Farmer Zeke's Potato Farm

David C. · February 08, 2008, 06:41:49 PM

Zeke has an amazing Potato farm...ear potatoes that is! Zeke, by far, has the biggest, floppiest, ears of all the dachshunds I've owned (and won the "largest ear span" at our Bow Wows hands down!). These ears are the most fertile ground for the largest crops of ear potatoes that I have ever seen, even eclipsing Max-angel by a considerable margin.

We've taken him to the vet. They see nothing wrong with his ears. He just is very prone to large quantities of ear potatoes.

When I go to "harvest" the potato crop using Q-Tips, on average, it takes my 5 to 6 of them per ear (and using both ends) to clear his ears when they are "average". In a bountiful harvest, it can take as many as 8 Q-tips to harvest all the ear potatoes. I end up with a huge pile of Q-tips.

Zora on the other hand, has very desolate ear potato harvests. Even on a bad day, I can usually clear her ears with 2 Q-tips per ear. Most times, I just need one Q-tip. Zora has far smaller ears than Zeke. I had similar experiences with Rudy-angel (small ears) and Max-angel (large ears) with ear potato harvests, although not nearly as dramatic. Therefore my theory is Big Floppy Ears = Big Ear Potato Harvests.

Kari · February 08, 2008, 08:45:04 PM

LOL

"Ear Potato Harvests"...I've never heard that term before!!

Roberta · February 09, 2008, 04:22:14 AM

Have to say Emma winned our famlies harvest hands down.
Roberta

Barb · February 09, 2008, 07:57:19 AM

LOL - my Brandy is the big producer in our family !

PattyInAK · February 09, 2008, 01:00:01 PM

Oh yuck! :meme:

Marcia from MI · February 09, 2008, 01:15:12 PM

A friend of mine used to raise dachshunds(20 years ago) and said that she always used something called R7 to clean the ears and prevent infection. Sam Angel had some ear problems and I was always cleaning his ears, but Eddie not so much. However, Sully Angel the Lhasa Mix had major problems due to excessive ear hair and we were at the vet constantly with infections. Dr Cindy gave me some stuff called Tresderm(I think) and as long as we used it once a week in each ear the problem disappeared, but after awhile it was very hard to get, I am hopin I can find it again because Snickers has ear problems big time.

poochadoo · February 09, 2008, 03:26:01 PM

I've got a great suggestion, I think - I use NaturVet Ear Wash with Tea Tree Oil. Its a little pricey, but I clean Schatzie's ears once a week. I squirt some of this stuff on a paper towel , give the ears a gentle but thorough cleaning and she's had no problems. With regular use, I've noticed a decrease in her build-up. It seems to keep the "potatos" at a minimum even in the warmer months.

Teresa · February 09, 2008, 05:18:20 PM

I've just discovered the NaturVet Wash. Schatzi doesn't seem to mind it, and I like the fact that it doesn't have the witch hazel or alcohol in it. She had been scratching at her ears some, and I noticed the build up. I got the ear wash and used it and she was better the next day. Now as long as I use it every week or two, she is fine. For those of you who read a while back about Molly wanting to lick Schatzi's ears all the time-well, Molly does NOT like the taste of the ear wash, so it takes care of that problem, too!

Dee Dee and Hallie · February 09, 2008, 05:40:00 PM

WHUT....are you guys talking about?? LOL! Do I want to know? You made me run to check Hallie's ears LOL!!! They are pink and clean as always. Ear potatoes...I honestly don't know what those are, (although I am savvy enough to realize it is a nick name LOL) sounds like I might have another thing to worry about now?

Poor Hallie not only will I be checking her anal glands many times a day and how hot her back feels and testing to make sure she can easily trot across the room and counting how many times she pees and observing from within the limits of her "personal space boundaries" when she poops, and checking the whites of her eyes and color and capillary refill time of her gums daily...I also need to be peering down into her ears?

sollysmom · February 09, 2008, 06:25:15 PM

Quote from: Dee Dee and Hallie on February 09, 2008, 05:40:00 PM
WHUT....are you guys talking about?? LOL! Do I want to know? You made me run to check Hallie's ears LOL!!! They are pink and clean as always. Ear potatoes...I honestly don't know what those are, (although I am savvy enough to realize it is a nick name LOL) sounds like I might have another thing to worry about now? Poor Hallie not only will I be checking her anal glands many times a day and how hot her back feels and testing to make sure she can easily trot across the room and counting how many times she pees and observing from within the limits of her "personal space boundaries" when she poops, and checking the whites of her eyes and color and capillary refill time of her gums daily...I also need to be peering down into her ears?

A mother's work is never done!

Darcel

Doxherding Karen · February 09, 2008, 08:15:48 PM

When we adopted a yellow lab, Corky, he came complete with tubes of medicine for his ears. They were always infected and smelled horrible.

