So I used uni-solv to remove the bandages on Friday and he was alright with that. Now I’m using sterile gauze pads with sterile saline and for the small cracks just rubbing a q-tip over it very gently and not near the stitches. But the right ear he’s been alright with, should I be getting that far down in his ear to clean? Or did you mean left ear?
Yeah, I haven’t used neosporin or anything like that at all, I am strictly adhering to the guidance the experts here so generously provide. Any suggestions on what to clean the ear out with, or possibly even how to clean the ear out, that would work better than a sterile saline solution?
I’m worried that the longer the nasty stuff sits inside his ear crevices the worse it’s going to get. It wasn’t a scab I removed with a q-tip earlier, but it was something attached to his skin strong enough to make blood come out, which makes me think a bacterial infection.
It’s amazing how quick the focus shifts from “I want his ears to come out looking great” to “I want him to be alright”. I am seriously so, so grateful to have you guys as a resource through all this.
Neosporin or any antibiotic gel is not recommended because it accelerates the surface tissue healing too fast. If this happens, then the skin grows over the stitches and they are hell to get out. Very painful for the pup. That’s why it’s recommended to just let it scab over and go on it’s due course. If it gets really nasty and smelly, then use warm soapy water and clean it up a bit. Otherwise, all will be okay as long as there is not any evident pus or a strong foul odor.Neosporin is not going to hurt anything. Just don't go crazy with it.
That should work. I use baby Q-tips for pups since they're fatter than regular ones and it makes it easier to get into crevices. The way the dogs canal is shaped you can get down there quite a ways but I'm more careful with the Q-tips.Now I’m using sterile gauze pads with sterile saline and for the small cracks just rubbing a q-tip over it very gently and not near the stitches. But the right ear he’s been alright with, should I be getting that far down in his ear to clean?
That should work. I use baby Q-tips for pups since they're fatter than regular ones and it makes it easier to get into crevices. The way the dogs canal is shaped you can get down there quite a ways but I'm more careful with the Q-tips.
That's a answer to my question. How long do I keep posting my dog's ears? He's exactly 4 months.Relax…
You have plenty of time for now. Generally, folks let the ears hang post surgery and allow the edges to fully heal.
At about 4months your pup will start teething. During this process the ear cartilage with start taking shape of the position that they are in. This is the reason why it is common practice to start posting ears at 4months or when one sees the pup actively teething. The teething process generally last from 4-6months depending on the individual pup, but it’s pretty close to that. I started posting my two at 4months and stopped posting around 7.5months old.
Yay!! You should be excited.Just an update... I took Bandit into the Vet who did the cropping 2 days ago. He gave him a tranquilizer so he could do a thorough ear cleaning and cleaned up around the stitches and sent him home with some blueish thick cream on the stitches. Since I brought him home, I have been following the suggestions and have been getting him used to me maintaining his ears routinely, and he is currently getting his stitches taken out at the moment and I go and pick him up at 1 today. So excited!
Yes, generally begin at 4 and end at 6months give or take.That's a answer to my question. How long do I keep posting my dog's ears? He's exactly 4 months.
I appreciate the positive outlook, and different perspective! This is the first dog I have owned “on my own” and am probably overly cautious but I would just like to at least have 1 other (preferably “educated”) pair of eyes to give me the green light for his health. I have a new vet appointment on Monday since I am switching vets and was going to ask her if she could just remove the stitches there.Oh my…sorry you are having such a bad day. Doctors and vets are on their own schedule and oblivious that we have lives too.
Probably sedated him and looked closer at the edges- digging around some and deemed it not healed enough to remove stitches.
You know….just about any vet can identify if the edges are healed and they are fully capable of taking the stitches out. I really don’t believe I would be driving 2hrs back just for that. I would find a vet close by and go see that one.
On a positive note…at least the vet didn’t take the stitches out too early and when you got home your pup wakes up and shakes it’s head creating a bloody mess with the edges all open now.
I pretty much keep my vet visits to a rare occurrence….
I am surprised this took so long. When we had Kaiser's stitches removed, we were present and it took a few minutes. My hb held Kaiser while the vet did the work. Maybe the whole appointment was a half hour? The sedation was completed unnecessary and my guess is that vets are afraid of a Doberman being in pain and perhaps lashing out? LOL, it's a puppy, but it's scary puppy? It's good you are going to a closer vet now.wait a half hour and take him home
Possibly….but still no way would I use Neosporin on the stitches.Could it be that since I didn’t use the neosporin like he requested that it didn’t heal as fast as he expected it to? I’m still not using it, I figured his ears would heal correctly at their own pace, instead of trying to speed the process up.
That's a shame. I agree it's better to go to your local vet when it's time since any vet can take them out and usually without sedation.
Could it be that since I didn’t use the neosporin like he requested that it didn’t heal as fast as he expected it to? I’m still not using it, I figured his ears would heal correctly at their own pace, instead of trying to speed the process up.