What can I try, it's nasty

"nasty" is hardly informative. take the dog to a vet.

Wash it, good old soap and water is a start. Get in there with a q-tip, but be careful.

I would clean with qtip & a mix of 1/3 peroxide, 1/3 vinegar & 1/3 alcohol, then squirt some in each ear everyday for a week or so, if it doesn't get better with that, I would bet that you will need to get the dog to the vet to get it cleared up.

CCBIRDDOGMAN, The vet told me the same thing.

If it is as bad as you indicate I would take it to the vet. Antibiotic is going to help the process by pushing that infection to the top where you can treat it better. I would then use CCBDM's stuff for future maintenance weekly or at least biweekly. Another maintenance piece that I started using a few years back is a spoon full of yogurt once day over their food. I don't understand the science of it but I'm convinced it helps.

My vet gave me some blue stuff last year when we were there and it really dries out her ears. But it's a maintenance solution and not there to fight an already festering infection.

Good luck...we've owned cockers and a lab for the last 20 years, ears are something we have learned not to neglect or delay treatment for.

Nasty as in just dirty, or swollen and infected.
If you have a infection going on its best to get it checked by the vet before putting anything in their ears. If the eardrum is not intact, you can cause permanent hearing damage.

A good cleaning is in order first, Then use Blue Power.
Homemade treatment
Get a 20 Oz sports drink bottle with a squirt tip
16 OZ of clear alcohol (rubbing)
1 small bottle Gentian Violet
1 Bottle Boric acid Powder

pour 4 tablespoons of Boric acid powder in the bottle
add 12 DROPS of Gentian Violet .... No more ... No less
then fill with alcohol

shake mixture well
wear rubber gloves
Douse inside of ear and massage for 1 min.
then the other side same.

use it 2-3X a week until the gunk clears up. Kills ear mites also.

If no other underlying cause you might try switching dog foods.
Symptom of food allergies is ear gunk?

Oh be careful the solution will stain hands and clothes. Try to get both ears ... then back up and run!

I'm in the take the dog to the vet camp. The other methods listed are for prevention. You want your dog to never trust you again, squirt vinegar and alcohol in an ear with an open sore.

Get some ear powder (R-7 is good) Available on line. Squirt it in his ear and watch out for the head shake. Works great and is a lot less messy than liquids..

Just went through this with mine...I was using 1/2 alcohol 1/2 vinegar daily for about a week with no noticeable improvement. Went to the Vet and he gave me Epi-Otic (over the counter) to use as a flush every other day. I also got Tri Otic 25gm (Gentizol) (prescribed) 4 drops in each ear twice a day. It's been 6 days and ears are almost completely clear

Hey how about a $50 trip to the vet??? Nothing more worthless than as deaf dog...

sorry to sound like an AZZ but where there is stink, there is infection


Come On Man

would you take your Kid to a doctor? Or get on a forum and ask people what they would do???....jeez

One of my labs had an infection in one of his ears. Yes infection I believe. Poor dog couldn't even shake his head. Vet gave me two weeks worth of antibiotics to clear it up. Vet said it was from water staying in his ear. I would take him to the vet.

Is there a term for this I can google? Are y'all talking about the brown sugar looking stuff that labs get in their ears?

BIL, how did it turn out?? All good I hope..

If it's ya water dog more than likely a yeast infection in ear. Call Ya vet and get (Malacetic-ultra) otic cleanser. It's like 20bucks and the bottle is big enough to last for multiple infections. Take care of Your lil buddy