So, how common are ear infections in our furry friends?
In dogs, the infections of the outer ear, Otitis Externa is one of the prevalent types of infection. Some breeds like the ones with large floppy or hairy ears are more prone to this kind of conditions. Races like the Miniature Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, and Old English Sheepdogs, are more common victims than the rest.
Signs and Symptoms
1.Most of the ear infections are painful, and the dog will shake its head.
2.Frequently scratch its ears to get relief from the pain.
3.The ear will become red.
4.Infections and inflammation will happen.
5.The pet will develop an offensive smell.
6.A yellowish or a blackish liquid will discharge from the ear.
In severe cases:
1.The ear may seem thickened and crusty.
2.The ear canal will become stenotic.
Some say these symptoms indicate ear mites infections?
Ear mites infections do have similar symptoms. One should note that ear mites infections or EMI mostly occurs in young pups and cats. Older dogs may get the condition as a result of contacting with the infected animal. EMI will create a suitable environment for the bacteria and the yeast.
Can I simply get some canine ear medication on my own to deal with the issue?
Experts say that there is various form of bacterias and precisely one sort of fungus that generally cause ear infections. Without zeroing on the specific type of infection in the dog’s ear, experts prohibits to give medications. In many dogs, the issue can be an unwanted growth, a tumor or a polyp. Then, alone pills will not help with the problem. The eardrum should stay intact, for that further investigation is very important. Giving few medications can result in loss of hearing if rupture already happened in the eardrum. A thorough ear examination can only detect these things.
There are some readily available options when it comes to choosing the right medication for such issue. So which medicines will be best for my pet?
The vet will first examine the ear canal with an Otoscope. It is an instrument that provides light and magnification. This examination will help the vet to see and confirm if the ear canal is intact or not. The otoscope test will further shed light on the presence of any foreign material in the ear canal. If the pet seems in extreme pain and refuses to allow the vet to do a checkup, the dog needs to be anaesthetized, before conducting an examination.
The next step will be to collect the swab from the ear canal, to place the particle under the microscope to determine the presence of any foreign body. This beforementioned test is critical to zero on medication for the patient. Culture and sensitivity exams are very imperative in cases of severe infections.
Treatment
The results of microscopic tests and otoscopic examination will help the vet to decide on the kind of treatment for the pet. If there is a wax plug or a foreign organism in the form of a parasite, the vet will remove these by using some contemporary techniques. For this, some dogs may need sedation.
A thorough ear flushing and cleaning is also an option. The microscopic study of the swab will determine the type of drug to use. It is occasionally seen, the presence of more than one kind of infection in the ear canal. Thus will need a broad spectrum of medication with multiple amounts of pills.
.png)
