If you’re new here, hi! I’m Maylin—mom of three human babies and three fur babies. This blog is a space where I share the highs and lows of life with my dogs. This space is dedicated to my three dogs and all the dogs that came before them, especially Max. If you are curious, you can read about Max’s story here.
I’m not an expert by any means—just a dog mom trying to figure things out, hoping that my journey brings you some clarity and you learn from my mistakes and successes.
Today, I want to talk about something that’s been a huge challenge for us for the last four years: Luna’s chronic ear infections. If you have a dog suffering from this, you have my heart. I totally get how frustrating and heartbreaking it can be.
The Struggle with Chronic Ear Infections
Luna, my Labradoodle, is four years old and has been suffering from chronic ear infections pretty much all of her life. Chronic ear infections in dogs are often linked to food sensitivities or allergies. I’ve known that for some time and we have since been on quite a journey together. She’s always itchy, always licking, and no matter what we do, the infections just keep coming back.
Our Journey with Food Sensitivity Testing
Luna has been on a raw food diet her entire life. Her breeder started her on raw food at my request. Sidenote here, I had the most amazing experience with her breeder. She was kind and open, and really listened to us and I wish the world had more breeders like her. Anyways, back to Luna. We’ve continued feeding Luna raw, giving her the best quality, most nutritious food we can afford. But despite that, we can’t seem to get to the bottom of her ear issues.
Together with our vet, we’ve ruled out environmental allergies through testing. We also had a hair analysis through Glacier Peak Holistics to test for sensitivies. The results were interesting but didn’t give us a clear answer. We’ve switched proteins, tried elimination diets, and followed every lead we could think of, but nothing seems to work long-term. If you care to see her hair analysis results, take a peek below: 
The Role of Canine Nutrition
If you have followed us for a long time you probably already know that I’m a big proponent of properly balanced raw food. That’s mostly because I understand that nutrition plays a massive role in our dogs’ overall well-being. What they eat can directly impact everything from their energy levels to their skin and coat health—and yes, even their ears. I’ve learned that sometimes, even when we think we’re feeding our dogs the best food possible, there could be hidden triggers that are causing issues like ear infections. And that’s where we are with Luna.
The Power of Herbal Medicine
Our journey as moms, whether to humans or fur-babies, is deeply personal and unique to each of us. The lessons we learn along the way to fulfill that role are as endless as the love we have for our little ones. Luna’s journey has reinforced a calling I’ve had for a long time, which is truly understanding the power of herbal medicine. Herbs have been used for centuries to treat various ailments in humans and their pets.
Fueled by the hope that there’s an herbal remedy out there that could finally bring Luna some relief, I took the plunge and signed up for a Canine Herbalist course! I’m thrilled about the possibility of finding something that can calm her itchy ears, strengthen her immune system, or balance her gut health. If there’s a chance to learn how these natural solutions could work wonders alongside her diet, you better believe I’m all in! I’m so excited to see where this journey takes us.
Could This Be the Answer?
I don’t know if canine nutrition or herbal medicine will be the key to solving Luna’s issues, but I’m sure committed to exploring every option. If there’s a chance that understanding these areas better could help her, then it’s worth the effort. Plus, by sharing what I learn, I hope I can help other dog moms who are facing similar struggles.
Are you in for the journey?
P.S. – If you are curious how we are helping Luna for now, we use Zymox, Otic Enzymatic Solution a few times a week.
