Hello,

My name is XX. XX and I will do my best to help you with your question about Mitzy's ear. I'm so sorry she's having this problem, but hopeful we'll be able to find a solution.

I see Mitzy is only one year old. Have you had her since she was a puppy, and has she ever had this problem before. Please use the REPLY tab to respond.

And does this dark, tarry stuff smell pretty bad?

Okay ... and is she itchy all over her body, or mostly just her ears?

Thank you. That helps a lot. Is she carrying on otherwise in a normal fashion? Energy level okay? Eating and drinking just fine?

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. It helps me assess the situation better.

There is one thing that is very, very common that will cause exactly the situation you are describing, and it's not unusual to see in a one-year-old Shih-tzu puppy, and that's otitis externa. An external ear infection.

While annoying and uncomfortable, this situation is easy to diagnose and treat.

Your vet will be able to collect a sample of this tarry debris and look at it under the microscope. This will let him see if the infection is being caused by bacteria, fungi (yeast), or both.

I'm quite hopeful Mitzy will be comfortable within a day or two of having the ear cleaned and getting on the appropriate medication.

You're welcome. Is there anything else I can help you with?

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