Ear Problems Relatively Common in Dogs
My-Dog.info > Dog Health
Ear problems are relatively common in the dog, especially
during the summer months and in breeds with “floppy”
earflaps. An ear infection is rarely a primary problem in that
the infecting agents (such as a bacteria or fungus) is unlikely
to cause an infection on their own but do so secondarily to
changes in the environment of the ear canal. The most common
environmental changes are the accumulation of earwax and/or water
in the ear which let the normal resident bacteria or fungi
flourish and cause problems. This is compounded by the anatomy of
the dog’s ear canal (which can be viewed as having an
inverted “L” shape) resulting in poor drainage (hence
the reason that dogs shake their heads) and complicated even
further by “floppy” earflaps as these tend to trap the
moisture and heighten the potential for ear problems. Add to this
mix a breed (such as the retriever) that likes to spend time in
the water, and the recipe for ear infections is complete.
However, take heart as the good news is that through
recognizing these predisposing factors we can design a
preventative program to reduce the risk of ear infections
occurring. The first is to get the current ear infection cleared
up and it sounds like you are already on the right track. If a
lot of debris exists in the ear, it can delay recovery and should
be removed through either an ear cleanser, prescribed by your
veterinarian to be used at home, or by having your pet’s
ears flushed at the veterinary clinic (this usually requires
sedation). If the infection is more severe, antibiotics given by
mouth may be needed to assist in recovery. Once the current
problem is under control, initiate a preventative program. This
usually involves the period use of an ear cleanser/drying agent
to keep your dog’s ear free of moisture and waxy
accumulation with the frequency of use dependent upon your own
dog’s wax build-up and exposure to water.
If swimming is a common sport you and your dog participate in
the summer, when the day’s activities are done, I would
suggest placing a cotton ball in the top of your dog’s ear
canal followed by a gentle massage of the outer ear canal (which
can be felt on the side of your dog’s head underneath the
ear flaps) to force any water up and into the cotton. Once the
cotton ball is removed, place an ear-drying agent into the ear
canal to help alleviate moisture build-up.
Many excellent products exist – ask your veterinarian for
his/her advice on the right product for you. Should this not
reduce the occurrence of ear problems, other compounding health
issues may exist such as allergies or hypothyroidism (which
blunts the immune systems ability to deal with these infections
on its own) and can be pursued further through diagnostic testing
and specific medications. Hope this helps keep those ears happy
and healthy!
Reprinted with permission from www.animalhealthcare.ca
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