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The Canine Ear - Healthy vs Un-Healthy - Dos and Don'ts
Itchy ears, smelly ears...both are common problems that most dog owners will encounter at one time or another during their dog's life. Head shaking and scratching at the ear are both signals that alert the pet owner something is wrong!
If detected early, ear infections are very treatable. However, a simple, common ear problem, if left un-treated, can lead into more serious problems.
There are 3 types of ear infections...
Outer Ear - which affects the ear canal and stops at the ear drum
Middle Ear - which affects the part of the ear right inside the ear drum
Inner Ear - Area closest to the brain which involves the bones of the inner ear
The majority of the problems begin with ear infection number 1... in the outer ear. The dog may scratch the ear frequently, shake it's head and possibly moan or show other signs of discomfort. The ear will look inflamed and will quite possibly have a very noticeable foul-smelling discharge of varying brownish colors. The type of infection could be either bacteria or yeast related. A diagnosis by a vet will determine which type. Medicine in the form of ointments or drops will normally be used topically (pet owner applying directly into the ear).
Other causes of Outer Ear infection could be allergies (air borne or hypersensitivity to foods), ear mites (usually 5-10% of the time) and foreign bodies in the ear (wax, dirt, water, plant materials, fleas and/or ticks).
Even though an Outer Ear infection seems harmless, it can be chronic (occur frequently...or never completely clear up at all) and this sets the stage for Infection #2...Middle Ear Infection.
If the ear drum becomes pierced or torn (weakened by repeated outer ear infections) then the outer ear infection can move farther into the ear. Symptoms may be a dog tilting it's head or having balance problems and or nausea. This type of infection is harder to diagnose and treat. Because drops or ointments can't reach this area, oral antibiotics are usually prescribed by the vet.
If a dog's ears are overly damaged due to excessive ear infections or infections that were left untreated, the ear canal will thicken over time, often to the point the dogs hearing is cut off. The ear cartilage may turn into bone...type 3 infection. Medicine will no longer work and surgery is the only answer. This is a very dramatic measure and is very traumatic and painful to the dog.
Keep in mind that dogs with flop-ears are more susceptible to infections rather than dogs with erect ears. This is because the air can enter the erect ears more easily to keep them dry.
Certain breeds have genetic skin disorders that predispose them to ear problems. Many Cocker Spaniels, for example, have skin problems that are excessively waxy and scaly. If this skin problem is not controlled, it sets up an environment for growing yeast and bacteria which can easily be spread to the ear by ear-scratching. When this is combined with the heavy, flop ear of the Cocker, the problem is further heightened.
Now that you know something about the 3 types of infections and what causes them, it's time to find out what you, the pet owner, can do to help.
For Dogs With Healthy Ears...
A. It's best to leave the ears alone. You can often create problems by over-caring of the ear. Plucking hair from the healthy ear should always be followed by the administration of medicated ear powder so that the open pores are not left open and susceptible to infection.
B. Keep the ears clean and free of wax build-up by wiping gently with a clean, small cotton ball. In a healthy ear the yellowish colored wax will flow to the outer ear canal for easy cleaning. Never use a cotton swab (ex: Q-tip), as an inexperienced person could actually push or pack the ear wax right up to the ear drum.
C. When bathing, always place a small piece of cotton gently inside the outer ear canal to prevent water from entering. This is a very common cause for infection.
D. Make a habit of regularly sniffing the dogs ears for any un-usual or foul odors that could indicate the start of infection.
For Dogs With Un-Healthy Ears...
A. It's useful to keep the ears free of excess hair that may trap dirt and wax, and cause an environment for bacteria to breed. (Follow your Vets recommendation on this).
B. Regularly sniff the dog's ears for odors
C. Water in the ear - either from the bath or swimming- can lead to problems. Here again the warm, dark, moist canal easily breeds bacteria. Always place a piece of cotton in each ear before a bath (and don't forget to remove it). Apply a drying agent (ear powder) after a thorough cotton ball wipe, for dogs that enjoy swimming.
D. Act immediately at the first sign of infection. If your child had an infection you wouldn't postpone treating it...do the same for the poor dog.
E. When treating an infection it is vital to use up the entire prescription of medicine. Because dogs don't enjoy their sore ear being worked on, the pet owner may be eager to stop the treatment process pre-maturely because the ear "looks or smells better". This only causes the infection to return. If an improvement in the infection is not noticed within a few days, it would be time to call or return to the vet for a different medication.
F. Always return the dog for a follow-up exam to make sure the entire infection is gone.
This report is brought to you by Carol Doggett, author of ALL About Dog Grooming, the at-home study for dog grooming training. For information on this enriching training material contact the website at
www.LearnToGroom.com or call Toll Free 888-800-1027.