Ear Drops - Application

[Erny]

Gosh - I've been spending far more time in the health forum lately than I have in the training, and me ..... a trainer, and all :D.

Today's question is whether anyone has some natty handling/restraint techniques I might be able to use for when I apply ear drops to my boy's ears.

To put you in the picture :

He's a 22 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback. Weight would be about 38kg (give or take, depending on whether he's been on or off his food).

He's a good dog - well meaning. He takes his tablets on command without force. Up until recently, at least, he's been ok(ish) with me wiping out his ears - hasn't liked it, but been reasonably compliant to me holding him for the purpose. He is ok(ish) with me syringing stuff down his throat that he needs for his health (I have a special 'hold' position for that, but he really doesn't struggle against it, although he'd trot away if he could.)

He's under care of a naturopath and with suspected ear infection I've been given some ear drops to apply. One dropper full in each ear twice a day for one week. One week's rest and then twice a day for another week. We are at day 4 of the first week (roll on Sunday) and I've done his ears again this morning. But it is a major struggle. He hates it - I knew he would. And his ears at the beginning were a bit inflamed, so it doesn't surprise me that they were already sensitive, without my further intrusion. But the drops seem to be working and his ears are looking less red, so I believe I'm on the right track. I digress a little though .... it is the struggle that I am having problems with.

I'm on my own, so it is me or no-one. I use a bath towel as a collar restraint - I can use that a lot more firmly than I would something like a flat collar, which I know would press hard on his trachea (he doesn't have much in the way of skin protection there) and cause him to choke and cough. I also don't wish to set up a negative to his collars - he loves them all (even though they annoy him when they are on) and of course I don't want him to cause himself some damage in the process.

Holding the towel tightly around the top of his neck behind his ears, I have him backed into a corner of the kitchen area (if he's going to build up a negative association with any room, it might as well be the kitchen where it would do him well to stay out of anyway). I then try to have his ear flap back so the ear canal is exposed. If I can hold it (with the fifth arm that grows out of my back) I will. But as soon as he knows I have the ear dropper in my hand, the massive struggle begins. I couldn't really tell you where my feet and body are, as I have to struggle with the rhythm of his struggle, but suffice to say I try to use my body (I've got no more arms left) to keep him against the kitchen cupboards to block him from pulling away from me. Somehow I manage to get a dropper full in the ear - sometimes I have to repeat it because I haven't had a chance to stop him from shaking his head before I think it has had a chance to make its way down the canal. Then I have to repeat the process for the other ear. His struggle is such that he is almost climbing the wall that is created by the cupboards. It is most unpleasant for him (he trembles) and the struggle is either no better, or it is worse, each time.

I am left a bit shaky with the effort.

I'm not blaming him - throughout all of this he doesn't use his mouth on me even though his struggling is violent and I know that he could. He even gives me a little tail wag in those small moments when I'm trying to catch my breath and perhaps reload the eye-dropper with my spare (sixth?) arm (holding against his resistance all the while).

The poor dog, for all his symptoms, has me poking and probing in just about every orifice he has, but he always has a tail wag for me when I'm done. Even after his ears are done and he's finished flapping his ears, he has a meek 'smile' for me, although he's a bit wary that I'm going to catch him and do it again. We tend to go out and have a game of tug or something that enjoys after I've finished the 'ear' task.

Long post - sorry. But I felt I needed to set the scene a little. Food treats are of no assistance in this one - he'd rather starve. And of course he's super sensitive whenever I go to touch his ear flaps at any time now, not because they are sore but because he fears the drops.

So .... any hints?

I'm suspecting not, but I figure I won't know unless I ask.

Edited April 5, 2010 by Erny

[poodlefan]

Cattle crush. :D

I would be doing this in the smallest room of the house.. not much scope for escape and all surfaces are wipeable.

[Erny]

Cattle crush.

I would be doing this in the smallest room of the house.. not much scope for escape and all surfaces are wipeable.

