Two weeks ago, on Friday morning, we took the dogs to the groomer for their regular appointment. Butterfly’s hair was turning grey around the ears (she’s a white dog) and Cricket’s eyes were disappearing into a mop of hair. My biggest concern, though, was the hair in Cricket’s ears. I’d asked the groomer to pull the matted hair from her ears, every time, but somehow it rarely happened. So this time, I was insistent. Whatever else you do, I said, make sure to deal with her ears.
When we picked the girls up that afternoon, everything seemed fine. Cricket was flapping her ears a bit, but that seemed reasonable given that they’d not only plucked the hair from the inside of her ears, they’d shaved the mats off the outside too, making her look even more like a little lamb. Butterfly started sniffing at Cricket’s ears almost immediately, but it’s something she tends to do, sniffing Cricket’s ears, nose, butt, etc., for secret messages, so I didn’t take too much notice. On Saturday, though, I noticed that Cricket was still flapping her ears. I managed to feel the inside of one of her ears, for a second, and I felt something hard, as if the skin where the hair had been plucked was scabbed. Cricket wasn’t interested in letting me look more closely, though, and I figured it was probably no big deal.
“Mommy, why does Butterfly keep sniffing my ear?”
Ears mid-flap.
By Sunday afternoon, Cricket was flapping her ears so much that I thought she was going to give herself whiplash, and then I noticed this strange smell. I wasn’t sure if the smell was coming from Cricket, though. In fact, I assumed there was some food in the garbage can that was beginning to rot.
flap flap flap!
“Mommy, I think Cricket’s ears are going to fly away.”
On Sunday night, after emptying all of the garbage cans to no avail, I was finally able to look directly inside of Cricket’s right ear, and I saw a ring of brown pus, surrounding livid red skin. My stomach dropped, from the guilt, and the smell, and an incredible amount of anger at the groomer, for doing this to Cricket, and for not telling me what she’d done.
At eight thirty Monday morning, when the vet’s office opened, I called and got an emergency appointment. There was just enough time to wake up everyone before we had to leave (Cricket was sleeping on her grandma’s head, and Butterfly was sleeping-guard next to the bed). Cricket was excited, as usual, to go outside without her sister, and get in the car without her sister, and climb behind my head in the passenger seat. But as soon as we got to the vet’s waiting room, she tried to run back out the front door, and failing that, she hid under the bench. Cricket is a terrible patient. The only part of illness she can handle is taking a pill, slathered in peanut butter. Going to the vet and being man-handled? No way.
We were called in quickly, and the vet took one look at her ears and almost gasped. He’s not really a gasper, by nature, but he came close this time. He had to clean out both of Cricket’s ears, with cotton balls and long Q-tips, and then he gave her a shot to calm the redness, and drops in her ears, all with a muzzle on, because she was not handling the stress very well at all. He asked, twice, if we’d rather have her put out during the ordeal, but, knowing Cricket, I thought she’d be even angrier waking up from anesthesia.
The vet gave us ear drops to give Cricket at home, twice a day, and Mom said, of course we can do that. The vet said that if we couldn’t get the drops in her ears, the second best option was to put something else in her ears (at the office) that would last a few weeks. No, we can do it, Mom said, as she looked at Cricket on the stainless steel table, wearing her muzzle, with her eyes bugged out, and clearly imagined a completely different dog.
Peanut butter!
Peanut butter tongue.
“My turn!”
I actually managed to get drops into one of Cricket’s ears, in fifteen attempts, but not in the really bad ear. Cricket bared her teeth at me each time, and swung her head around 360 degrees as if she was possessed by Satan each time I got anywhere near her with the medicine dropper. So we had to go back to the vet, in defeat, the next day, and have him do the second best option. Cricket had to be dragged into the examining room (it’s a good thing the floor is slippery), and then she ran into the corner of the examining room, trying to avoid the reality that she was in the vet’s office, where who knew what horrors could come next. The vet dropped the lotion into her ears in two seconds, before Cricket could build herself up to full hysteria, and then off we went.
The doctor checked Cricket again on Thursday morning, and pulled some more hair out of her bad ear like it was so much fluff. Cricket’s eyes bugged out, and she had to be held still by the vet tech so that she wouldn’t jump off the table, and then the vet told us to come back for one more check-up the following week. I’m not in love with watching Cricket panic as she’s called into the examining room, but I feel like we’re really well taken care of by this doctor, and I wish that we could find a groomer who made us feel the same way. I thought we had, actually. This was the first groomer (after many tries) that Cricket could tolerate long enough to get an actual haircut, and she’s been going there for years.
