When detected early, dog ear infections are easy to treat. That's why it's important to know the signs and symptoms of this common health condition. Here, our Los Angeles vets explain how you can tell if your dog has an ear infection and which actions to take.
Your Dog's Ears
The shape of your dog's ear canals can make them more vulnerable to ear infections than a human's. If your four-legged friend has long, floppy ears or spends a lot of time in the water, ear infections may become common and recurring. Moisture can become trapped in their ears. This fosters an ideal environment for bacterial ear infections to develop.
By spending a bit of extra time and taking some extra care with your dog's ears, you can help prevent your pup from developing an ear infection. Seeing a veterinarian regularly will increase the chances of it being detected early, and cleared up quickly and easily. Untreated ear infections in dogs can lead to symptoms such as balance and coordination issues, pain and even facial paralysis.
How Canine Ear Infections Happen
Bacteria is the most common cause of ear infections in dogs. However, ear mites, fungus, and yeast can all cause painful infections in a dog's ears. Other causes of ear infections for your pooch may range from foreign objects becoming lodged in their ear, polyps, and physical trauma.
The types of ear infections that can occur in dogs are defined by where they occur within the ear:
- Otitis internal is an infection of your dog's inner ear.
- Otitis media affects your pet's middle ear.
- Otitis externa indicates an infection on the outside of the ear.
Signs & Symptoms of Ear Infections in Dogs
Ear infections can become very painful for your canine friend. If your dog is displaying signs of an ear infection such as the ones listed below, contact your veterinarian right away to book an exam for your pet. Early treatment of ear infections can help to prevent more serious symptoms from developing. It also reduces the risk of further complications.
If your pup is suffering from an ear infection, you may notice one or more of these symptoms:
- Head shaking
- Tilting head
- Swelling of the ear
- Redness inside the ear
- Pawing or rubbing at the ear
- Crusts or scabs inside the ear
- Brown, yellow, or bloody discharge
If your dog has a severe ear infection you may notice other symptoms such as:
- Walking in circles
- Indications of hearing loss
- Unusual eye movements
- Loss of coordination or balance
Diagnosing Ear Conditions in Dogs
Your veterinarian will begin by examining your dog's ear canal, then take a sample of debris from the ear to examine under a microscope. From there, they can determine whether yeast, bacteria, ear mites, foreign body, or another contaminant is causing the issue.
Treating Your Dog's Ear Infection
Treatment of ear infections will depend on the cause. For example, a yeast infection would be treated differently than a bacterial infection. While ear mites need to be treated with parasite treatment, your vet will need to remove any debris or foreign bodies.
Cleaning the ear canal is one of the most important steps in treating an ear infection. If your dog is diagnosed with an ear infection, our vets will take time to clean out your dog's ears with a medical cleanser.
A vet may also prescribe antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medications to treat your dog's ear infection. Your pet may also be prescribed a topical medication and given instructions on how to apply it to your pup's ears at home.
With treatment in the early stages, an uncomplicated ear infection will typically clear up within just a week or two. If your dog's ear infection is more severe or is caused by an underlying health condition, treatment may take months.
If the infection has advanced or is caused by a tumor, surgery may be needed to remove the mass. Pathology should be performed to determine whether a tumor is benign or malignant.
More severe cases often result in chronic ear infections in dogs or repeated ear infections throughout the pet's lifetime. In circumstances where chronic ear infections have become a problem or the infection is causing significant pain, your vet will often need to use a handheld video otoscope on your dog to clean the deeper areas of the ear canal and middle ear cavity (bulla). These cannot be reached with a traditional at-home cleaning.
Make sure you're careful in following your vet's instructions to clear up your dog's ear infection as quickly as possible. Not finishing your dog's prescription or stopping treatment before the infection clears can cause them to recur. And each one will be more difficult to treat than the last.
Follow-up appointments with your vet are highly recommended for dog ear infections. While it may look as if the infection has cleared there may still be traces of infection that are difficult for owners to spot. Finishing treatment before the infection has fully healed can lead to recurring symptoms that are difficult to treat.
How to Prevent the Spread of an Ear Infection
To prevent the spread of an ear infection, it is important to regularly clean your dog's ears with a veterinarian-approved solution and avoid exposing them to dirty or contaminated environments.
Additionally, make sure to dry your dog's ears thoroughly after swimming or bathing to prevent moisture buildup, which can lead to infections.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.