Hi everyone!
My Ellie is an eight-year-old French Bulldog and a few days ago she suddenly developed severe balance issues. Her eyes were moving uncontrollably from side to side (nystagmus), she was swaying heavily and even fell over.
In the days before this, I noticed she had very itchy ears.
The vet found a large amount of bacteria in her ear. They suspect a middle ear infection, possibly involving the inner ear as well.
They recommended a CT scan followed by a possible myringotomy (opening the eardrum) to examine the middle ear and flush it out if needed. The total cost for the diagnostics, the procedure and the meds is expected to be around £3,400.
Ellie has started medication in the meantime, including treatment for the bacteria in her ear, and luckily her condition has already improved significantly! The eye flickering has gone and she’s much steadier on her feet again.
As I can’t afford the quoted costs, I want to find out what experiences others have had with conservative treatment, i.e. managing it with medication alone.
I’m particularly interested in the following:
Has your Frenchie ever had a middle or inner ear infection with balance issues?
Was the condition successfully treated without a CT scan and eardrum surgery?
Which medications were used and how long did the treatment last?
Did the infection come back later?
Did any dietary changes, such as switching to horse, insect protein or hypoallergenic food, help with recurring ear infections?
I realise that the symptoms getting better doesn’t automatically mean the infection is completely cleared. I’m not looking to simply replace veterinary advice, but rather to inform myself about possible alternatives and your experiences.
Maybe someone has been in a similar situation and can tell me how it turned out.
Thanks a lot for your help and for sharing your stories! ❤️
Best wishes from Ellie and me 🐾
