Yeasty Bully Antiseptic Ear Rinse

Yeast is not an invader on a bulldog ear. It lives there in small numbers on every healthy dog and causes nobody any trouble. What turns it into a problem is conditions, and a bulldog ear supplies them almost perfectly: warm, dark, humid, poorly ventilated, with a heavy flap over the top acting as a lid and a fold of skin at the entrance holding moisture in.

Think of what a baker does to make dough rise. Warm spot, damp cloth over the bowl, out of the draught, leave it alone for an hour. That is a proving drawer, and it is also, unfortunately, a close description of the inside of a bulldog ear after a bath or a swim. Nothing new had to arrive for the ear to turn yeasty. The conditions simply became too good.

This rinse works on both sides of that. The antiseptic and anti-yeast action deals with what is growing now, and the drying and acidifying effect makes the surface a less agreeable place for it to come back to. That second part is the one owners tend to undervalue: with ears, the goal is not a single victory, it is making the proving drawer a bit less comfortable, week after week. You will usually notice the sour, slightly sweet smell changing before the ear looks any different.

Flood the canal, massage the base of the ear for a few seconds until you hear it squelch, then let her shake her head and wipe what comes up. Twice weekly as routine, and after every bath, swim or soaking walk, holds more ground over a good few weeks than an intensive fortnight followed by nothing. One rule above all: never use this, or anything else, in an ear if a ruptured eardrum is a possibility, and an ear that is painful, hot, swollen or discharging needs your own veterinarian to look in it before you put anything down it.

Not sure if this is the right one? If the problem is wax and moisture rather than a yeasty smell, the WaxLess Aloe Vera Ear Rinse is the routine drying choice. For the quick daily pass over the flap and the folds around the ear, the Bully Advanced Ear Cleansing Wipes are easier than a bottle. Owners with a yeast-prone bulldog usually want a rinse and wipes together, which is cheaper as a V4B bundle.

Important: this page is educational and is not a diagnosis or a treatment plan for your own bulldog. Recurring ear yeast is very often the first visible sign of an allergy, so an ear that keeps relapsing deserves a look from your veterinarian rather than more cleaning.