decongestants for dogs

[BigBruno]

My dog has allergies, which we are managing pretty well. However, his ear itch & he scratches them so hard, I'm afraid he'll hurt himself.  His ears are not red or dirty, but damp inside. Oti cleanse/epi otic don't help.  I'm thinking his ears are stuffy & he needs a decongestant. What would you recommend?

[LeeH40]

THANK YOU.  I was about to give my puppy a mild decongestant because he is completed congested.  I had no idea.  You probably saved his life!

[EllieMae520]

Just got  60 tablets at Walmart and it cost $167.00. That is not a low price.

[ddeiman]

DOGS CANNOT TAKE DECONGESTANTS!!!! They cannot metabolize them. If your dogs ears are that bad they are in need of antibiotic and antifungals. You can ask your vet to prescribe an antibiotic like cephalexin and an antifungal like fluconazole both which can be called into a walmart in your area and they are on the $4 generic list so it keeps cost down. As for itching they can have antihistamines WITHOUT DECONGESTANTS in them. Ask you vet for dosing on any over the counter one such as benadryl (diphenhydramine) or Tavist (clemastine) or Chlortrimeton (chlorpheniramine) BUT most important get your pup on oral antibiotics and antifungals along with a good topical ear med like otomax or for really bad yeast clotrimazole drops. Also try cleansing the ear with a mixture of Domeboro solution. It is sold in powder packets for humans for poison ivy but what you do is mix a 1packet with about 6-8oz of luke warm water and use an oral syringe and squirt it into the dogs ears twice a day. Massage the ear real good and wipe out solution and gunk with some gauze. This will help change the ph in the ear and dry it out but use solution for one day then mix fresh the next day. Do this before putting the drops in that you get from your vet. Don't let the ears go the sooner you treat the easier and less costly to get rid of. I have seen too many ear infections be let go by people and the dogs wind up having to have surgery to remove the entire ear canal it's a shame! Look at earlier posts of mine for allergy suggestions too. Controlling and maintaining allergies is hard work but necessary for quality of life! Good luck