He does buck a bit like a bull during the process, PF :D

My kitchen area is only about 1.5 metres wide and a couple of metres long. The kitchen/lounge is open plan - the 'U' shape of my kitchen benches separates the kitchen away from lounge and I find this area the easiest for the same reason you've mentioned. Bathrooms have things that we'd both probably crash into. Laundry even more so.

ETA: Put him in his car harness and use that to winch him up towards the ceiling - put drops in whilst dangling?

Edited April 1, 2010 by Erny

[persephone]

firstly- use a soft plastic/rubber dropper.

fill it- then run under warm water to warm stuff inside.

secrete it under a cushion, or something ...

then get dog lying on his side if possible, pat him, rub his ears, then drop the liquid in...

Not do-able?

then maybe a head collar would help make him feel a bit more constrained, and allow you to direct his head movements a bit more?

[poodlefan]

Cattle crush.

I would be doing this in the smallest room of the house.. not much scope for escape and all surfaces are wipeable.

He does buck a bit like a bull during the process, PF :D

My kitchen area is only about 1.5 metres wide and a couple of metres long. The kitchen/lounge is open plan - the 'U' shape of my kitchen benches separates the kitchen away from lounge and I find this area the easiest for the same reason you've mentioned. Bathrooms have things that we'd both probably crash into. Laundry even more so.

Toilet?

Is there anyone who could help you?

[Erny]

Toilet would be great if I could move the toilet bowl. Either or both of us would somehow end up hurt from that. My 'general' toilet is really really tiny (not even room enough for me to move and I think I would find it even more awkward in there) and the other toilet is in my ensuite and there's too much room in there.

No-one here to help at all. And a bit of a bug bear for anyone to be travelling over twice a day every day just for that.

But thanks for trying the ideas. Don't want to seem negative. I knew it would be a hard one, but figured I might as well ask in case I've just not thought of something. It's ok. I'm going to go grab some lunch and build up my strength ready for another battle tonight. It isn't the end of the world - it's not as if this is a 'forever' occurrence (at least I hope that it isn't :D).

I'm fairly strong and that goes to my favour. It would be nice if it could be easier and less 'violent' - for his sake and mine. I can manage though - it's just not easy in any way shape or form. I think we both hate the "ear drops" time of day for our own separate reasons. One thing he would be learning is that struggling won't get him out of it. There's got to be a plus in that somewhere, sometime.

Edited April 1, 2010 by Erny

[poodlefan]

Toilet would be great if I could move the toilet bowl. Either or both of us would somehow end up hurt from that. My 'general' toilet is really really tiny and the other toilet is in my ensuite and there's too much room in there.

No-one here to help at all. And a bit of a bug bear for anyone to be travelling over twice a day every day just for that.

But thanks for trying the ideas. Don't want to seem negative. I knew it would be a hard one, but figured I might as well ask in case I've just not thought of something. It's ok. I'm going to go grab some lunch and build up my strength ready for another battle tonight. It isn't the end of the world - it's not as if this is a 'forever' occurrence (at least I hope that it isn't :D).

I'm fairly strong and that goes to my favour. It would be nice if it could be easier and less 'violent' - for his sake and mine.

What would happen if you smeared the front of the fridge or a cupboard door with something he likes.. I've heard good reports of that method of distraction.

Edited April 1, 2010 by poodlefan

[Erny]

Toilet would be great if I could move the toilet bowl. Either or both of us would somehow end up hurt from that. My 'general' toilet is really really tiny and the other toilet is in my ensuite and there's too much room in there.

No-one here to help at all. And a bit of a bug bear for anyone to be travelling over twice a day every day just for that.

But thanks for trying the ideas. Don't want to seem negative. I knew it would be a hard one, but figured I might as well ask in case I've just not thought of something. It's ok. I'm going to go grab some lunch and build up my strength ready for another battle tonight. It isn't the end of the world - it's not as if this is a 'forever' occurrence (at least I hope that it isn't :D).