My vet, Dr. Weisberg, recommended we bring Corky in and he do a complete cleaning under anesthesia. We took him in, he went under, and Dr. Weisberg used a water pic (yes, the dental kind) to flush out his ears. Then he lathered each one with antibiotic cream. He was completely cured.

The nurse at the Naval Clinic at NSGS, Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico, used to do the same thing on kids who had tons of ear wax. Worked great!

Karen

Leslie · February 09, 2008, 08:42:41 PM

Quote from: PattyInAK on February 09, 2008, 01:00:01 PM
Oh yuck! :meme:

and ewwwwwwwwwwwwww. :crazyeyes:

Sadiesmom · February 10, 2008, 03:15:31 PM

Quote from: Dee Dee and Hallie on February 09, 2008, 05:40:00 PM
WHUT....are you guys talking about?? LOL! Do I want to know? You made me run to check Hallie's ears LOL!!! They are pink and clean as always. Ear potatoes...I honestly don't know what those are, (although I am savvy enough to realize it is a nick name LOL) sounds like I might have another thing to worry about now? Poor Hallie not only will I be checking her anal glands many times a day and how hot her back feels and testing to make sure she can easily trot across the room and counting how many times she pees and observing from within the limits of her "personal space boundaries" when she poops, and checking the whites of her eyes and color and capillary refill time of her gums daily...I also need to be peering down into her ears?

Thanks for the smile... I needed that and it worked. And I hope you find no "potatoes" in Hallie's ears. I can't catch Sadie long enough to look.

Sadiesmom · February 10, 2008, 03:16:05 PM

Quote from: Leslie on February 09, 2008, 08:42:41 PM
and ewwwwwwwwwwwwww. :crazyeyes:

My thoughts exactly!

Jeri · February 11, 2008, 06:59:31 AM

Ear cleaning days are always interesting, aren't they? Boone is an accomplished ear potato farmer as well. We don't use quite as many Q-tips on Boone as you do on Zeke, but Boone's ears are much smaller....

Dee Dee and Hallie · February 11, 2008, 11:29:02 AM

Hee. OK I know I'm slow but I still really don't know what ear potatoes are. And I been checkin' Hallie's ears!

Googling is not divulging the secret LOL. What exactly are they??

David C. · February 11, 2008, 11:41:10 AM

Ear wax.

I've used Oticalm on the puppers ears in the past when things are heavy. I've also found that ear wax is cyclical, that you can a period of several months where ear wax production is very heavy, followed by months of moderate to light ear wax. However, Zeke definitely is the champion ear wax producer. I haven't hit a light month yet.

Isn't "ear potato" more of an appetizing term?

Doxherding Karen · February 11, 2008, 12:17:37 PM

Quote from: David C. on February 11, 2008, 11:41:10 AM
Ear wax. . . . Isn't "ear potato" more of an appetizing term?

Gourmands in "the know" refer to this as:

N-eeeuw-velle Queas-ine

Dr. Julia Child Leaky

Kathleen · February 11, 2008, 04:27:24 PM

I have NO ear potatoes! Winston cleans Murphy and Reilly's ears, and I clean Winston's once a week. We barely get a tiny bit of dirt and everybody's ears are pink and healthy. Maybe it's the dampness in the Pacific Northwest :thumb:

Dee Dee and Hallie · February 11, 2008, 07:23:23 PM

OK I'm following you, I figured it was dirty ear wax...but what makes it turn into a potatoe shape?

Hallie has never had these, I give her a full body MS (Mommy Scan) a few times a week and her ears have always been pink, dry and clean. (maybe you are right Katherine, LOL!!!) I've never had to clean them out. Rarely one or the other will be a little red from her allergies and will be a little shinier in there than usual but it goes right away and I've ne'er seen taters in there! I guess I really haven't seen it all after all LOL. I never had this problem with my last 2 kids either...

Dr. Julia Child Leaky...yer killin' me! LOL.

Doxherding Karen · February 11, 2008, 10:13:06 PM

Quote from: Dee Dee and Hallie on February 11, 2008, 07:23:23 PM
Dr. Julia Child Leaky...yer killin' me! LOL.

Oh, dear, not another tragic accident with the Queasy-weenie-art! :meme:

Last time I got too close to the blender, we had to change the menu from dacqueris to Bloody Marys!

Dr. J.C.L.

Dee Dee and Hallie · February 12, 2008, 01:03:43 AM

Oh gads Dr JCL. I am not allowed to have a blender, I'm lucky I can go into the kitchen at all. If only my stove could talk...heck, if only Hallie could talk!

Really, truly your muther needs to write a book about you guys!

Sumbody still needs to explain these ear taters to me!!!