What are common symptoms of ear infections in dogs?
The most common symptoms that we see with ear infections in dogs are shaking their head, flapping their ears all the time, scratching their ears or their face, and sometimes you can even smell a bad odor from their ears. If you look in their ear canal, you'll sometimes see that they're really red or maybe there's a lot of discharge coming from their canal. Dogs get ear infections for many reasons. The most common thing that we see is ear infections secondary to inflammation. Anything that causes inflammation would be like allergies, infectious things like ear mites. Sometimes dogs have abnormal anatomy, so their ears are very floppy and sometimes moisture or water can get caught in their ear canals, predisposing them to ear infections. Occasionally, different endocrine diseases like thyroid disease can cause ear infections. Some dogs have predisposing factors, such as really narrow ear canals, a lot of hair inside their ear canals, or really floppy ears, which allows moisture to get trapped and creates a favorable environment for bacteria. During an ear infection, inflammation in the canal causes the normal bacteria and yeast to overgrow, making them itch more, creating a vicious cycle of inflammation and itching that worsens until treated.
How do you diagnose an ear infection?
Usually, we conduct a thorough exam of the ear using an otoscope to look into the ear canal. Often, dogs are really painful when they come in for an ear infection, so we may not get a good view as we won't force our way into the dog's ear canal. We also take samples from their ear canal for cytology, allowing us to look under the microscope and see what is causing the ear infection—whether it's yeast, bacteria, or the type of bacteria—so we can target our treatment effectively. An otoscope helps us lift the ear pin up and take a good look. Since dogs' ears are shaped like an L, we often have to pull the ear out to see the tympanic membrane or the inner eardrum. We get samples using Q-tips to take a sample from the canal, place it on a glass slide, stain it, and then examine it under a microscope.
How do you treat an ear infection?
Treatment is targeted at whatever organism we see on the cytology, such as yeast or bacteria, and a huge part of treatment involves addressing the inflammation. We clean the ears thoroughly, removing all debris from the canal to ensure the medication can be absorbed and work effectively. There are different types of ear cleaners and medications targeting specific issues, and the choice depends on the type of ear infection. Sometimes dogs need oral medications, such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, or a short course of steroids. We may also use Apoquil to help with itching and inflammation. Some dogs may have one ear infection and never have another, but many allergy-prone dogs, especially in Florida, experience chronic repeat ear infections. It is crucial to get good diagnostics and treat them appropriately each time to prevent bacteria from developing resistance to medications. Side effects from ear infections can include ear hematoma, where the dog's ear pinna fills with blood due to aggressive head shaking, causing discomfort. Hearing loss can also occur, which may be permanent or temporary. Some medications used to treat ear infections can cause temporary hearing loss that usually resolves.
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