Hello All!
I adopted a wonderful B-boy from BRAT 3 weeks ago who had been found emaciated, dehydrated and with toe pads so horribly worn down and bloody that he had trouble walking on grass. I was given a video of him taken 2 days after he was found - you could clearly see every rib and his pelvis was very clearly articulated through his skinny frame.
So, now he is gaining weight (hooray!) and I understand from my vet that it will take months to bring his very bristly coat back to it's original splendor. I am giving him fish oil capsules every day for his coat, but here's my question: the insides of his ears are very dry and flaky. My vet explained that after being without food for 3 weeks (the estimate by 3 different vets) his skin and coat were the first thing his body deemed unnecessary for survival, so that was the first thing to be let go in terms of maintaining survival of his critical organs. But, now that he is on the mend and in loving care, I am wondering if there s anything I can use to soothe the dryness inside his ears? If he were a human, I would find a great hydrating lotion to put in his ears, but as he is a dog, I am lost. Ant suggestions?
I send many thanks in advance for any and all advice!
Vitamin E oil (available in super markets and health food stores) works the charm here in Maine in the winter time. I use it on my kidz dry skin.
THANK you so much! I will try that! And I am open to any further suggestions!
Coconut oil can be used both directly on the skin and as an internal supplement. It is very good for the skin as well. 
Silly enough, diaper cream ( with zinc oxide) …it helps with the chaffing dryness..
it's gentle enough to use on a baby's chapped bum then it's good enough to go on oaks ears..lol
I use it on occasions where we're outside hiking and They could get wind burn or such...he has some pretty big ears so they always seem to be a concern!! It only takes a dab and he hasn't itched at them, they arent flaking and he's a happy boy
His ears will heal. We got a rescue that had been in a shelter for three months and we called her bat ears for months till her fur grew back. Hope he heals fully and quickly.
Oh, thank you everyone! Yes - Bat ears would be a most apt description! I will try these remedies - more than one can't hurt, right? This is a prefect example of why I love this board!!! My fondest wishes to you all!
I would recommend A&D ointment….
You do want to make sure you put only the slightest coating on it, maybe even wiping it off gently with a tissue, to avoid getting any product into the ear canal and creating additional problems.
One thing you can do to help his coat is to bathe him every 1-2 weeks with Murphy's Oil Soap. Use your fingers and gently "scrub" him while he is soaped up. (Murphy's does not produce much lather so don't expect it.) The massaging will loosen dead hair and help it fall out. This stimulates new hair to grow. Murphy's has natural oils including coconut that help moisten the skin and keep it healthy.