The thing is, I still don’t understand what went wrong. How come Cricket wasn’t whimpering in pain, or bleeding, right after the grooming? Did they put something on the wound to stop the bleeding and numb the pain, and just not tell us? The other thing is, the scabs were already growing out with new hair in less than a week, and that seems really fast for new growth. The hair inside of the ear is supposed to be plucked at the root, to keep it from growing back so quickly, so, did the groomer shave the inside of Cricket’s ear, and push too hard, shaving off layers of skin?
The vet actually knows Cricket’s groomer and usually trusts her. He said that, from now on, we should come to him every two months to have him remove Cricket’s ear hair, and never let the groomer do it again. I’m sure Cricket will be thrilled when she figures out that she’ll be going to the groomer and the vet on a regular basis for the foreseeable future.
When we got home from the third vet visit of the week, Butterfly had to sniff Cricket all over, to second check his methods and diagnosis, and she seemed satisfied with his work.
I could tell that Cricket was starting to feel better when she scratched her ear against the floor, a sign that her ears were not quite as sensitive anymore. And then she felt so much better that she risked scratching her ear with a paw, though she did sniff the paw afterwards, to check for lingering infection, or just because. She’s like an eight year old boy in a dog costume.
rachelmankowitz 
Poor Cricket and poor you!
Cricket prefers to have all of the sympathy for herself.
Sorry Cricket!!! Your mom deserves some serious sympathy too!!!
Poor little thing. Vets can be scary places! here’s hoping future visits not so traumatic for all of you!! x
Miss Cricket thinks there are lasers shooting out of the vet’s eyes, and even the walls of the examining room!
Poor little baby! My Patience has chronic ear infections, and she doesn’t love the regular vet visits any more than Cricket.
Chronic ear infections do not sound fun at all!
Oh no, poor Cricket! I’d be furious if that happened to my Rosie, so I know how you feel. 😦
Cricket was not happy with me.
Poor Cricket and poor you, I don’t know who I feel worse for, I think it’s you because I know how stressful it is when your dog has ear problems, our Marshall had chronic ear infections for 13 years out of his 16 year life, he hated going to the vet, hated the drops, hated the lotion, hated ear cleanings and antibiotics, it was such a trial. I feel for you and I’m so happy Cricket is on the mend. 😀
Cricket is still giving me the evil eye, but she’s doing fine now. She’s just milking it.
Lol, that is too funny! Our little Jack does the same thing, sometimes I swear, he is more human than dog, he can milk things down to the last drop. 😀
It’s a great talent!
Lol 😀
I’m so sorry. I hope Cricket’s ears heal quickly. It’s hard when our pups are scared and don’t feel good. It sounds like you have a great vet, though that’s awesome and it goes a long way in helping you help Cricket. Please keep us posted.
Take care,
Margret
Miss Cricket doesn’t understand how lucky we are with our vet. She thinks he should know how to wave a magic wand and make the pain go away from a distance. That’s her ideal.
Ugh poor thing! At least the vet was able to fix her up
He did a great job with her, thank God!
Have you contacted the groomer about this? I would be pretty darn blunt and let her know what has happened and what you had to do to correct it. And then I might be looking for another groomer. I don’t think I would trust this one, if they didn’t let you know that they ‘might have nicked her ear a little…’ or something to that effect. Poor Cricket. Luckily, Butterfly knew something was amiss. Such a smart girl.
I actually ran into the owner of the grooming place at the vet’s office and told her about it, but she didn’t seem to get that it was something her groomer had done to Cricket. It was odd.
Very odd.
Poor baby!! Glad she is better but what an ordeal for you Cricket & Butterfly!!!
I can’t imagine what Butterfly was thinking through the whole thing. She’s still sniffing Cricket’s ears every once in a while, just to make sure things are okay now.
Wow that’s awful! There’s no way the groomer didn’t notice, I can’t believe they hid that. And what, assumed you wouldn’t find out?? Anyway, I’m glad she got taken care of and I hope that groomer never gets near her ears again!
I wish I knew what the groomer was thinking, but, thank God, Cricket’s ears healed very nicely.
Poor Cricket, what an ordeal! I hope she is feeling better now.
She’s feeling much better, and really doesn’t understand why she had to go to the vet a thousand times.
Oh no Cricket you poor thing. Sending you extra special cyber wags that you’re all better when you bark this.
Cricket’s ears are much better, which is making her grumpy, because it means no more peanut butter. Harrumph.
Poor Cricket! I feel so bad for her, and for you as you helped her through the ordeal. The worst is over now and hopefully she won’t experience that again since the vet will be taking care of her ears. But, if something is not right with Cricket, I’m sure Butterfly will be the first to sniff out the matter:).
