How Can I Tell When My Dog Has an Ear Problem?
When your dog doesn’t feel well, he needs you to figure it out and make everything better. That’s especially important when your dog has an ear infection. Ear problems cause pain, itching, and irritation. If your dog misses out on getting the timely medical attention he needs, the condition can worsen.
Detecting a Dog Ear Problem
The symptoms of a dog ear problem can be extremely irritating and annoying for your dog. Their reaction to the symptoms is one of the things that makes an ear problem easy to detect. Pay close attention to your dog if he begins scratching, pawing at his ears, and whining. These and other symptoms should alert you that there’s something wrong with your best friend.
- Scaly skin
- Pawing at their ear
- Shaking their head
- Balance problems
- Ear discharge
- Odor in an ear
- Excessive scratching
What Causes a Dog ear problem?
Your dog’s ears are formed in a way that makes it easy for a problem to occur. As the canal holds excessive fluid, it creates a moist environment where bacteria, fungus, mites, and viruses thrive and spread. Other conditions can cause dog ear problems as well.
- Thyroid conditions
- Wax buildup
- Autoimmune disorders
- Reaction to medication
- Foreign objects
- Growths
See Your Vet
Call your vet as soon as you suspect a dog ear problem. If you delay treatment, it could get worse. What begins as outer ear inflammation or infection–otitis–can spread to the middle ear–otitis media–or internal ear–otitis internal. If a dog ear problem remains untreated, it can cause deafness, eardrum ruptures, and other serious conditions.
Treating a Dog Ear Problem
Your vet will treat your dog the way you’d want to be treated if you were in pain. He or she will ask questions about your dog’s recent history and symptoms and conduct a thorough examination. Your vet may look inside your dog’s ears with an otoscope and may also take tissue samples for further diagnostic testing and analysis. The process may also include x-rays and other tests.
As long as your dog’s prognosis looks uncomplicated, your vet will begin treatment immediately.
- Ear Cleaning
- Topical medication
- Antibiotics
- Antimicrobials
You will be a big part of your dog’s recovery plan. It will be your job to continue care at home: cleaning his ears, applying the topical treatment, and administering any medications as directed. To make sure your best friend gets the treatment he needs, it’s important to follow your vet’s orders and bring him back for follow-up visits as directed.
Contact Hebron Veterinary Hospital
If you have any questions about dog ear problems or any other pet illnesses or conditions, please call us at 860-228-4324. We’re here to provide the family-centered attention your pets deserve.