need advice/encouragement re: taping(loong)

[vinman]

My baby, Vinny had his ears cropped three weeks ago, and then had the stitches out...he was taped last Wed. by the vet, and had pulled out the padding by Thursday. We brought him back in Friday, and he was retaped. He knocked out one of the posts by Saturday, and the other by yesterday. We brought him back to the vet today because 1. His ears smelled a little funky, and 2. The posts had both come out.
The vet's "taper" says that there is a little infection in both ears, and we cannot continue the taping process until the infection clears...(1 week or so).
Has anyone had the same situation? The "taper" says the vet will prescribe a sedative and an antibiotic...
How are we supposed to keep the ears clean, if they can't get wet? The "taper" says the chemical in the tape will dissolve his ears if it gets wet?
Also, he is such a sweet baby and we hope his little personality isn't going to change due to all the trips to the vet.
Please no flames.

 

[JulieM]

Why a sedative?

The ears can get wet, generally speaking, if they're not taped (unless there are open/raw areas, then you want to be careful). When they're taped, you do not want to get them wet if you can at all help it - I'm not sure about the 'chemical' 'dissolving' the ears, but the tape does get gooey and super-sticky and you may well pull some skin off with it.

I've found that the trick with keeping the posts in is to tape as far down as possible - farther than you think you need to. Have the vet show you, very slowly and with detail, how to tape, so that you can do it yourself if you need to. You might also try gluing, rather than taping, if the posts are really a problem.

 

[vinman]

thank you! his ears do have a few infected parts now, so we are using animax cream for a week until the infection resolves. I noticed last night that he has a black scab at the tip of one of his ears. I hope that heals! This cropping and taping is such a rigorous process, but we are looking forward to beautiful ears soon

 

[calimomma]

I have to second JulieM's response and say that Abbi's ears were a breeze but little Hayden's were a nightmare! Seems we were back at the vet every other day to fix something. I finally had the vet show me very specifically how to repost/tape his ears so we didn't have to keep going back. And keep having to pay the retape fee...ugh.

Also, if the vet didn't already prescribe it, ask him/her for some Dermalone (or something comparable) ointment for the scabbies. It helps with the healing process and makes it easier when the posts do come out, the tips of the ears are supposed to have less of a tendancy to curl.

Good luck!!