{"id":360,"date":"2014-05-18T23:29:58","date_gmt":"2014-05-18T23:29:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nouvelleresearch.j96fp4es-liquidwebsites.com\/2014\/05\/18\/ear-infections-in-pets-how-to-manage\/"},"modified":"2021-07-25T12:36:07","modified_gmt":"2021-07-25T17:36:07","slug":"ear-infections-in-pets-how-to-manage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nouvelleresearch.com\/index.php\/articles\/360-ear-infections-in-pets-how-to-manage","title":{"rendered":"Ear Infections in Pets; How to Manage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Scratching, digging and rubbing their head on the ground can all be signs of an ear infection in your pet. The problem can be not only irritating for the pet, but also for the owner as it can often mean a loss of sleep at night for both parties. \u00a0Ear infections are more common in the dog than the cat with many causes and predisposing conditions. \u00a0In most cases, the problems are easily resolved with medications, but in others, the condition can be recurrent, happening over and over again. \u00a0The good news is that there are options!The dog and cat’s ear is not dissimilar to ours, having an external portion referred to as the pinna. \u00a0The pinna has an opening that goes into the vertical ear canal which then transverses downward, turns a corner and then becomes the horizontal ear canal, which ends at the eardrum. \u00a0The ear drum itself divides the ear into an external and internal compartment. \u00a0On the other s<\/p>\n

\"Ear
Ear Infection in Dog<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

ide of the eardrum is a network of smaller organs and nerves that allow us to hear, but also help in maintaining balance.<\/p>\n

Clinical Signs of Ear Infection in the Dog<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The clinical signs of an ear infection correlate with the severity of the condition. \u00a0In the early stages, there may be an increased scratching of the ear, shaking of the head, rubbing the head on the ground or a moaning or crying noise when you pet them around the ear. \u00a0In more severe cases, the ear of the dog may be more red, swollen or even have a discharge and odor. \u00a0As the condition progresses, in some cases, the dog may actually tilt their head towards the affected side or even lose balance and stumble if the inner ear becomes affected. \u00a0If scratching or head shaking becomes excessive, it is not uncommon to see a massive swelling in the pinna which is termed an aural hematoma and a rupture of blood vessels with blood accumulation.<\/p>\n

Causes of Ear Infections in the Dog<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Most ear infections in pets are associated with:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Bacteria<\/li>\n
  2. Yeast<\/li>\n
  3. Parasites<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Bacteria are the most common cause of ear infections and often they are mixed infections, which means that more than one type of bacteria is present. \u00a0In other cases, we have more resistant strains including Pseudomonas, which are more difficult to manage and often secondary invaders due to chronic infections or particular situations.<\/p>\n

    Yeast are also very common to find in pets, especially in the dog. \u00a0Their presence is usually indicated by a distinct musty type of odor and a moist discharge with severe head shaking, scratching and discomfort. The most common type of yeast found is Malassezia, which is considered to be an opportunistic organism and not a primary invader. \u00a0Their presence usually indicates that we have underlying health problems that are allowing for certain factors to be present. \u00a0Yeast generally love a warm, moist environment which is also acidic, so they are commonly found in pets that swim often or have poor airflow due to hair accumulation.<\/p>\n

    Parasites are also common invaders with the ear mite being most common in cats. \u00a0Dogs do experience ear mite infections, but generally when they have the problem it indicates that they have been hanging around with a cat that also has ear mites. \u00a0They result in severe irritation, resulting in head shaking and scratching. \u00a0There is generally not an odor but there is a charactertistic brown, waxy discharge.<\/p>\n

    Secondary or Primary Factors in Dog Ear Infections<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Ear infections can occur as primary problems, but more often there are certain circumstances that create the right environment for the problem to exist. \u00a0The most common factors are:<\/p>\n