A dog ear infection is not only the most common of all dog
ear problems, but it is one of the most common overall problems reported by
veterinarians. It is estimated that approximately 20% of our dogs are affected
by mild to severe ear infections.
What does that mean to you?
It means that your dog has a fairly good chance of
developing a dog ear infection at some point.
The severity, diagnosis and treatment can vary quite a bit
from dog to dog, so you must learn to recognize the symptoms, have them
assessed by a veterinarian and move forward with the correct treatment in order
to relieve your dog’s suffering as quickly as possible....
Signs that your
dog is suffering from an ear infection
Causes of ear
infections
How to diagnose a
specific ear problems in your dog
Natural vs.
conventional treatment options
Prevention
Signs of a Dog Ear Infection
You are on this site, so you are likely to have a great
relationship with your dog. This is the first step towards diagnosis!
Knowing your dog well enough to recognize strange behavior
is key.
There are a several signs of a dog ear infection:
A strange, often
foul odor coming from the inner ear
Consistent
scratching and rubbing of the ear and/or head
Discharge in the
ear
Overall changes
in behavior including depression, tiredness and irritability
Pain or
tenderness of the entire ear area
Redness or
swelling of the inner ear
Vigorous shaking
of the head and tilting to a favored side
Since dog ear infection problems are widely varied and
occasionally difficult to diagnose, it is helpful for you to do some research
about all of the possible causes before you make an appointment with the vet.
Causes include...
Allergies: Often
dogs with allergies will suffer from ear infections. The ear infection could be
the result of an inhaled particle or a food substance which can be the initial
sign of a dog with a dog food allergy. In these cases, it is important to
remember that you must treat the cause of the symptom along with the actual
symptom. This means diagnosing your dog’s allergy along with treating and
preventing future ear infections (more on this further down the page).
Foreign
Particles: After a nice walk, your dog often arrives home with a numerous
particles from the trail on his fur coat! Occasionally one of those particles
enters the ear canal and can cause a big problem. Foreign particles in the ear
can cause an infection and, if untreated, a serious trauma to the ear canal.
Heredity: Certain dog breeds are recognized for having
more ear problems than others, such as dogs with "floppy" ears (i.e.
cocker spaniels, basset hounds, etc.) or dogs with hairy inner ear flaps (i.e.
schnauzers, miniature poodles, etc.).
If you have researched your particular breed and found this to be the
case, it is best to discuss a plan of prevention with your veterinarian.
Hormonal
Imbalances: Certain deficiencies or
imbalances of various hormones in a dog’s body can cause dog ear problems. Irregularities in the glands, like the
adrenal gland, can affect the health your dog’s skin and ears.
Microorganisms:
One of the most common of these types of ear infections is the dog yeast
infection, but there are numerous types of bacteria that can cause dog ear
problems. These bacteria and yeast have
a better chance of forming in the ear of an unhealthy dog or a dog whose ear
environment has changed. The normal,
healthy ear has a good defense against these organisms.
Parasites: The most common parasite that makes the
lives of our pets more difficult is the ear mite, Otodectescynotis. These pesky little mites tend to favor cats,
but certain dogs are hypersensitive to them.
Dogs with ear mites will often display excessive scratching of the ear
and head, and can cause themselves serious ear trauma.
Trauma: Certain
accidents can cause trauma to a dog’s sensitive ears. Wounds, if left untreated, can lead to serious infection and even
deafness. If your dog has suffered any
type of physical trauma, make sure to check all areas of the body, including
the ears, to make sure nothing has happened to them.
Canine
Tumors: Tumors have been found in the
ears of dogs. This is a rare occurrence
and can only be diagnosed by your veterinarian.
Dog Ear Infection : Diagnosis & Natural Cures
How to Diagnose Dog Ear Problems
As we discussed above, there are many causes of dog ear
problems which can make it difficult to diagnose your dog accurately at home.
We recommend that you see your holistic veterinarian first
to eliminate the possibility of a serious issue. Your vet has a variety of
techniques to diagnose your dog’s ear problem. For example, they can...
Look down the
ear canal with an otoscope to observe the amount of inflammation present. They will also be able to determine if the
ear-drum has been affected or if there are any foreign particles or tumors
visible.
Use a cotton swab
to remove a sample of the ear wax which can be viewed under a microscope and
examined for yeast, bacteria or mites.
Conduct a
physical exam to get a better idea of the dog’s overall health. Questions about the dog’s heredity and
possible allergies may be asked.
Treatment of a dog ear infection will depend on what the
initial cause of the infection was:
Dog allergies
Bacterial
infection
Dog ear mites
Dog Ear Infection
Note: If you're still having problems and would like
specific advice from our holistic veterinarians, you can click here to ask them
directly via My Online Vet.
You can also review pictures and questions submitted by
other visitors in our My Online Vet Ask-A-Vet Library section on Dog Ear
Problems.
Dog Allergies
Ear infections caused by dog food allergies or dog skin
allergies are often treated by regular cleaning of the ear with an appropriate
ear cleaner and removing the allergen from the dog’s diet/atmosphere.
Bacterial Infection Treatment
Antibiotics are often prescribed by conventional
veterinarians for any type of a bacterial infection, but it is much safer over
the long term to use holistic treatments.
Cleaning the ear regularly with diluted white vinegar or
apple cider vinegar is an option. Another effective product to consider is Dr.
Rose's Remedies Natural Salve/Spray.
Consult with your local holistic vet for other appropriate
substitutes.
Dog Ear Mites
Ear Mites can cause a crumbly, dark brown substance to form
in the ear. You may be able to diagnose
this on your own. Place ear wax from
your dog's ear under a bright light and look for small white specks. The ears need to be cleaned daily during
treatment along with a prescribed treatment from your holistic vet to kill the
existing ear mites. This can take a few
weeks to cure completely so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t work right away.
Ways to Prevent a Dog Ear Infection from Recurring
The key to floppy, happy and healthy dog ears is CLEAN,
CLEAN, CLEAN!
Look in your dog’s ears on a weekly basis to check for wax
build up, foul smells or other common symptoms of a dog ear infection listed
above. And no matter what you find,
clean the ear often using your vet-approved method and a good natural ear
cleaner.
Consistent and proper dog grooming will also help to keep
your dog’s ears healthy. Any excess
hair growing around the inner ear can be cut to provide additional air flow to
the ear to prevent the lodging of debris.
