Colloidal silver can help dog ear infections by interrupting the bacteria’s ability to consume oxygen. Apply two or three drops of colloidal silver into the dog’s ear canal to treat the ear infection. Gently massage the ear against the head to spread the liquid evenly throughout the ear.
I’m guessing your dog has an ear infection. Am I correct? Why else would you be here looking into colloidal silver for dog ear infections?
Before you decide to use colloidal silver, we recommend calling your vet and asking for their advice. However, you’re probably looking online because you want a quick answer to the question.
It is important to know that the FDA has declared colloidal silver unfit for treating diseases and conditions in humans. They have said nothing about its safety in any animal species.
However, some people online claim that colloidal silver is completely safe for dogs and can even help treat ear infections.
Are these claims valid? Is colloidal silver safe for dogs? Is it an effective treatment for ear infections? Or will colloidal silver do more harm than good?
To answer these questions, we first need to understand what colloidal silver is.
What is Colloidal Silver?
Colloidal silver is a solution that contains trace amounts of silver particles inside. There are two types of colloidal silver on the market. One form of colloidal silver is genuine colloidal silver, where the silver has broken down into extremely tiny particles. These particles are so fine that they stay suspended in the liquid.
The other type is ionic silver. Ionic silver has much larger particles that float to the bottom of the solution and are not effective in treating disease.
If the solution you purchased is thick (not watery), then it is likely you bought ionic silver and not genuine colloidal silver. This is because ionic silver particles are larger and need a thicker solution to keep them from floating to the bottom of the solution.
Most places that sell colloidal silver are actually selling ionic silver with false labelling of colloidal silver. This is because ionic silver is cheaper and easier to make than genuine colloidal silver.
Also, the FDA does not regulate it as a medicine but as a supplement. It does not have to meet as high a standard as it usually would.
Sadly, manufacturers of colloidal silver do not have to mark whether it is true colloidal silver or ionic silver. You’ll want to do extensive research on whatever product you buy to make sure you’re purchasing genuine colloidal silver.
How Can Colloidal Silver Help With a Dogs Ear Infection?
Colloidal silver helps with infections by interrupting the oxygen intake of bacteria. Experts of colloidal silver claim (without evidence) that colloidal silver is small enough to penetrate bacterial cell walls, interrupting their ability to intake oxygen.
The claim is that when you apply colloidal silver to your dog’s ear infection, silver ions will kill the harmful bacteria, allowing your dog’s natural immunity to heal itself.
How to Apply Colloidal Silver to Your Dogs Ears
You would do this by applying two or three drops of liquid to the dog’s ear canal. Pull back the dog’s ear to apply the drops. Be careful, as your dog’s ears might be sensitive and inflamed. To help, you could warm the liquid by placing the container in some warm water. Do not mix the colloidal silver solution with warm water. This will dilute the solution, making it less effective.
Your dog might resist if it is painful, so try to be gentle with your dog. After you administer the droplets, rub the base of the ear. Rub the ear up against the head in a circular motion. This will make sure it spreads evenly through the ear canal.
You can then take a rag and wipe off any excess liquid. Praise your dog and give them a treat. You want to encourage good behavior as you will need to do this for multiple days.
Don’t use colloidal silver if you’re using antibiotics for your dog’s ear. Colloidal silver could inhibit the antibiotics’ ability to work. You should use colloidal silver on its own with no other medications. This is because colloidal silver can interfere with medication’s ability to work.
Should You Use Colloidal Silver On Your Dogs’ Ear Infection?
There are many reasons you may want to try colloidal silver instead of going to the vet for antibiotics.
You can’t get antibiotics without going to your vet and getting a prescription. The vet visit will cost you more money than the medication they prescribe. You’ll also have to take time to schedule an appointment, which eats up time in your day. Your little fur baby probably hates going to the vet to get a checkup. Maybe the infection is not that bad and you’d rather try a more homeopathic remedy to treat your dog’s ear problem.
Many people use colloidal silver because it is a cheaper solution than going to your vet, but some of the other over-the-counter medications don’t seem to work as well or at all.
Regardless of why you would rather use colloidal silver instead of antibiotics, the good news is that colloidal silver has little to no side effects.
This means you can try it for a week and see if it works for your dog. If it does, great! If not, it’s time to see the vet.
Other Natural Methods to Deal with Ear Infections
If you’d prefer not to take the risk of using colloidal silver on your dog’s ear infection, we understand. There are more subtle and safe ways to treat your dog’s infection.
Green Tea
One of the common ways to topically treat your dog’s ear infection is using green tea. All you need to do is boil about 8 oz of water and steep two bags of green tea inside. Once steeped for a few minutes, allow it to cool down. Once cool or lukewarm, use a sponge or syringe to drop a few drops into your dog’s ear canal.
Oil of Oregano
Oil of Oregano has also been used for centuries to remedy many infections and viruses. It is a natural antibiotic. Use one drop of the oil with half an ounce of pure aloe vera juice. Aloe vera is also a potent antibacterial and antifungal. Combining the two creates a powerful mixture that helps fight your dog’s ear infection. Soak a cotton ball in the concoction and clean your pet’s ear.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar is another natural remedy for ear infections. Use one part vinegar with one part purified water. Use a dropper to insert the liquid into your dog’s ear canal.
Calendula
Cleaning your dog’s ear with calendula regularly is an excellent way to prevent ear infections from happening at all. Mix one tablespoon of purified water with nine to ten drops of calendula oil to create a solution. Soak a cotton pad in the solution and gently wipe your dog’s ear one to two times per week for optimum care.
When It’s Time to See a Vet
Let’s say in the near future, you decide you’re going to purchase colloidal silver and use it on your dog. You’ve done your research, found a brand that you believe is true colloidal silver and have administered the proper amount of droplets to your dog’s ears.
How long should you wait to see results? If done correctly, you will start seeing improvement around the fifth day. After ten to twelve days, your dog’s ear infection should be gone. However, if you are administering colloidal silver and it seems to cause pain, stop using it immediately.
If you don’t see any improvement from the colloidal silver treatment after a week, give your vet a call. It might be time to use antibiotics.
As mentioned above, the FDA has claimed that colloidal silver will not treat diseases or infections in humans. This means there is no proof that colloidal silver actually works for treating conditions in dogs. However, considering that there are very few side effects, it’s worth a shot.
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