As humans can have infections of the ear, our pets can have infections too. Otitis externa which is an infection of the outer ear is the most common type of infection that dogs experience, especially the breeds that are large, floppy, and have hairy ears.
Following the fact that, ear infections are very painful, and they cannot speak, they will be seen shaking their head and scratching their ears to relieve discomfort. The presence of infection will lead to a red and inflamed appearance, bringing out an offensive odor. In some cases, a yellowish discharge is also seen and when it is a chronic condition, the ear may appear crusty or thickened, and the ear canals will look narrowed too.
Pets may be predisposed to ear infections when they are exposed to; foreign objects, build-up of wax, excessive cleaning, injury done to the the ear canal, allergies, autoimmune disorders, and endocrine disorders like thyroid diseases.
Thorough skin and physical examination will help physicians provide clues to the possible causes of otitis externa. The regions close to the ear and the pinnae will present evidence of; skin redness, primary and secondary skin abnormalities, abnormal growth of tissue in the canal, shaking of the head to show long-term ear infection, and deformities of the pinnae.
In some cases, anesthesia or sedation is required to give room for proper examination with the use of an otoscope, this is true especially when the ear is extremely painful for the animal, when the canal is obstructed with a discharge or widespread inflammatory tissue, or if the animal fails to cooperate. Any form of discharge noticed in the ear of your pet requires the check of a veterinarian.
Certain underlying issues could lead to repeated ear infections, when that is the case, the underlying issue should be treated very fast to prevent your pet from consistently experiencing ear problems after every attempt of treatment.
Stenosis or hyperplasia is an effect of a chronic ear infection where the ear canal is swollen and it becomes impossible for medications to penetrate the horizontal canal. Sometimes, anti-inflammatory medications can be used to help shrink swollen tissues and open up canals in some pets.
Ear canal surgery could be done to treat ear infections, the most commonly performed surgery type is lateral ear resection, the essence of this surgery is to eliminate the swollen tissue from the horizontal canal and remove the vertical part of the ear canal.
The act of taking out the vertical canal is easy but when it has to do with eliminating a large amount of tissue from the horizontal canal, it is usually a more complicated situation. Rare situations however will require the entire removal of the ear canal which could lead to a permanent hairing impairment.
Just like most diseases, prevention is always the best way to go about it, exposure to excess moisture is a common cause of ear infection, and after bathing or swimming, it is your responsibility to dry the ear of your dog properly. Use absorbent gauze to wipe out the canal, and avoid the use of cotton or paper towels as they may leave fibers behind and cause irritation.
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