Young poodle keeps shaking his head every day

"There is only one treatment," I said. "It is surgery to open up the vertical ear canal. Your poodle would feel better in the first 2 weeks after treatment and the problem of head shaking would come back."

"My poodle also had pimples all over the body," the lady in her 40s said.

"Most likely, the poodle had been rolling her body against the wall resulting in damaged skin and infections."

"You are correct. She has to rub her body against the floor tiles. How to cure this problem."

"The cause is due to hairy ears. Your groomer has to remove the hairs every 2-3 monthly. But you don't have time as you need to take care of your sick sister," I said. "So the head shaking comes back as the horizontal ear canals are infected and the lower ear is reddish and itchy." The poodle used her right hind paw to start scratching her neck again.

Most dog owners will just send the poodle to the groomer. But there was no real cure. Lateral ear canal resection surgery is the cure. "How is it done and will my dog be deformed?" the owner asked.

Pictures are best. Fortunately I had some pictures at www.toapayohvets.com, goto "Dogs" --- "Ear Problems" to clarify what the surgery would be. One picture is worth a thousand words.

"I have to ask the family members first," the lady said. Later she phoned and gave her consent to the surgery. "As the ears are infected, it will best to wait around 7 days before I do the surgery," I said. The owner understood.