Corgi Forums

LittlePonzo · **AHHHH! These ears!! -** 10-27-2006, 02:11 PM

Ahhh! I am so fed up with these ears! I keep taping and taping, and they won't stay up...This time one actually fell while the tape was still on because Ponzo had scratched it away from the place where it folds. I thought I had it this time...I taped twice around each ear-once to hold it up, the other to make the little flap at the top of his ear stay perfectly straight in the hopes that that little flap that always tipped down a bit was the thing that was pulling his ears back down. I am so dejected right now...I love Ponzo, but I do want him to look like a corgi...I don't know what else I can do. I rub his ears to try and stimulate blood flow like my breeder told me. She even said that his ears would go up because they had that lift at the bottom that you are looking for, but it feels like he doesn't even have control over them. Today the one that fell, feels so floppy and lifeless. Sorry to rant and rave like this, but it's just frustrating when I keep trying and the poor thing hates to have the tape removed..as would anyone. I feel bad for him and frustrated for myself. I am really worried now that his ears may never stand up and that really bothers me, because he is corgi and the ears totally give them a different look when they are up. UGH!

Fluffypants · 10-27-2006, 02:32 PM

Poor Ponzo.

I hope that one of the knowledgeable corgi folks on this site will be able to give you some tips (no pun intended). Good luck and hang in there.

glencorgi · 10-27-2006, 03:57 PM

Before I give suggestions, how old is Ponzo?

Debbie

fido · 10-27-2006, 04:14 PM

What does your vet say regarding Ponzo's ears and the floppiness of the more non-responsive ear?

mochamix79 · 10-27-2006, 05:57 PM

I know a German Sheppard that uses hair curlers to give the support when the tape is on. You know those old sponge like curlers...just a suggestion.

corgimom · 10-27-2006, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glencorgi

Before I give suggestions, how old is Ponzo?

Debbie

Looks like Ponzo will be 1 in February(in his dog profile)

LittlePonzo · 10-27-2006, 08:33 PM

Ponzo will be nine months next Sunday....The vet had given us athletic tape to put on his ears so that it wouldn't hurt as much to take off. However, that same thing that made that tape sound appealing made it bad, Ponzo took one scratch at it and it came right off! So we were back to the masking tape. Other than that, he hasn't said anything...Everytime he sees him, it's during a week where the ears are staying up!!
I wonder about the curler idea? Does anyone know how that works? I do know that corgis with a wider ear carriage do have a harder time getting their ears to stay up. My breeder dislikes what she refers to as horned ear corgis, where the ears are more on top of the head like a sheppard. So she was thrilled with his ear placement. I am too, when they stand up! If someone can fill me in on the curler suggestion that would be awesome, I really appreciate any and all suggestions. Thanks a bunch, Amanda
Oh, and the really floppy ear is new...I've never seen it this way before, my husband was thinking it might be like when you take a cast off and your bones and muscles are weak. However, it was excessively moist in the air today and the humidity used to drop them, so that could add to it too I suppose.

Chip's Mom · 10-27-2006, 08:39 PM

What is considered to be a horned ear corgi?

LittlePonzo · 10-27-2006, 08:59 PM

Bonnie, a horned ear corgi is where the ears stand more upright on the dogs head, think of what a GSD looks like...It kinda of goes from the gowls straight up to the tip of the ears, with only like 2 inches in between the ears at most. Where as corgis ears stand up but out also. Am I making sense? I don't know how else to describe it. Hope you know what I mean now though.
Anyway, I just looked up some methods for taping Cardi ears. The ones I looked at made a bridge with tape in between the ears linking them together and in essense making them stand up. My breeder never showed me that one! Also, one of the sites uses skin bond adhesive and then moleskin on top of that so that when the masking-or this lady uses duct-tape is attached it doesn' t stick to the hair! Nail polish remover gets the skin bond adhesive to release she said...the dogs look like satellite dishes but if it works I am all for it. Has anybody else tried the tape bridge, I can't believe I never thought of it!

Jeni D · 10-27-2006, 09:36 PM

I had to use the "tape bridge" on Dudley. I only left it on for a day and a half though because he was completely miserable...I had settled on the fact that he was just going to have floppy ears, but when I took the tape off, both ears remained up! They have been up ever since. You might want to also look into some nutritional concerns. I don't know much about these things, but I'm sure one of the more knowledgeable corgi-owners might have some advice there. Then, there are some corgis who never get their ears up, but that doesn't make them any less great

Hopefully your patience will pay off! Good luck!

Michael Romanos · 10-27-2006, 10:35 PM

Perhaps Ponzo has gone past the 'point of no return' - I hope not because a Corgi without errect ears is not quite as fully dressed as those with their antennas up.
I take it you have been regularly - daily - giving Ponzo a calcuim supplement. Calcuim is so important for good strong bones - vital for an active Corgi - and in helping the muscles develope such as those which prop up the ears.

glencorgi · 10-27-2006, 11:00 PM

Horned ear corgi ???? That's a new one on me. I think from what you are describing what she means is too high an ear set and ears set too close together.

At nine months they can still come up. I'd suggest putting him on 1,000 mg of vitamin C a day and a good multi-vitamin supplement. I'd also give him a TBS of cottage cheese or plain yogurt a day. Continue massaging at the base of the ear. It sounds like you've found the Cathy Ochs-Cline's instructions for taping ears. <http://www.phi-vestavia.com> I've used it with success and more often than not do the bridge.

IF all else fails, then there are surgical procedures which can be done to make the ears stand.

Debbie

LittlePonzo · 10-28-2006, 07:53 AM

Wow, guys! Thanks so so so much! I never thought of vitamins and calcium supplements. Can I get the vitamins at PetSmart? I will go get them this weekend....Why not treat from the inside out? And, yes it was that same Cardi breeder, Cathy that I found the method from which I definitely want to try it if others have had success with it.
As for the rest of his nutrition...We just gradually switched him to regular dog food instead of puppy. He gets 1/2 cup at morning before we leave for work and 1/2 when we eat dinner around 5. Also with that he gets a tablespoon of some wet food, either Nutro Max puppy or one of the delicious varieties of Merrick canned food. They have sweet potatoes, apples, blueberries, chicken chunks, carrots, etc. Supposedly people could eat them, although I still don't think I would. We rotate between those to keep him on his toes.
Just wondering? What surgical procedures are you referring to? Not cropping, right? I wouldn't go that far, but I am open to other options! Thanks again, everyone!

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AHHHH! These ears!!