems would come onvery fast, one very bad one I remeber is he was fine when we went to bed, when we got up the following morning he was holding his head over on one side and had a huge swelling under his jaw and his neck, his ear was weeping blood and puss. Needles to say it was an emergency vet trip. They gave him ab's took swabs and then gave him a stronger dose of abs.

That was the final straw, I couldn't hack seeing himin so much pain from his ear infections when he got them (he would yelp with pain if he opened his jaw to yawn/bark :( ), I did the ellimination diet.
I'm so glad I did.

After identifying chicken as a cause, we noticed that if he did get chicken (ie, scavange a dropped morsel), within 2 hours he would start shaking his head with an irritated ear.

Best of luck, they suffer so much with a bad ear :(

ETA, I know what you mean about your dog being a bit wary of her ears being touched - I had to warn strangers to not touch my dogs ears, he was very protective of them and had to be muzzled for the vet to look in them :( He improved after a while of not getting poorly ears.

My last dog (Bloodhound) had this done eventually - was the best thing we could have ever done for him as the recurring infections couldn't be "cured" with drops/cleaning/wash outs/steroids.