Butterfly is such a good vet tech!
This is Amy. Rachel, you figured it out. The groomer shaved as far into Cricket’s ears as she could and in the process cut them. Dogs actually have a high tolerance for pain, which is probably why she wasn’t whimpering after the fact. God bless you for dealing with an otherwise sweet dog who really doesn’t want her ears messed with, and please, find another groomer. BTW, I am a part-time groomer, and I know how hard it is to pull the hair from some dog’s ears (and cut their nails) without getting bit. I also know you never shave down in there because of what happened to Cricket. Hope she is 100% soon.
We decided to leave the inside of her ears to the vet, because he never hurts her and he never gets intimidated by her exorcist act, the way I do.
Poor little pup. Glad she is on the mend.
Me too. Thank you!
Cricket probably thought the muzzle was humiliating but the alternative would be worse. I am glad you came up with such a sensible solution. Cricket may not agree but she won’t be infected at least.
Cricket is not easily humiliated. Angry, yes, enraged, you bet, planning revenge, all the time!
Good for her!
Poor Cricket! I’m so sorry the groomer did this and didn’t mention it. Did you confront them after you found it? BTW Tippy understands not liking drops in the ears. It takes more than one person when she needs them.
Even Butterfly, the calm and patient one, can’t stand having drops in her ears. Thankfully, her head can’t twist around quite as far as Cricket’s can, so we manage. But Cricket still hides under the couch during the procedure.
Poor baby. I’m sure it’s a weird feeling for them, not to mention the fact that they can probably hear the medicine moving around in there. It has to be disorienting to them.
Poor baby.
Poor Cricket! Dylan and I have lots of sympathy for her. Dylan still craves lots of sympathy as well – his “cone of shame” has to remain in place until Monday. We hope Cricket’s ears will be as new soon.
We are very lucky that Cricket didn’t need a cone, because she has a history of popping them off her head, and scraping them against walls and floors. She’s a menace!
poor thing. I hope Cricket’s ears are better soon. My cocker spaniels had ear issues, and I do remember once she shaved too much and drew blood, and yes put a stiptic powder on it to stop it. It was very upsetting. Glad the vet will be doing it from now on
Cricket’s mom was a cocker spaniel and her ears were so long and beautiful, but I’m lucky Cricket has smaller ears, or else we’d be in big trouble!
Jernee was messing with her ear last week. She had scratched at it so much, she caused it to bleed. My first thought was a tick, however, she did not have one. My 2nd was she probably had an ant or another bug in there and it bit her. I checked her all over, no fleas, nothing else that I could see. I noticed her hair had gotten a bit outta control near the outside of her ear and was growing backward and falling into the inside of the ear. I cut her hair, put some drops in both ears, then, a little Neosporin applied via Q-Tip.
She’s like a new dog. I have been checking that ear to make sure nothing else out of the ordinary has occurred, and she’s good. I am so happy you guys found out what the cause was and that your Vet will be taking care of her ear-grooming needs from now on.
I am totally sending Cricket to you next time! You’re a miracle worker!
And, I’m cheaper! LOL. I’d do it for free! 🙂
Wonderful!
I always enjoy your blogs Rachel. I feel for Cricket. We have a one-eyed shih tzu who hates going to the groomer. He is ok with getting trimmed everywhere but near his face. He must have lost his eye in some tramatic way because he was found with an open eye socket that was flea infested. We love him to pieces but he does’t like his shaggy face clipped.
I hope Cricket feels better soon.
Cricket has nowhere near such a good reason to hate the groomer getting near her face, she’s just very Cricket-y.
How frustrating. Good to know Cricket is on the mend.
She is doing well, and back to her usual grumpiness. Thank you!
I really hope you ripped the groomer a new one, and Max says he’s more than willing to do some bummeee biting if necessary. He’s very protective of Cricket – possibly because the first dog we ever had who was totally mine was named Cricket.
Also – when he’s had to have drops in his ears, I put the stuff on a cotton ball and then squeeze the cotton ball into his ear. It’s much easier on him. I do that to clean them, as well.
Cricket totally needs extra treats, too. So Max decrees.
Cricket agrees with this decree!
My heart goes out to Cricket and all of you for this ordeal, but I do admit I snorted with laughter more than a few times at your descriptions of the goings-on … I think I can relate just a little too much to some of those antics with my own darlings! Seems like the most traumatic experiences are the best fodder for great writing … another brilliant post!
Thank you! I’m pretty sure Butterfly laughed a few times watching her sister’s ordeal. Cricket just inspires this sort of thing.
What really happened??? Only her hairdresser knows for sure.
