Dogs Have Dry Itchy Ears with Areas That Bleed

Hi Nancy,
You wrote in that BOTH of your Jack Russell Terriers are having the same problem with itchy ears. There is not a single ‘natural remedy’ for itchy ears.

In holistic or ‘wholistic’ medicine, the WHOLE patient is treated. As a terrier breed, Jack Russells are susceptible to inhaled allergies, which would make their ears itch. Having DRY ears, I would check to see if they also have a dry coat, and if they are also licking or chewing at their feet.

Conventional medicine would treat with an antihistamine, such as Benadryl, or give cortisone to suppress the itch (and the immune system). In holistic medicine, it is healthier to look beyond the itching, to treat the cause — whether it is due to a DRY DOG FOOD diet, too many vaccinations, a genetic predisposition, in which case supplements will be necessary to aid them in their return to health, or some other underlying cause (food allergy, exposure to toxins, etc.)

With not much history to base a response, I would suggest having you improve the diet – see our page on the 10 Best Dog Food Options and try a RAW diet for your dogs. DO NOT FEED ANY DRY DOG FOOD.

Add 250-300 mg of Omega 3 fish oil for dogs to their meals two times daily.

NO MORE VACCINATIONS. Seek a holistic veterinarian to write an exemption form to avoid vaccinating.

Massage coconut oil into the ear flaps of both dogs to help moisturize the ears.

If they are scratching their ears so much they cause them to bleed, you may need to make them wear E-Collars to prevent self trauma.

Find a holistic veterinarian to help with homeopathic remedies, to fit their individual case to help with such a severe itching problem.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Related Pages:
– Dog Ear Infections,
– Ask a Vet Online Library – Dog Ear Problems Section
– Dog Skin Conditions