Dog Ear Infections

Symptoms :

Ear infections are painful. If your best friend has an ear infection, you might see (or in some cases smell) some of the following symptoms with regard to the affected ear:

• Head shaking

• Scratching at the affected ear

• Dark discharge

• Odor

• Redness and swelling of the ear canal

• Pain

• Itchiness

• Crusting or scabs in the ears

Causes :

Dog ear canals are more vertical than human ear canals, forming an L shape that tends to remain in the liquid. Factors that may make your dog vulnerable to ear infections include:

• Moisture, which can create a prime growing environment for bacteria and yeast

• Allergies, which lead to ear disease in about 50 percent of dogs with allergic skin disease and 80 percent of dogs with food sensitivities

• Endocrine disorders, such as thyroid disease

• Autoimmune disorders

• Wax buildup

• Foreign bodies

• Injury to the ear canal

• Excessive cleaning

Treatment and Prevention :

Prevention depends on determining the root cause of an ear infection. In some cases, bathing, grooming or swimming can make the ear canal moist. This moisture promotes the growth of microorganisms in the ear canal. In this case, prevention can clean the ears as described previously to remove moisture and prevent infection. However, in many cases, the root cause may not be easy to identify. Dogs suffering from environmental allergies, such as pollen (grass, trees, and weeds), dust mites, mold or food (beef, chicken, fish, soybeans, etc.) are all susceptible to ear infections. This is due to the microscopic inflammation caused by allergies in the skin, causing the bacteria and yeast organisms normally inhabiting the skin to overgrow.

Prevention is always the best way to keep diseases away. Excessive water is a common cause of ear infections, after swimming and bathing, make sure to dry your dog's ears thoroughly. Do not use paper towels or cotton cloths as this may inadvertently push debris into the ear canal and cause irritation. Ear infections are a common and often recurring problem, but with the help of a veterinarian, you can keep your dog's ears clean and comfortable.