It’s always possible that one of the cats came in to do her ears. I’ll never know.
I know many dogs, mine in particular, who will have every sympathy with Cricket for regular vet appointments, and I’ve yet to find a way to make the prospect any more pleasant for them.
I’ve tried giving her the doggy xanax before a visit, but she gets so angry at me when she realizes I’ve messed with her head, and her anxiety overwhelms the meds anyway.
Have you ever tried taking the dogs in and just walking around the waiting room, then leaving without seeing the vet? Give a ton of treats the entire time? Would that maybe evenutally desentize them and make them think of it as a not so horrible place?
Poor Cricket! We are all so glad she’s a lot better. When Uncle Barnaby had a terrible ear infection after he had his leg operation, it was dreadful! The smell! Pip
The smell was pretty scary!
Poor little Cricket! I would have been so angry with that groomer! We trust them to care for our babies and she should have come clean with you so you could have taken care of Crickets ear from the start.
Lily hates being groomed too and we always get the little teeth bared at us when we brush her. but it’s quite comical really as she is so tiny and cute!
Give Cricket andButterfly hugs from me!
xx
When Butterfly tries to resist brushing, it’s cute, because she has very few teeth and she’s just not a violent girl. When Cricket resists, I wish I had some armor handy and have to stock up on neosporin instead.
I am very sorry to hear about Cricket’s misfortune. I’ve heard horror stories of groomers here in Australia. That’s why I never send Chicki to one. I’d rather have her looking like a w.i.p. than risk her being traumatised…
I wish I could leave Cricket in a full mop, but it gets tangled and uncomfortable for her. I spent the first few years of her life trying to groom her myself, between official visits, to limit the trauma. But Cricket likes to spread the trauma around.
So sorry to hear Cricket had to go through this and glad the vet is happy to take care of her ears from now on. Wags and woofs to you all xxx
The vet was great. He only charged for the first visit, everything after that was free and for his peace of mind as much as ours. Cricket’s peace of mind, well, I don’t think there is such a thing.
This is a very sad story about Cricket’s ears – groomers, vets, car trips. A veritable nightmare for such an adorable sweetheart. I know she will pass Butterfly’s inspection, though, and that’s enough comfort for now. 🙂
Butterfly is very thorough in her post-vet examinations, and she gives the paws up on Cricket’s treatment. She’ll probably keep up the examinations, though, just in case.
Poor Cricket, and I think it’s terrible that the groomer didn’t tell you. Have you any recourse? Hope Cricket is well over her ordeal, though I hope she doesn’t panic going to the vet next time, bless her.
I would like to believe that Cricket will eventually get used to going to the vet regularly. But Cricket tells me not to hold my breath.
What a horrible experience! I hope Cricket is feeling better.
Have you considered doing your own grooming? With lots of treats and peanut butter, you may be able to get her used to the trimmer. I got an inexpensive one on line for my last dog. For the first few weeks just turn it on with no blade. Once she’s used to the sound, gently rub it along her fur. Give it a try. It may be less stressful for her then going to a groomer. LOTS of TREATS. Baby food works too if you don’t want to overfeed peanut butter.
Baby food?! She would probably love that. I’m just worried she’d spread it around the apartment to protest the sound of the trimmer.
Of course they are really children in dog outfits. Poor Cricket, what an ordeal for you and Mommy too.
Miss Cricket is soaking up the sympathy today. She loves it!
Poor Cricket! I’m so glad she’s doing better. A good vet and groomer are worth their weight in gold.
So true!
oh man, what an ordeal!! Glad Cricket is on the mend and hopefully stays infection free going forward. 🙂
She’s been trying to convince me that the infection is back, to get me to restart the peanut butter regimen. But I am not easily fooled. I have Butterfly to tell me what’s really going on.
So sorry for Cricket’s trauma. My cat is also an eight year old in a cat costume. One of those eight year old boys in a vest and thick glasses, I think. Luckily, he loves the vet. He just abhors traveling to get there.
Cricket loves the car, thank God, but as soon as she gets to that office, the shaking starts. I’ve heard horror stories about cats in cars. I wonder if they get car sick like Butterfly does.
poor baby – thankfully it is something easily taken care of although I feel bad she has to endure this often. We had a part Bernese Mt Dog and that chronic ear infections…so much so the vet made sure we had a constant supply of medication. Our one doxie gets them every now and then, but it seemed to be every other month for Snoopy. They explained why but I can’t remember…nothing much we could do other thank keep nipping it in the bud. Puppy hugs for Cricket… 🙂
Cricket is hoping to avoid any more ear medicine. She likes to live in denial.
