Repeated damage to ears

Hello!! Long, long time since I frequented these forums so most of you probably won't know me...

For those of you who do (and those on 'that popular social networking site'), you may remember my black and white, deaf dalmatian puppy Bubble.

Well Bubble is now 2 and a half years old and doing really well - except her ears.
She has repeated ear infections but, the problem I'm writing about is what happens as a result. She shakes her head so much, with so much vigour that she damages her ears. We've tried all sorts, she's worn hats, bandages, knitted snoods, lampshade collars, tights with the feet cut out... all sorts, just to stop her shaking her ears when she shakes her head but they all come off too easily.

Just as I think the wound is healing, she shakes her head and there's blood everywhere again. It started right on the tips and we thought it was due to them getting cold and cracking, but now it's a little further in on the inside of her ear flap, and the more she shakes it, the bigger the wound gets.

I did have some success bandaging it with some adhesive dressings I got and putting manuka honey on, it seemed to heal really well but now they no longer stay on and the wound is open again.

Is there anything anyone can suggest that doesn't involve lopping the poor girl's ears off?!

I wasn't too worried before, it's not infected, it doesn't bleed loads, just that she's always got some on her head and neck, but now it's affecting her, if people go to stroke her near her head she yelps even before they've touched her ear... or sometimes if someone does catch her ear as they stroke her she'll yelp and jump back.

I have no idea what on Earth can be done??!

Thank you!

Is she hitting her ears on some thing? Could it be hitting her collar? Seems strange that she is breaking it open just by shaking, have you talked to your vet yet?

I have been dealing with this for years. Its her ears slapping her head thats doing it. To aid healing the vet gave us a spray called cortavance but she added steriods and antibiotics to it. We also when they are bad use the square cotton wool pieces along the edge of ear and use medical tape to keep it there. Its like the a cushion for the edge so she can still shake but will limit the damage she is causing

getting to the root of the problem.ear infections.? how many and how often,also take a look at the medication and be vigulent with inspections and maintaning the ear,respectfully.and iv been up this road as well.i got tired of whatching my dog suffer.i changed vets,and medications.this was years ago,i now have all cropped ears on my dogs and never an ear infection,in 5 dogs,for 5 years.

Buy some thornit and treat the infection, hopefully that will stop the head shaking and damage to her ear

Thanks all.

Didn't want to make the post too long, but have been continuously treating the infections with all sorts completely unsuccessfully. I haven't tried Thornit though so will give that a try, thanks.

Also thanks katygeorge - I briefly managed to keep a dressing on her ear (with manuka honey directly on her ear, dressing on top) and that worked a dream, healed it up in four days, but after that the dressing stopped staying on - no idea why... I'll look into the cortavance - thank you!

Chaospony - sorry, I didn't explain it very well, as katygeorge said, it's when her ears hit her head!

Word of warning dont get to close when shes shaking them. I did once with phoebe and got bitch slapped right round my face with her ear and my god did it hurt.

LOL katygeorge - been there!! I've also been covered in blood from the same thing!!

My Male Dally Cooper had this when he was younger, he was constantly shaking his head and had cuts on the end of his ears that wouldn't heal, and when he shook the blood went everywhere.

I cleaned them out regularly and tried everything to get them to heal, in the end I bought some Johnsons ear drops from pets at home or somewhere as a last ditch attempt, he stopped shaking his head immediately and all his cuts healed.

I also found a massive blob of sudacrem on the ear covered it and stayed put more than anything else.

Thanks for the tip! Manuka honey works amazingly well but only if you can keep a dressing on it otherwise you end up with a very sticky dog!!