There are important things to know before deciding to use a medicine in a dog's ear.
You need to know if this is an infection or an ear mite problem as they are treated differently.
You need to know if the ear drum is perforated or not as most over the counter meds are not safe if that is the case.
You need to know if this is something that will clear up with topical meds, require oral meds, or is related to a problem with allergies or a thyroid problem.
If you know the problem is an ear infection and that the ear drum is not perforated then there are some things you can use.
You can see if your local pet supply store carries Zymox with cortisone or find it online. I've had good luck clearing up infections with that. You can read about it here http://animalpetdoctor.homestead.com/Zymox.html I would also suggest trimming the hair out of the ear so more air can circulate. Just be careful not to snip any ear while you do that. This site goes over ear infections and has another ear cleaner mentioned that had good results http://www.dermapet.com/articles/art-03.html here is just the product info http://www.dermapet.com/prod-09.html Ear infections are a common symptom of allergies in dogs.
You can read about allergies and dermatitis in dogs here
http://www.lbah.com/allergy.htm
http://www.priory.com/vet/vetatop1.htm
Dogs can develop allergies to foods, even ones they eat all the time, and to inhaled items, and contact allergens such as rug cleaners, cedar beds, or chemicals including lawn chemicals or even flea bites.
You might want to try a different dog food that has no ingredients the same as what you feed now. Diets of Fish and Potato, venison, or rabbit etc. where the protein source is new and there are no grains in the food can work for many dogs for example. Another option is the hypoallergenic diet from your vet Hills ZD.
Changing food does no good if you feed the same ingredients. Remember food changes have to include all treats and supplements. It can take 8-12 weeks or more before you see results in skin and coat.
If this is an inhalant allergy you may find using a HEPA air filter in the room the dog uses most and wiping the dog down with a damp towel when it comes in helps reduce allergen exposure.
You might want to see if some plain Benadryl helps with any itching. A usual dose is 1mg per pound of dog. If you choose to use that please read here about cautions
http://www.petplace.com/drug-library/diphenhydramine-benadryl/page1.aspx
Or you may want to consult with your vet and consider doing allergy testing. Dogs can also be prone to thyroid problems which can trigger allergies and infections. A vet can test for that issue too. This breed does commonly have that issue.
Some people find their dogs do better when they are given omega 3&6 fatty acid supplements such as Derm Caps or Linatone from the pet supply store.
If your regular vet is not able to help you then you may want to see a veterinary dermatologist and this page may help you locate one if your vet can't refer you to one
http://www.acvd.org/
Hope this helps you!
Dog Expert:Rescue, Train,Breed,Care
30+ yrs dog home vet care & nursing, rescue, behavior&training, responsible show breeding, genetics