Poor baby. What an adventure. I can bear anything being done on me, but my little fur baby really gets me going. Glad he is okay,
Cricket feels the same way. She can bear anything being done to me, but no pain should ever happen to her.
😀
So sorry to hear about Cricket’s poor ears. Having had to take my Maudie to the vets recently for an ear infection – and having to had to have her knocked out for the cleaning out process – I know how scary it can be for them – and for us. Hopefully Cricket is well on the mend now.
When the doctor asked if we wanted her knocked out for the process, I said, would it be easier for YOU, because either way we do it, Cricket won’t be happy. So he kept going. She’s had to be knocked out for knee surgeries and x-rays, and she is not a fan at all.
Poor Cricket. I hope she feels better. This post has got all eyes and ears around the cute dog!!
She’s back to moaning and groaning about other things!
Ear infections are the worst. Sam hates it when I pluck his ears but I try to keep up with them and check weekly so we don’t have to worry about them ‘flying away’ or having to go through what Cricket had to endure. Hope she’s feeling better now.
She’s still holding a grudge, but she’s fine, or, her ears are fine.
Poor doggie. I’ve never used a groomer,we give one of our dogs a trim ourselves with some good clippers bought on Amazon and his ears don’t need grooming at all. Our other dog just needs a brush every now and again – low maintenance.
Awww…poor Cricket…it’s hard being so cute furry, isn’t it?
Clearly!
Oh, that’s rough. Poor Cricket!
It’s hard not being able to communicate, for her to not know what’s going on. It sounds like she was a trooper though. She trusts you! I’m glad she’s feeling better 🙂
Cricket was able to communicate her feelings pretty clearly once she got to the vet, she was just angry that her opinion didn’t win out. She thinks we should just give her the whole bottle of peanut butter and leave her be.
Well that would be rational, from her perspective… 🙂
Oh, Poor Cricket. Fur babies are so precious to us. As a FurMom I feel your pain and frustration.
Thank you!
Gidget doesn’t make a peep either if she’s hurting! I have no idea why when she’ll whine about everything else like not getting snacks at the table or when wind blows on her face. I groom the dogs myself. For five years I groomed Gidget with no issues and then a year ago, she decided to lick the small trimming scissors I used for her face. They were sharp. She didn’t whine or cry when it happened. I was the one screaming as I saw her little tongue slide against the scissors…*shivers* it bled so much too. I rushed her to the vet and by then the bleeding had stopped. The vet checked it out then gave us antibiotics and pain reliever. I now use a grooming kit for the dogs along with an electric trimmer I bought when Gidget was still a puppy; no more sharp scissors. For the ears and nails I take the dogs to the vet. I just feel more at ease that way. Hope your ear heals quickly, Cricket sweetie!!! ❤
I’ve learned great respect for what our vet can do with Cricket. He is not moved by her antics, the way I am. He just rolls his eyes and keeps going with whatever procedure is freaking her out. She hates that!
Poor little Cricket! Sounds like my Gizmo. His ears are VERY yeasty but he won’t let anyone (me) clean them, and going to the vet is a whole other production. In fact, they’ve given me special pills to give him the day before and a few hours before we have to go to the vet so that he will have a less stressful experience. And he’s got a good groomer but he bites her so (a) I’m reluctant to ask her to do anything to his ears apart from just swabbing the outside and (b) I’m afraid she’s going to decide she’s had enough of the biting and exile us forever. Why don’t our fur babies understand we’re just trying to help??
Ha! Cricket is convinced that she is protecting herself from certain death. You say you want my eye goop, but I know better, Mommy, you’re trying to steal my eyeballs!!!!!!!!
Poor Cricket! Not only did she have to deal with an infection, but repeated visits to the vet! Ziggi’s like that with the vet too, only he’s MUCH bigger than Cricket. I’m always afraid someone’s going to lose an arm when we have to take him in! Dewey Dude, on the other hand, has no issues whatsoever. I mean come on, car rides, lots of other animals and smells, and people (vet, vet tech, receptionist) all making a fuss over how cute he is- what’s not to love? Top that off with everyone offering him treats and The Dude’s in 7th Heaven- LOL!
I just saw a Leonberger on TV, just standing there on the examining table, letting the vet poke around in her business. The only difficulty was lifting her 150 pound self onto the table. Cricket, at fourteen pounds, is a much, much, more problematic patient.
Isn’t it funny how differently animals act at the vet? Now if you’re talking cats- forget about it! I’ve never had one that liked the vet. When we have to take Dewey Dude it’s just like “no problem, The Kid needs to go to the vet”. When we have to take Calcifer (the cat) it’s more like “Oh crap this is not going to be fun!” LOL