I'm fairly strong and that goes to my favour. It would be nice if it could be easier and less 'violent' - for his sake and mine.

What would happen if you smeared the front of the fridge or a cupboard door with something he likes.. I've heard good reports of that method of distraction.

I'm willing to give it a try PF, but I gotta tell you I'd confidently hedge my bet that it won't work. Part of his health issue is that he's not that into food. I could try putting up some peanut butter on the fridge (I guess a little bit of that won't hurt his already funny tummy?) and see if that would be enough for him to stay there and ignore me while I put drops in his ears. He yelps a bit when the drops go down (less now than before) so I strongly think peanut butter or any food won't be enough to keep him distracted.

[Kavik]

I straddle Diesel when I do ear drops, though he is pretty easy going and doesn't struggle, and smaller than yours (he is 30kgs).

[Erny]

Perse - sorry, I missed your post. What you've suggested is a do-able. I'll try it, dubious though I am. He's become very suspiscious of anything I'm doing when it involves me touching his ear flaps at the moment. But perhaps even the warming of the liquid will make it less uncomfortable for him and if I can sneak it in this way at least once, he might figure it wasn't too bad. He probably won't let me do it again with him laying down, but perhaps he'll struggle less? The dropper that is included with the drops is glass (I don't poke that down his ear) - I presume I can purchase rubber droppers from the chemist?

ETA: I have only one hesitation - I don't like being sneaky about things I do to my dog. Something to do with trust. But I'll try a version of what you've suggested, perhaps similar to how I trained him to accept having his nails dremmeled.

Edited April 1, 2010 by Erny

[laeral]

Hi Erny,

I dont know if I can help much but can surely symapthise!

I have to give my GSD eye drops every second day, which she hated. Like you I was on my own and quickly discivered that I was about 2 hands short to be able to do the job. I needed 2 hands to hold her still, one to prise her eye open and one to administer the drops!

I tried backing into a corner, waiting till she was lying down etc. Nope she was strong and quick.

In the end I ended up getting her a wide big collar to wear very loosely. I would sit her in the corner of the kitchen so she coldnt back up. I would then loop one arm under the collar up to my elbow, sort of near her shoulder so as not to strangle her and used that arm as leverage to hold her. I could then use the hand of said arm to be my eye prising open arm and the other arm could be used to andminster the drops.

It did rely on me being able to hold her with one arm which I am not sure you could do with your dog as he is bigger than Mica (she is 33kg). She did quickly discover that with my arm up under her collar she couldnt get away.

She will now let me adminster the drugs albeit reluctanlty with the just getting her to sit and putting them in. No restraint required.

Not sure if this will help you at all though, especialy if he is sensitive to collars. In fact I am not sure if your issue is that you cant old him or you need more than 2 hands to do the job!

Good luck :D

[Vehs]

In a way a floppy eared dog is a little easier; I'd stand behind - straddle a little if needed, put my left hand around the front and grab the muzzle to steady the dog and then tuck the right ear between my left forarm and the dogs head and then the right hand is free to pop the drops in. With little dogs or more cooperative dogs I can do it from the front but use my thumb and hand to hold a floppy ear back.

Poor little fella :D

I've recently had to wipe my dogs arse daily and put repel X on his ears, but luckily he just grins and bears it.

Good idea about the small rooms, D is a little weary of the bathroom because I'm either bathing and throwing bubbles or squirting rubber duckies at him or he's getting his ears cleaned or some other medical treatment...

[poodlefan]

I put my dogs on the grooming table for these procedures.

Mind you, they're a bit smaller than Mandella. :D

[Rysup]

Dont have a hyrdobath do you? Always a good spot to do stuff when the dog cant get away.

I also just put my dogs up on the grooming table, grab a handful of scruff, and the ear in one hand, whip the drops out in the other, and go. But all but one of my dogs have coats to hang on to.

