Ear Infections in Dogs

Yes it's a picture of me, and yes, it's bigger than all the other blog pictures. But hey, what's the point of having your own blog if you can't use it to show how pretty you are?

Ear infections are something that I am familiar with as I have a lot of problems with my ears. Because mom and dad check them regularly, I don't have near as many infections as I used to have, thank goodness. They're pretty painful and they make you feel yucky.

Dog ear infections are also commonly called Otitis Externa. It is an infection of the outer ear canal. There are three parts to the ear, the outer, the middle, and the inner ear. Ninety percent of infections occur in the outer ear, the part of the ear that you can see.

Dogs are prone to ear infections because of the anatomy of their ears. They have a horizontal and a vertical component to them, so it is hard for anything in there to drain out, like water, ear wax or bits of debris.

Signs of an ear infection include excessive head shaking, whining and scratching at the ear(s), yellow to dark brown exudate in the ears, or a yeast like smell. Additional signs of ear infections include redness and swelling.

There are several causes of ear infections. The most common causes of ear infections are allergies. Some dogs are more prone to allergies than others. Therefore, they get more ear infections.

Another common cause is sporting dogs that swim. Also included here is over enthusiastic baths. In each of these cases, the dogs get water inside their ears and because of their anatomy, the water in the ears cannot drain out. This provides the perfect environment for bacteria and yeast to grow. It is recommenced that if you let your dog play in the water, you dry your dog's ears thoroughly afterward. Similarly, after a bath, you should check the inside of your dog's ears for moisture. If you detect any, thoroughly dry the inside of the ear.

If your dog does have an ear infection, it is important to properly clean your dog's ears before applying any medication.

To clean your dog's ears, start by placing a few drops of an ear cleanser, available at veterinarian's offices and most pet stores, into the ear and massage the ear to help loosen any debris that is in there. Then use a cloth, cotton swab, or cotton gauze to wipe the dirt out. (Use of Q-tips is not recommended as you could pack the wax or debris more tightly into the ear with them)

After your dog's ears are thoroughly clean, then you can apply your medication. Follow your veterinarian's advice about how much medication to apply to the ear, usually one or more drops.

The treatment your veterinarian will prescribe will vary depending on the cause of the ear infection. For yeast infections they prescribe an antifungal medication and for bacterial infections they will prescribe an antibiotic. Normally treatment is applied directly into the ears, but in severe cases systemic treatment may be needed. This usually means you have to give your dog pills orally.

In some dogs with severe ear problems, the veterinarian will usually clip the hair around the ear to help let more air into the ear. In extreme cases your veterinarian may recommend surgery to reconstruct the ear canal to let it drain more easily.

Dogs that are prone to ear infections include all breeds with large ears that flop over the ear canal and breeds of dogs that have a very small ear canal. By knowing what to look for, you can detect ear infections early when treatment is easier, less painful for your dog and less expensive for you.

Until next time,

Teia