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in desperate need of advice
Sent to Pet Experts January 04 06:22 AM

my great dane has scratched her ear so bad that the skin outside of the ear is now almost a purple color with no fur. i'am terrified that the skin is dying or something along those lines. i did everything vet reccomended atarax, ear poweders, ear rinses and it is getting horribly worse and on top of that she is developing small bald spots all over body. to make matters worse when i recently tried to call her vet the other day she dissapeard off the face of the earth or so the clinic said. what can i do. this is getting worse and worse so any help would be appreciated.

Edited by Customer (name blocked for privacy) on January 4 2005 at 6:38 AM

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January 4 11:32 AM (5 hours and 10 minutes and 21 seconds later)
         
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ZooCVT -- Certified Veterinary Technician -- 99% Positive Feedback on 383 Pet Accepts
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January 4 1:48 PM (2 hours and 16 minutes and 17 seconds later)
         
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Hi There,
It sounds like a trip to the vet is warranted for several reasons, (I'm sorry that you've had a bad experirnce).
Whether or not her ear is the only problem, she needs a streiod injection to stop the cycle of itching, pain and inflammation.
Next, a disgnosis needs to be made. If soft brown wax with a fruity smell is coming out of her ear, that could indicate a Pseudomonas infection +/- yeast. I like to cleanse these ears with a product called Adam's Pan-Otic and treat them with a drug called Synotic. I add Gentocin (antibiotic) and Banamine (anti-inflammatory) to this drug and instruct the owners to use 2-3-4 drops three times a day.

I the wax is dry and crumbly without an odor, that could be a sign of a dog food allergy, believe it or not.
The steroid injection in and of itself will bring you halfway home and help with the additional skin problems.
An ear culture and sensitivity would be warranted if she was unresponsive to the above therapy, but I have always had good luck with my 'cocktail'
Good Luck to you, too.
Dr. Katie
Dr. Katie -- Dr. Katie -- 100% Positive Feedback on 51 Pet Accepts
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January 4 11:46 PM (9 hours and 58 minutes and 10 seconds later)
         
thank you so much for you help. she is indeed in alot of discomfort and i am going to scout out a new vet this week so i can get her to someone and hopefully have good luck with them. is the discoloration she have just from itching or could there be something else causing it. it is literally dark in color and has me very worried.
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January 5 10:24 AM (10 hours and 37 minutes and 53 seconds later)
         
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ZooCVT -- Certified Veterinary Technician -- 99% Positive Feedback on 383 Pet Accepts
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