[Zvonimir]

Re. the ear infection, you took him to the vet, right?

Just to mention, to have in mind; skin diseases, arthritis, gum disease, ear infections, obesity, etc. can be linked to improper nutrition. You had him for 2 weeks only, so please take good care of him, treat his ear infection carefully, and give him best raw food you can. Raw food is easier on dog’s stomach and dogs generally feel more relaxed when on raw food. He will recover much faster.

Dog’s ears are his prime sense, and he is traumatised not because of your handling, but because of his confusion with the transition, affected hearing, probably some pain, missing his litter mates, mother, etc. Avoid touching his ears for now when handling him, lower the voice when calling or handling him, lower the noise in the house for now (his ears are super sensitive now) and provide him plenty of water.

[Zvonimir]

Another idea: oftentimes for ear infections vets prescribe some antibiotics. The problem is that they are generic treatments and often too strong for a puppy, which may influence his digestion, irritability etc. I would suggest you also treat the ear itself with specific balms and drops, like this one from GreenPet (they ship internationally): https://www.greenpet.com.au/product/greenpet-herbal-ear-drops/

Like skin itch, ear infections may repeat on a regular basis if not treated specifically, so this can help in the long run.

[Zuma]

Thank you for your time and wisdom !

We try our very best to provide only quality raw and whole prey food; ear problems started at breeders . I hope we can remediate the yeast with holistic care.

[Zvonimir]

If it’s a fungal problem, then this comes in two formulas (bacterial and fungal, you choose): https://www.greenpet.com.au/product/ear-support-prescription-pack/

In any case, treat him well and watch for (possible) additional issues or complications. Ta.

[Bill]

Hi Zuma – Ear infections have to be painful and likely he’s staying away from all sources that increase discomfort, ie: trying to clean the ears when they are inflamed. My 5.5 year old GSD never had an ear infection until 2 weeks ago. I noted he was shaking his head more than usual but there was no inflammation and ears appeared clean and there was no funny smell. Went to the vet as this was abnormal for my dog. Sure enough – ear infection – both ears. Vet stated that due to the higher than normal pollen counts – they are seeing lots of ear infections and I caught it very early. The vet cleaned the ears, took cultures, determined what type the infection was and prescribed ear drops for that issue. As Zvonimir has indicated you need to know what you are treating. The vet advised me not to dig in the ears to clear debris, etc and instead, administer the drops and use cotton balls to gently wipe away any debris and excess “drops” after administering them. My dog was very annoyed when the vet was probing in the ears for the samples! VERY unhappy is an understatement. After administering the drops once a day for 7 days, he would shake his head to clear out the excess whatever and I gently wiped away the wetness and any debris with cotton balls which was not painful to him as noted by his willingness to let me do it. If you and your vet determine it is related to allergies during high season – there are remedies that can help with the allergy symptoms that may block drainage and increase the likelihood of another infection. As your puppy was delivered to you with the issue is beyond disappointing, but it is what it is. You’ll get through this – we did – and that’s why I offer this experience. All the best!