Dogs ear absolutely stinks!

[musicmadness]

I noticed a really bad smell in the house tonight. On further inspection tracked it down to the dozing Labrador in the corner. The smell is definitely coming out of his right ear. I can't really describe it (Its not something he has stuck his head into outside anyway) but it is horrible and up close was making me gag a bit .

Is the smell a sign of infection? My vets is shut on weekends apart from life threatening emergencies so I can't ring and ask them until monday. He wasn't bothered when I touched his ear and looked inside and he isn't scratching at it.
Anyone got a good way of cleaning his ears (Labrador, above average sized ears for the breed). I'm at the point of being tempted to spray a can of air freshener down his ear! (OK, I never would, but the smell really is foul!)

It could be the result of an old/previous/recent infection that has created a build up of gunk which is now finding it's way out.

If the dog's not bothered perhaps wait til vets are open and go then for some drops that should clear it.

I don't have a dog btw but this happened to my dd and the smell was awful, luckily it was during school hols and had cleared up with drops before she went back. She had had a viral infection a few weeks before that had affected her throat but not her ears, but as the tubes are all connected her ear had ended up with some infection.

ps - I wouldn't try to clear yourself if I were you, it would probably make you vomit!

He hasn't had an infection before so it can't be an old one - I've never noticed the smell before anyway. I think it must be something though because it is definitely coming from inside the ear. Vets it is, I'll see if I can beg a lift off someone as the my parents are on holiday (I don't drive but my mum is very sweet with helping out where the dog is concerned. I think she likes him more than me!).
You are probably right with the smell making me vomit, one of his favourite things is having his ears/side of his face rubbed and I did it without thinking and the smell was all over my hand. Urgh! I used up half a bottle of soap getting the smell off me. I couldn't even see any gunk or anything! Think I'm stocking up on air freshener for the room over the weekend! He had to pick a Friday night for this to happen .

Thanks for the advice.

A friend's dog had this and it was an infection caused by water, trapped under the soft part of the ear (is he a floppy-eared dog?) after swimming in a stream or something, they got ear drops from the vet to clear it up too.

You're right - PITA to happen on a Friday as most vets charge out of hours fees over the weekend! You might be lucky on a Saturday though.

If it smells then it's probably a bacterial infection so antibacterial handwash will probably get rid of smells etc more effectively.

My dog had this - he was prone to bad ear infections. Took him to the vet umpteen times over the years (which he hates - and I too as it sure mounts up in costs!)

He got some antibiotics/anti-inflammatory injections which seemed to work for a few days then...well....back to square one.

I did a lot of research about it in the uni library and found that it's better just to get vet to was ear out with saline solution, then continue to cleanse at home with damp cotton wool (warm salty water). Obviously wet enough, but not so wet that drips could get into his ear.
The gunk we used to pull out!!
Yuk!

Get a hold of some Thornit canker powder (google it!). You dust a little in the ear and it helps a treat. And is a LOT less expensive in the long run!

We haven't had a problem since changing his diet from Pedigree chum though - which for some reason seems to cause his ear infections!?!

It's probably an ear infection - usually yeast based. Vets will usually give you an ear wash to swish in there daily and some cream to put in twice a day. Usually after about ten days it will clear up. However some dogs are pretty prone to this and it might come back again. If he goes swimming you'll need to make sure to rinse his ears regularly - the wash the vet will give you works well for this. I wouldn't say it's an emergency if he's not bothered, Monday should be fine. If the smell is really bothering you you could use a gentle baby wipe (not really scented ones) to gentle clean it.

Managed to get him to the vets. Phoned them up to ask for an appointment on Monday and they said they were doing a drop in clinic this afternoon for a couple of hours. No appointment necessary and no extra cost . I've got some eardrops for him. He has got an infection, apparently in both ears but its worse in the right, the left wasn't showing outward symptoms yet. The vet showed me how to use the stuff in the ear canal, the sheer amount of gunk that came out was astonishing!

I definitely don't have to worry about swimming, this is a dog that tiptoes round puddles! He doesn't like being in water much.

Threelittleducks: Thanks, I'll have a look at that stuff. I don't think he is prone to them as he hasn't had one before. He did have a fairly major operation a month ago (several mast cell tumours) so maybe that has had an effect. The vet did say his immune system might not be fully recovered yet. The vet did ask if he had changed food recently as apparently if they are allergic to something in the food it can make them vulnerable to ear infections. Maybe that was the problem with yours.

SILs wee dog was forever getting ear infections, which just wouldn't clear up. He ended up having an op on both ears which closed his ear canals up. Since then he's been a different dog- he had been a grumpy wee thing who took ages to eat etc etc - now he's much happier.

Yes - it can be food allergy related. Our dog gets this and also gets infections on his skin too due to it. Keep an eye on his skin by parting his fur. It would show as scaly (like dandruff) or possibly little black marks.

I have a springer spaniel and they are prone to ear problems due to have long floppy ears. I use the Thornit powder that someone mentioned in a previous post. It's early days, but so far his ears have been fine.

Glad the vet was able to sort out your dogs ears quickly. My parents dog got ear mites off their cat. They had to constantly use olive oil in his ears to clear all the gunk. It wasn't smelly, just very messy!

I have a lab and she gets recurrent ear infections. When she goes into the rivers I have to make sure I dry her ears as that is a trigger for an infection.
But sometimes she justs gets one anyway, she is prone to them as a lab but she has short or narrow (can't remember which)ear canal which makes it worse.

I check her ears quite often anyway for signs and the first signs is a red inner ear with brown stuff (lovely) in it, if left it will get smelly. The vet cleans it out and we get drops for her ears.

We have stuff that we van clean her ears out with to keep them healthy it's called Clean Aural.

But take your dog to the vet because it may be an ear infection, and in any case the ear shouldn't smell so there's obviously something going on.

Might help if I actually read the posts! Glad you got it sorted.