Dog Ear Infections Diagnosed

Dog ear infections are also commonly called OtitisTo clean your dog's ears, start by placing a few
Externa. It is an infection of the outer ear canal.drops of an ear cleanser into the ear and massage
There are three parts to the ear; the outer, thethe ear to help loosen any debris that is in there.
middle, and the inner ear. Ninety percent of infectionsThen use a cloth or cotton gauze to wipe the dirt
occur in the outer ear, the part of the ear that youout.
can see.After your dog's ears are thoroughly clean, you can
Dogs are prone to ear infections because of thethen apply your medication. Follow your veterinarian's
anatomy of their ears. They have a horizontal and aadvice about how much medication to apply to the
vertical component to them, so it is hard for anythingear, usually a few drops.
in there to drain out, like water or debris.The treatment your veterinarian will prescribe will
Signs of an ear infection include excessive headvary depending on the cause of the ear infection. For
shaking, yellow to brown oozing in the ears, or ayeast infections, they might prescribe anti-fungal
yeast-like smell. Additional signs of ear infectionsmedication. For bacterial infections they will probably
include redness and swelling.prescribe antibiotics. Normally, treatment is applied
There are several causes of ear infections. The mostdirectly into the ears, but in severe cases systemic
common cause of ear infections are due to allergies.treatment may be needed. This usually means having
Some dogs are more prone to allergies than others;to give your dog pills orally.
therefore they get more ear infections.In some dogs with severe ear problems, the
Another common cause is swimming. They get waterveterinarian will usually clip the hair around the ear to
inside their ears, and because of their difficulthelp let more air into the ear. In extreme cases your
anatomy, the water in the ears cannot drain out.veterinarian may recommend surgery to reconstruct
Therefore, this provides the perfect environment forthe ear canal to let it drain easier.
bacteria and yeast to grow. It is recommended thatSome breeds of dogs that are prone to ear
if you let your dog play in the water, you dry yourinfections include breeds with large ears that flap
dog's ears thoroughly afterwards.over the ear canal, and breeds of dogs that have a
If your dog does have an ear infection it is importantvery small canal.
to properly clean your dog's ears before applying anyBy knowing what to look for, you can detect ear
medication.infections early.