The Amstaff can be a two person job. BUT if I have to do stuff on my own, he goes in the hydrobath.

[SilverHaze]

Well considering i just dropped off my 11 year old bitch at the vets this morning, with a brief explanation of ear infection - youll have to sedate her to look at it, i don't know how much help i can be :D

Vet called back later saying they had tried the hard way (looking without sedation), but that she was REALLY strong, and a wiggle worm so that didn't work - like duh! Of course she's been sedated, the ear cleaned, and now i have 10 days worth of drops to give - oh goody!

I tend to follow this method.

a) have drops out of sight, but within hands reach.

b) dog gets lovely head rubs

c) progress to the ear, i find they seem to like a good rub around the base of the ear, kinda like your itching their scratch

d) fold ear back - continue to rub

e) apply drops - and then quickly continue the ear rub, don't let up on the rubbing, they enjoy that even if they hate the drops, and of course you need the drops to stay down.

f) repeat process for other ear if you still have the dog any where near you!

Good luck Erny!!!

[Erny]

In the end I ended up getting her a wide big collar to wear very loosely. I would sit her in the corner of the kitchen so she coldnt back up. I would then loop one arm under the collar up to my elbow, sort of near her shoulder so as not to strangle her and used that arm as leverage to hold her. I could then use the hand of said arm to be my eye prising open arm and the other arm could be used to andminster the drops.

I have done similar, although not with my arm through a collar. No problems with being able to hold (although it took all my strength) but he will struggle so much that he almost climbs the cupboards (read : wall) with his back legs to get out of the corner. I try to place my legs in such a position as to block this, but balance comes into it and sometimes he manages to squeeze through any gap that might be available.

If nothing else, it is nice to be able to share the struggles we go through in our attempts to help our dogs . I really should video tape the procedure - I am sure it would get a few laughs. In fact this morning's effort saw me laughing (though I should not) because of the ridiculousness/awkwardness of it all and because of the physical positions I end up twisting myself into and for the fact that in amongst the struggle his wet nose hit my glasses and I had to try to see through blurry dog snot.

I dont know if I can help much but can surely symapthise!

Hey! Sympathy is good

... or you need more than 2 hands to do the job!

I do need an extra person, but have to do without. I'll manage, just trying to think of better ways to make the exercise less traumatic for Mandela.

Good luck :D

.... thanks .

Edited April 1, 2010 by Erny

[Erny]

I straddle Diesel when I do ear drops, though he is pretty easy going and doesn't struggle, and smaller than yours (he is 30kgs).

Tried the "straddle" (with him backed into a corner). Ended up looking like we were playing a game of 'twister'.

[Erny]

Dont have a hyrdobath do you? Always a good spot to do stuff when the dog cant get away.

No, although that'd be something I'd try if I did.

I put my dogs on the grooming table for these procedures.

He'd throw himself off the table and his weight/height (not to mention strength) would put me at even more of a disadvantage than being at floor height. His wither height to my leg (I'm 5' 7.5" tall) is about 7.5" (thereabouts) down from my hip bone, standing on the floor.

Edited April 1, 2010 by Erny

[poodlefan]

I straddle Diesel when I do ear drops, though he is pretty easy going and doesn't struggle, and smaller than yours (he is 30kgs).

Tried the "straddle" (with him backed into a corner). Ended up looking like we were playing a game of 'twister'.

Could be time for the masking tape. :D

[dog geek]

What is the ear problem, Erny?? What is in the ear drops?

Is there a different emulsion or medication that the naturopath would be able to recommend? It may be that your dog is reacting to not just a 'tickle' but a 'burn' from the meds...

Apart from that, could you keep us posted if you work out a solution - for general references!

I have persistant ear mites at my place - possibly possum-related - and all three dogs here have to put up with me daily digging aroudn in their ears and then pouring greasy muck down the earhole... the only even vaguely helpful thing I can think of is wrapping in a towel, as for a cat: although maybe a sheet folded in half, given his size?