How To Know Your Pet Has an Ear Infection!
Learn how to recognize an ear infection in your pet before it's too late!
Ear infections in our pets are all too common. The medical term for an ear infection is otitis externa. Infections in pets ears are caused by an overgrowth of bacteria, yeast or combination of both. Before we get into identifying signs of infection let's briefly discuss why they happen in the first place.
Bacteria and yeast most often are a normal commensal in our pets ears. Commensalism is defined as an association between two organisms where one benefits and the other derives no benefit or harm. In the context of our pets ears, bacteria and yeast live there normally without consequence and are kept in check. It is not until certain changes create a favorable environment for these microorganisms to overgrow that we end up with an issue. Some of the causes include a genetic predisposition, moisture build up as well as underlying allergies.
Certain breeds are more prone to ear infections. This often comes down to conformation, or shape and body structure. In order to create breed standards many of our pets have developed exaggerated features which look great but unfortunately have created medical consequences. There are a variety of concerns when it comes to ear appearance that decrease our pets ability to keep their ears dry and open. For example a dog with large floppy ears cannot naturally drain their ears very well if they get wet. Another dog with small ears has narrow canals which create crevices that trap wax and debris. These genetic hindrances create a perfect environment in our pets ears for bacteria and/or yeast to overgrow thus leading to infection.
Moisture build up is also a factor that predisposes our pets to infection. Bacteria and yeast need a dark moist environment to overgrow. If water gets into your pets ears this can give the microorganism what they need to grow unchecked. Common scenarios are after bathing or swimming. Many pet owners and dogs alike love to head to the lake or beach when the warmer weather comes around. This should be taken into consideration when planning a trip with our pets
The final, and often most frustrating cause, is allergies. It seems our pets are becoming more and more afflicted with allergies. There are a number of theories to the underlying cause but not one specific reason to this point has been implicated. It is a fact that some include genetic predisposition, certain breeds are more likely to be affected by allergies than others. Another theory is certain environmental components, diet, gastrointestinal probiotics etc. When it comes to allergies, inflammation is the problem. An allergen causes the body to over react and inflammation occurs. This inflammation creates wax build up and secondary moisture is produced. Once inflammation establishes itself bacteria and yeast have what they need to grow unchecked and an infection occurs.
The most common signs of infection include shaking head, scratching ears and unpleasant odors. Unfortunately when your pet is showing these signs it is too late and an infection has already established itself. When this occurs the only definitive treatment would be to bring your pet into a veterinarian to have a cytology performed to identify the root cause of the infection so a treatment plan can be created to clear the infection. This often includes an ear flush and medication formulated to treat the underlying cause identified on cytology.
Some less common signs include mild redness, odor or wax build up. The first signs of an issue are more important to pick up on because they are often more subtle. These signs can be important to help mitigate more significant issues. So how do you pick up on these signs? Step one is periodic checks of your pets ears. Looking out for the mentioned signs above. If your pet is a new addition it might be worth it to check once every week for changes. During these checks if there are not changes that it is ok to spread the checks out further like every 2-3 weeks. It is recommended to continue these checks at this interval going forward. You may ask why would I keep checking if my dog has never had an ear infection or if I never see any of these signs? The answer to this question is twofold. Number once comes down to making your pet comfortable with you handling their ears. Nothing is harder than a pet who hates having their ears touched when you have to apply treatments. Having them acclimated to this can make treatment, when the time comes, much less stressful for you and your pet. The other reason is getting caught off guard. Some infections seemingly happen out of nowhere and by the time the signs are picked up on treatment becomes much more difficult and requires long therapies. Also chronic(long term) ear infections can lead to scarring and thus narrowing of the canals, which is one of the predisposing factors to make infections more common in the future.
So what do you do if you notice mild redness, odor or wax build up? The next step would be to have a non medicated ear flush on hand. I would recommend an ear flush that is specifically formulated for pets. Ideally these products are picked up from your veterinarian or approved by your veterinarian. Many over the counter products may have medication in them that have a potential to be toxic if used incorrectly. NEVER USE tap water or any human products to clean ears! Do not use vinegar or peroxide to clean ears either. All of these can lead to damage in the ear canal that prevent the body's normal defenses from reestablishing, thus making it more likely for infection in the future. When you notice a problem cleaning of your pets ears are recommended. You can ask our staff at Greenway Animal Hospital to show you the proper cleaning techniques that will help better your chances of being successful. The cleaning should be performed 1-2 times per week as directed. If every time you go to clean there is wax that has returned or the redness is not improving or it appears to get worse than It would be advised to call your veterinarian and likely schedule an appointment to have their ears further evaluated as medications may be needed.
For the dogs that love to swim, make sure you have a dog specific ear cleanser on hand to use after they get out of the water. Most ear cleansers have an astringent effect that can help dry them out before it leads to problems down the line.
For dogs with chronic allergies it may be necessary to use an ear flush periodically regardless. The schedule is based on how your pet is doing and whether or not there are any indicators of infection. This can be as frequent as 1-2 times weekly long term. Also many of these dogs can benefit from allergy medications/supplements, please contact Your Veterinarian for advice and treatment recommendations.
Greenway Animal Hospital is here to help with any of your dog's ear infection needs. Please contact us today if you have any further questions or would like to schedule an appointment with our knowledgeable staff today!
Concerns About Your Pets' Ears? Greenway Animal Hospital Has You Covered. Schedule appointment Today!
