How a Bad Groomer Gave Our Chow Chow Puppy a £119.60 Ear Infection (and the Secret That’s Saved Us Hundreds Since)
- Cosmo Canker Powder

- Aug 6, 2025
- 5 min read
When our Chow Chow Bleu was just a tiny fluffball of a puppy, We thought her first trip to the groomers would be one of those Pinterest-worthy before-and-after moments. You know…
Before: cute, fluffy, slightly scruffy.
After: perfectly trimmed, smelling like a lavender-scented cloud.
Instead… We’ve got a screaming puppy, a gunky ear, and a vet bill that made our bank account cry.
This, my friends, is the tragic (and slightly disgusting) tale of how a single bad grooming appointment cost us £119.60, how our puppy suffered for a week, and how it eventually led us to create Cosmo Ear Canker Mite Drops.
The all-natural ear care miracle that’s kept Bleu infection-free for almost three years.
The Grooming Disaster
Bleu trotted into the groomer’s that day like she owned the place… tail up, little lion mane bouncing with every step. She was ready for her spa day.

We handed her over thinking she’d get a nice wash, a tidy-up trim, and maybe even a cute little bow. Instead, what she got was… well… We’re still not entirely sure. But judging by the aftermath, it was a deep-clean ear massacre.
By that night, Bleu was scratching at her ear like she was trying to dig for buried treasure. The ear was hot, swollen, and she kept shaking her head as if she was trying to fling out whatever horrors the groomer had left behind. She looked at us with big puppy eyes that screamed:
“Mum… something’s not right. And I don’t think it’s just my dignity after that haircut.”The next morning we were at the vet faster than you can say “What’s that smell coming from your ear?”. The lovely vet took one look, tilted her head and said, “Yep, we’ve got an ear infection here.”
Then came the dreaded bill. Let us break it down for you in plain English, because the official terms make it sound far more glamorous than it is.
Consultation (£51.62)
This is where the vet basically says, “Your dog’s ear is infected. That’ll be fifty quid, please.”
Cytology – Ear (£16.88)
This is code for: We looked at some gunk under a microscope. Yep, it’s gross.
Canural Drops 15ml (£31.74)
Liquid gold for dog ears. The vet swears it’s the cure. Your wallet swears you’ll never financially recover from this.
Paracetamol 200mg Chicken-Flavour (£11.40)
Dog painkillers that smell like Sunday roast. Sadly, not for humans.
Prednisolone 5mg (£7.96)
Steroids so strong they could probably help your dog win a bodybuilding competition.
💸 Grand Total: £119.60
The Diagnosis – Cocci Bacteria Overgrowth
Sounds scary, right? Let’s translate.
Cocci bacteria are nasty little round bacteria. Think of them as the gate-crashers of the dog ear world.
Overgrowth means they’ve thrown a massive all-night rave in your dog’s ear canal. There’s swelling, there’s pus, there’s gunk and none of them paid an entry fee.
Basically, Bleu’s ear was now the hottest (and grossest) club in town. And guess what? It probably all started from the groomer getting water or cleaning fluid deep into her ear.
The Aftermath – The £119.60 Lesson
One bad grooming trip = one week of ear drops, two types of tablets, an emotional puppy, and a very broke human.
It was at that moment we realised two things:
Vets are wonderful, but we cannot be handing over £100+ every time Bleu shakes her head.
We needed a way to prevent this from ever happening again.
The Game-Changer – Creating Cosmo Ear Canker Mite Drops
After hours of late-night studying (and swearing), we discovered a few key natural ingredients that have been used for decades to keep ears healthy and free from mites, bacteria, and infection.
And so, Cosmo Ear Canker Mite Drops were born.
Made with:
Neem Oil – a natural antibacterial and antifungal that says “Not in my dog’s ears, you don’t!”
Jojoba Oil – a gentle moisturiser that soothes and protects sensitive ear skin.
Black Seed Oil – nature’s anti-inflammatory superhero.
Natural Pyrethrum – plant-based protection against ear mites and other creepy crawlies.
These drops aren’t just for treating issues,
they’re brilliant for prevention too. We started using them on Bleu weekly, especially after grooming or baths.
The Result – 3 Years, No Ear Infections
Bleu is now nearly three years old. Since that awful groomer incident, she hasn’t had a single ear infection. Not one.
No more £119.60 vet bills.
No more cocci bacteria nightclubs.
No more puppy side-eye that says “Mum, you’ve betrayed me.”
Our Secret to Saving on Vet Bills
Here’s exactly what we do to keep Bleu’s ears in top shape:
Check weekly – lift the ear flap and look for redness, swelling, or gunk.
Clean after wet activities – after swimming, bathing, or grooming.
Use Cosmo Ear Canker Mite Drops – a few drops in each ear once a week for prevention.
Catch it early – if you notice scratching or head shaking, use the drops straight away before it escalates.
Prevention isn’t just cheaper, it’s kinder to your dog. Ear infections are painful, and by the time you spot one, your dog has probably been uncomfortable for days.
Why You Should Share This Story
Because no one should have to go through what Bleu did. And no one should have to choose between paying a vet bill and paying their electric bill.
Bad grooming practices can cause serious ear problems. But with the right prevention, you can protect your dog and your wallet.
So, if you want to avoid your dog’s ear turning into a bacterial nightclub:
Skip dodgy groomers
Keep Cosmo Drops handy
Save your money for better things, like buying your dog that ridiculously overpriced toy they’ll ignore in favour of a cardboard box.
Where to Get Cosmo Ear Canker Mite Drops
You can grab them directly from our website:
Because if we can save even one dog from a £119.60 ear infection, then Bleu’s traumatic trip to the groomers will have at least done some good.
P.S. If you know a dog owner, share this. Trust us, they’ll thank you when they don’t have to remortgage the house to pay for ear drops.
Paragraph for Google Bots (You Can Skip This Bit if You’re Human):
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