|
Dog Ear Infections
Dog ear infections
are also commonly called Otitis Externa. It is an infection
of the outer ear canal. There are three parts to the
ear; the outer, the middle, and the inner ear. Ninety
percent of infections occur in the outer ear, the part
of the ear that you can see.
Dogs are prone to ear infections because
of the anatomy of their ears. They have a horizontal
and a vertical component to them, so it is hard for
anything in there to drain out, like water or debris.
Signs of an ear infection include excessive
head shaking, yellow to brown exudate in the ears, or
a yeast like smell. Additional signs of ear infections
include redness and swelling.
There are several causes of ear infections.
The most common cause of ear infections are due to allergies.
Some dogs are more prone to allergies than others; therefore
they get more ear infections.
Another common cause is sporting dogs
that swim. They get water inside their ears, and provided
their difficult anatomy, the water in the ears cannot
drain out. Therefore, this provides the perfect environment
for bacteria and yeast to grow. It is recommenced that
if you let your dog play in the water you dry your dog's
ears thoroughly afterwards.
If your dog does have an ear infection
it is important to properly clean your dog's ears before
applying any medication.
To clean your dog's ears, start by placing
a few drops of an ear cleanser into the ear and massage
the ear to help loosen any debris that is in the ear.
Then use a cloth or cotton gauze to whip the dirt out.
After your dog's ears are thoroughly
clean, then you can apply your medication. Follow your
veterinarian's advice about how much medication to apply
to the ear, usually a few drops.
The treatment your veterinarian will
prescribe will vary depending on the cause of the ear
infection. For yeast infections they prescribe anti-fungals,
for bacterial infections they will prescribe antibiotics.
Normally treatment is applied directly into the ears,
but in severe cases systemic treatment may be needed.
This usually means have to give your dog pills orally.
In some dogs with severe ear problems,
the veterinarian will usually clip the hair around the
ear to help let more air into the ear. In extreme cases
your veterinarian may recommend surgery to reconstruct
the ear canal to let it drain easier.
Breeds of dogs that are prone to ear
infections include all breeds with large ears that flap
over the ear canal, and breeds of dogs that have a very
small canal. By knowing what to look for, you can detect
ear infections early.
1howto.com
--------------------------------------------------
Please
Share Your Tips with Us
|
