another option: i would instead recommend a therapy which would encourage the ear to drain (rather than put oil into a fluid filled ear). garlic oil and other infection fighting herbs could be taken internally and an onion poultice used to relieve pain and encourage the ear to drain. onion poultices occupy an honored place in folk healing tradition being inexpensive, easy to make and use, effective. i have a client handout on making and using an onion poultice i'll gladly share, if anyone wants a copy message me privately from here. This post was edited by kaliaman on Wed, Aug 7, 13 at 10:03

I'm a physician with an interest in evidence-based herbalism. I'm well aware that in medicine as well as herbalism "experience" and anecdotes can lead us astray, to the extent that useless and potentially hazardous treatments are kept alive in the face of solid research indicating otherwise. Medicine back in the days of Hippocrates believed that disease was caused by an imbalance in the "four humors" of the body. Those beliefs were deservedly discarded long ago. It seems that "herbology science" is still clinging to "hot or cold, wet or dry, excess or deficient condition" to explain disease - which is an unfortunate relic of the past. "Even if you don't mean to be, do you realize your posts come across antagonistic, demeaning and contentious?" In the past, some posters in this forum have taken the tack that disagreement with their beliefs is an attack on them as a person, and responded with personal critiques and insults. In your post in the thread about wormwood dangers you stated (without referring to the warnings others had posted) that your wormwood tonics were safe. Should I have regarded that as antagonistic, contentious and demeaning to my beliefs and responded accordingly? Instead, I asked you some followup questions and presented more evidence. I hope our interactions can be maintained on a level of civility and calm exchange.

Yes,I went to the doctor and he said he wasn't sure what was causing this. He said that the amount of antibiotics that I had already taken should have knocked it out. So he gave me some prednasone (sp) and some ear drops. That was 9 days ago and today I went to have a hearing test done. I told them that my ear is no better and and my next appt isn't till the end of June. The doctor's nurse called me at home and set up another appt tomorrow at 9 30 to drain my ear agin and give me something else to take. I guess he doesn't know what it is either. I'm so tired of putting up with this. The hearing test tho said that when this is cleared up my hearing should come back just fine. I'll post again tomorrow after my appt and let you know what else he says. So far it has cost me 168.00 for the first appt. 186.00 for the hearing test and now an appt tomorrow. I'm almost out of money so I hope he can figure this out.

The only way to be sure that an ear infection, or any other allergy symptoms, are caused by food is to do a complete food trial. If food is a problem, your dog should have symptoms year round. If her symptoms are not year round, she probably has environmental allergies and not food allergies. 1. All infections must be properly treated and gone. The Rx your vet gave should clear up any type of ear infection with the exception of ear mites, unless the infection is resistant. The fact that the infection came back within days of stopping treatment makes me think that the medication course wasn't long enough or that the infection is resistant. The infection must be cleared before starting the counting phase of the food trial. You should still feed the new food during the time that you are trying to control the infection, in case food is a problem. Otherwise, you will have a lot of trouble clearing the infection. 2. The counting phase starts after all infections are cleared and continues for 8 full weeks. During this phase, the only thing your dog can eat is the new food. You also have to change heartworm prevention to Heartgard Unflavored or to oral ivermectin, because all other heartworm preventions have beef and other flavorings in them that can interfere with the food trial. No treats, bones, or anything else besides the food can be given during this time. If something is accidently fed, you have to start the countdown all over again, because it takes about 8 weeks for the body to clear the effects of the inflammation. 3. The next phase is the challenge phase. This is often not done, but it absolutely necessary if you want to be sure that there is a food allergy. If your dog showed an improvement during the countdown phase, you feed the original food for about a week. The symptoms should return- ie your dog will get another ear infection. If the symptoms do not return, it was not a food allergy. If there was no improvement during the countdown phase then either your dog is also allergic to the new food, or she doesn't have a food allergy. I really like Natural Balance foods for diet trials, as opposed to most of the foods vets recommend (usually Science Diet, which I hate). You could also do raw or homemade diets, but it is difficult to afford foods that your dog hasn't eaten before. Duck is expensive when you buy at the grocery store, at least around here.