Ear Issues vets don't know the problem

Hi! I have a lhasa apso and her ears have been having issues for a few weeks now. We have been the vets and it isn't an ear infection, yeast or any of the normal things you get with a swab test (she's had almost 5 of the ear swabs now). She's on antihistamines so it also can't be allergies. Every morning white liquid is in her ears, we flush them out every day but they're still irritating her. She's shaking her head a lot and it always sound like liquid is in there. The vets don't know what it is even after the ear swab tests and looking inside and just wondering if anyone else has had this problem and knows what to do??

Hello - first things first, ear problems are one of the most common reasons for clients to fall out with their vets, so let's check a few issues.   Have the vets actually said that they don't know whats going on with these ears?  If so they should be referring you or seeking advice from a specialist (often a skin specialist - don't be surprised) who can suggest a direction as to where to go next.   However, it surprises me because its quite well known nowadays that most ear diseases are not caused by infection.  Foreign bodies, lumps down there etc are possible, but all take a far second place to allergies.  Giving antihistamines does not rule out allergy, any more than taking antihistamines solves all human allergies.  Swab tests are good for telling vets what bacteria are living in an ear and sometimes leads them to suggest an antibiotic.  However, this is one peice of a jigsaw; many struggling ears have no infection at all and infections get hold when something isn't right (eg allergy); infection is almost never the underlying cause.  There we recommend going back to your vet, asking about possible underlying causes and coming up with a sensibility treatment strategy together.  Ear diseases are chronic - ie long term issues that need to be managed, rather than a one off problem that needs to be solves.  Good questions include, what could be causing all this?  These problems seem to recurr a lot - is there any more we should be doing?  Might help to initiate a conversation.  Wishing you both all the best.