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 and infections. Allergies, ear mites, excessive hair, hypothyroidism and other health issues can cause ear problems in our pooch friends as well.
Ear Infection Symptoms:
The following are commonly recognized symptoms of an ear infection or general ear irritation:
• 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 into full-blown infections and bigger issues, so you’ll definitely want to pay attention to your dog’s behavior 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, which makes it easy for moisture and debris to get trapped and for bacteria and yeast to proliferate.
Treatment of Dog Ear Infections:
Here’s the most important thing to know: an ear infection is a condition that needs a proper diagnosis, not a home remedy. Ear trouble can be caused by bacteria, yeast, ear mites, allergies, or something lodged in the canal — and each of those is treated differently. Only your veterinarian can look deep into the canal, check whether the eardrum is intact, and identify what’s actually going on. That eardrum check matters more than most owners realize: if the eardrum is ruptured (which you cannot see or feel from the outside), putting any liquid into the ear — even a gentle cleaner — can cause serious harm, including damage to the middle ear and hearing.
So if your dog is showing the symptoms above, the right move is a vet visit. Prescribed treatment is typically fast, affordable, and a huge relief for your dog — ear infections are genuinely painful, and dogs are famously stoic about hiding it.
A Word on Home Remedies:
You’ll find plenty of advice online suggesting essential oils — tea tree, oregano, clove and others — as a natural fix for ear infections and mites. Please don’t go this route. It is general veterinary consensus that essential oils should never be put into a dog’s ear canal. Tea tree oil in particular is toxic to dogs and can cause serious harm even in small amounts, and other “strong” oils can burn the delicate skin of an inflamed ear canal or injure the middle ear if the eardrum isn’t intact. “Natural” doesn’t mean safe here — skip the oils and ask your veterinarian instead.
Vet-Prescribed & Store-Bought Products:
Your veterinarian can prescribe ear drops matched to the actual cause of the infection — and will show you how to apply them properly. Never use leftover drops from a previous infection or another pet, since the wrong medication can make things worse.
Pet stores also sell dog ear cleaning solutions, and these have a legitimate role — but for routine maintenance of healthy ears, not for treating an infection. If the ear is red, smelly, painful or discharging, cleaning products are no substitute for a vet exam, and cleaning a possibly-ruptured ear can do real damage.
Prevention:
Prevention is where home care genuinely shines. Drying your dog’s ears after swimming or baths, and routinely cleaning healthy ears with a vet-recommended ear cleaning solution (used exactly as directed, with a gentle massage at the base of the ear — your pooch will love the ear rub!), goes a long way toward keeping infections from starting. If your dog grows a lot of hair in the ear canal, ask your veterinarian or groomer whether removing it makes sense for your dog — it helps some breeds and irritates others. And ask your vet to check the ears at every regular visit; catching irritation early is the best remedy of all.
Author: Aileen Schultz