Dog Ear Infections | Cause, Treatment & More
March 26, 2015
Dog Ear Infections | Cause, Treatment & More
It’s that time of year again, where the seasons are changing, dogs are having fun rolling around in the defrosted mud and oh yeah… our canine buddies are extra susceptible to ear conditions! Yes it’s true, the changing seasons can exacerbate many conditions that can lead to ear problems; such as allergens, loose debris getting in the ears and an increase in humidity causing an increase of moisture in the ears.
But, it isn’t just the changing seasons that can cause an increase in ear aches, infections and agitations, ear mites, excessive hair, hypothyroidism and other health issues can cause ear problems in our pooch friends as well.
Ear Infection Symptoms:
According to Pets WebMD, the following things can be symptoms of ear infection or general ear agitation:
• Scratching of the ear or area around the ear
• Brown, yellow, or bloody discharge
• Odor in the ear
• Redness
• Swelling
• Crusts or scabs on inside of the outer ear
• Hair loss around the ear
• Rubbing of the ear and surrounding area on the floor or furniture
• Head shaking or head tilt
• Loss of balance
• Unusual eye movements
• Walking in circles
• Hearing loss
If untreated some of these more minor symptoms can turn in to full-blown infections and bigger issues. So, you’ll definitely want to pay attention to your dogs’ behaviors to determine whether or not they need some help with their ears. In general, dogs are just more susceptible to ear conditions because of the vertical positioning of the ear canal that makes it easy for bacteria to hide out and proliferate.
Treatment of Dog Ear Infections:
There are several approaches to curing a doggy ear infection, including home remedies, natural methods and of course medically prescribed treatments. Of course, taking preventative measures such as removing hair from the ear canal, routinely cleaning away residues using a pet ear cleaning solution, and drying the ears when wet are a good approach to ensuring proper doggy ear health too.
Home Remedies:
The following essential oils can be used to combat ear mites and aid in the disinfection of ears, due to their antifungal, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties: lavender, melrose, tea tree, oregano, rosemary, and clove. But, be CAREFUL – some of these essential oils are incredibly strong in their purest form and should be used with caution and carrier oils.
Store Bought / Medicinal Remedies:
You can also get prescribed eardrops from your veterinarian that will help with bacterial infections. Additionally, every pet store sells dog ear cleaning solutions to use in preventative care as well as balanced essential oil based solutions that can be used to help treat infections, reduce inflammation and loosen residues.
When using these oils and other ear aid solutions, you can drip a few drops into the canal of your dogs’ ear and massage the ear strongly to help the substances set in – plus your pooch will love the ear rub!
Sources:
Author: Aileen Schultz