Problems with posting ears

RamRox · #1 08-03-2005, 01:53 PM

I have a question regarding ear posting. My boxer has a tall thin show cut and I am having trouble keeping them posted. I had another boxer and he was much easier because he had the wider cropping. I am using tampons and paper tape covered with sticky tape. She is pulling everything out after about half a day. The ears are standing but the tips are flipping out a bit. Someone mentioned taping just the tips. Does anyone have any suggestions or taping methods that might work? We have been taping for over 2 months and plan to continue for as long as it takes. Just needing a little help.

Thanks,
Mike

apollosdad · #2 08-03-2005, 02:16 PM

ramrox-
you can use several different things to help post your dogs ears up.
- i use window insulation that is about the thickness of a cigar. it's flexible and stiff enough. you can buy it at any hardware store. i find that tampons can actually be too stiff at times and that a little bit more flexibility goes a long way in trying allowing them to stay in their ears.
- i also use the white athletic tape to wrap around it and the ears.
- i use cotton balls and insert them into the base of my dog's ear bell and it helps to hold the post in place and permits it to remain inside their ears longer.
- i also place an elizabethan collar around my dogs neck in order to ensure that they won't mess with their ears. i find that they require the use of the elizabethan collar only in the beginning, in order for them to learn that they are not supposed to mess with their ears. afterwards you can remove it and they should not mess with them. however, it's good to have handy for when they do feel like getting them off their ears.
- finally, for the tips of the ears, i use nasal strips to help get them perfectly straight.

jlynnholt · #3 08-03-2005, 02:27 PM

I tape Pimps tips because they tend to curl in like little devil horns. You can see in my gallery. I have been using nasal strips with sports tape for the tips however I don't like the sports tape too much because when i remove it it takes some of his fur. I have just recently purchased Skin bond do adhere the nasal strip to the inside of his ear. Nasal strips work great because they are flexible however they stand straight. Let me know if you need anymore help!!!!

RamRox · #4 08-03-2005, 02:41 PM

Thanks for the great information. When you use the nasal strips do you put it on the inside of the ear or around the ear?

Mike

jlynnholt · #5 08-03-2005, 02:46 PM

On the inside of the ear up to the end of the tip. I use the large ones because the have better support.

jazzyboxer · #6 08-03-2005, 05:47 PM

For extra support on Hoss's long skinny show crop, we are using the large nasal strips doubled, with one stuck on top of another, then (using Skin Bond) glued to inside top part of ear. Then we do wrap the tip a little with athletic tape as well. They stay in for 5-6 days without falling out.

apollosdad · #7 08-03-2005, 06:29 PM

i place the nasal strips on the outside of their ears in order for them to get assistance with standing straight up. i find that if you place the nasal strips inside of the ears, you might actually be making them curl in a bit. however, each dog is different, so you can try various versions and find which one works the best for your dogs. taping ears is not necessarily the same for all dogs. you sometimes have to figure out which version works for you.

KristenElla · #8 08-03-2005, 09:45 PM

This is great help as I'm having the same problem with Taties ears. I use backer-rod and sports tape but they never last more than 24 hours at the most.

Also, her ears were very damp under the wrap and had a smell (they have been damp from the very start - they were very wet and oozy for a long time after they were up in a cup). Because of this, I was told to put a bit of Dr. Scholl's foot powder on the outside of them before wrapping (they were completely healed with no open sores or scabs). It worked - they are now dry when the tape comes off and look great, but I think it's making the tape come un-stuck even more. I'm going to try the skin bond and I hope it works better.

Question: One of her ears is standing and the other wilts a bit after being unwrapped for several hours. It doesn't fall over completely though. Do I need to continue to wrap both ears or can I wrap only the wilting one?

Thank you!

jlynnholt · #9 08-04-2005, 06:33 AM

Pimps ears did the same. I continued to wrap both just to make sure that they both stand.

apollosdad · #10 08-04-2005, 11:03 AM

i would suggest continuing to wrap both of the ears, especially since it is still very early in stages of standing. this will ensure that both ears get the most amount of posting time to help them stand as best as they can.