Ear Infection In Dogs - Causes and symptoms

Ear Infection In Dogs - Causes, and symptoms

Some dogs are also allergic to some ear medications. A common one is an antibiotic called neomycin, but can be any ear treatment products including cortisone, nystatin, chloramphenicol, thiabendazole, gentamicin, clotrimazole, and miconazole.

One day the little girl grabbed the dog's ear. The parents had the dog euthanized without bothering to find out what had caused this sudden change in their dog's behavior. The vet, however, did an autopsy and found our that this dog was suffering not one but two severe ear infections that were incredibly painful.

Ear infections usually start out mild, and in the outer ear. Wet ears not dried after swimming or bathing, a build up of ear wax, grass seeds and fox tails, untreated ear mites, using cotton tips to clean ears (which pushes things further into the ear), and growths in the ear canal, can all lead to ear infections. And if he cries when his ears are touched, this is another sign of a potential ear infection.

Unlike these owners, show your dog the same level of care and love you 'd show your children. Become aware of the signs of ear infections, what causes them, and how to avoid them, taking dogs to get treatment when it seems like they have one.

When untreated ear infections progress deeper into the ear, the pain the dog is in increases sharply. The dog's ears become very itchy, which creates an 'itch-scratch-itch' cycle that in turn creates scabs around the ear, hair loss, crustiness, and raw skin.

If the mats of hair are in the ear canal, they should be removed by a vet only. You may be able to untangle the rest of the mat with a comb, but more likely you'll need scissors or a mat splitter. Using a comb, position it under the mat to protect the skin.

Wet ears not dried after swimming or bathing, a build up of ear wax, grass seeds and fox tails, untreated ear mites, using cotton tips to clean ears (which pushes things further into the ear), and growths in the ear canal, can all lead to ear infections. And if he cries when his ears are touched, this is another sign of a potential ear infection.

Ear infections usually start out mild, and in the outer ear. And when their toddler grabbed the infected ear, the dog, already in constant pain anyway, reacted out of instinct. And the tragedy that happened to their dog when they chose to kill it instead of investigating further, as well as their child, was totally avoidable.

One thing of concern in dogs that are professionally groomed is the practice of plucking the hairs out of the dog's ear. Vets generally don't recommend you allow your dog's ears to be plucked unless there is a good medical reason to do so.

When untreated ear infections progress deeper into the ear, the pain the dog is in increases sharply. Dogs can also become dizzy, with poor balance and coordination, when the infection progresses to the inner ear.

Dogs with these conditions often develop inflamed ears. The dog's ears become very itchy, which creates an 'itch-scratch-itch' cycle that in turn creates scabs around the ear, hair loss, crustiness, and raw skin.

References:

1. Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson, Good Owners, Great Dogs

2. Richard Pitcairn, Natural Health for Dogs and Cats

3. James Griffin and Liisa Carlson, Dog Owners Home Veterinary Handbook

Always check your dog's ears after he's been playing in long grasses. If when you press gently on the ear canal he cries out in pain, there's a good chance there's a foxtail in there.