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by K Marie Alto Updated 11 min read 2 Comments
Dog ear infections are no laughing matter. They can be very uncomfortable and sometimes even painful.
Fortunately, in most cases, they are relatively easy to treat. Of course, as long as you catch them before they cause any real damage.
So, today we’re going to talk all about how to tell when your dog has an ear infection. From types of ear infections to their causes to common symptoms to how to prevent dog ear infections. Happy reading and sharing!
As always, if you are looking for more dog guides, make sure not to miss the read more section at the bottom or, search our blog by topic. Spoiler alert, our blog is packed with pet parent resources.
Ear infections are medically known as otitis. Fun fact: the suffix "-itis" just means "inflammation," so any disease you hear about with the ending of -itis just means that something is swollen and inflamed.
In the case of the ear, the Greek prefix "otos" just means ear. Thus, ear swelling/ear inflammation, caused by an infection.
In dogs (and in people), there are three kinds of ear infections.
The most common kind of ear infection is external because that's the part of the ear most likely to be exposed to water, dirt, debris, and bacteria.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association Otitis externa is mostly prevalent in particular breeds with hanging ears or abundant hair in the ear canal.
These ear features tend to increase humidity thus promoting the development of infections. Such breeds include Cocker Spaniels, Poodles, and German Shepherds.
Middle ear and inner ear infections are sort of like a disease progression; if an outer ear infection is left ignored for too long, it progresses inward.
As you might expect, the deeper into the ear the infection spreads, the harder it is to treat and the more dangerous it is. Luckily, ear infections are pretty easy to spot well before they reach a point of danger.
So why do our fur babies get ear infections in the first place?
Basically, ear infections happen when something gets trapped in the ear and is left to fester. This is also why, as we discussed above, ear infections tend to be more common in dogs with large, floppy ears; they're harder to keep clean and more easily trap debris in the ear. Your floppy-eared fur babies need more ear care than dogs with smaller, perkier ears.
Note, too, that water-loving dogs tend to get ear infections more often just because diving in the water and not drying out the ears can allow bacteria to grow.
There are a bunch of causes of ear infections in dogs, from parasites to foreign bodies to complicated cases of allergies. In this post we’ll touch on some of the most common.
Some other less common causes are endocrine issues and polyps. The ear canal shape can also play a role, so it’s important for your vet to determine the cause. Often, though, there's no singular cause of an ear infection.
Now that you know what kinds of things cause ear infections, how can you recognize those infections in your fur baby?
In people, an ear infection is pretty easy to diagnose. Your ear clogs up, it looks red and swollen, and you can't hear very well from it.
Depending on the kind of infection, it can also be itchy and painful. Well, all of the same is true of dogs, but your fur baby can't use their words to tell you what's wrong.
Instead, when a dog has an ear infection, you must look for behavioral changes.
If you notice any of these symptoms, it's pretty easy to check and see if an external ear infection seems likely.
Deeper middle or internal ear infections are harder to notice visually, but they aren't usually isolated. That is, the outer ear will still be inflamed when the inner ear is infected too.
If you suspect your dog has an ear infection, you should call your vet. They will probably ask that you bring your pup in for an exam and to perform a test.
The usual test is called an "ear cytology" and consists of a swab taken from the ear that is then tested to see what's in it.
This can allow the vet to see if there are bacteria, yeast, mites, or some combination of all of them causing the problem.
Be sure to mention to your vet if you notice a pattern of the infections. That can help pinpoint the root cause of the infections to prevent them from occurring in the first place.
Once an infection is confirmed your vet will be able to determine the right kind of treatment.
Treating ear infections depends on what is causing the infection in the first place.
Sometimes it's simple, other times not so much. If the ear is clogged up with bacteria, you may need to use a tool to flush out the gunk so that medication can penetrate and get to work.
An ear flush is usually performed using a saline solution. From there you’ll administer a medication. The medication you use will depend on the type of ear infection.
Sometimes an unnoticed otitis externa may turn into more serious cases. For example, your dog’s ear canal can be closed due to a chronic infection. This is known as hyperplasia or stenosis.
In such cases if the ear canal is swollen, it can oftentimes be almost impossible for medications to penetrate the horizontal canal. Surgery is eventually required in most cases of hyperplasia.
Don't panic though, more often than not, your vet will use some kind of antibacterial and antimicrobial or antifungal medications to kill off the bacteria and yeasts that have built up. It will often include a steroid as well, which suppresses the inflammation and allows the ear to drain and heal more quickly.
Unfortunately, because ear infections can be painful, you're going to have to wrangle your poor furry child and get them to sit still for treatment. Treatment can last one to two weeks, so in the beginning it's going to be unpleasant for you and your pup.
Try to make treatment time positive with a reward once it’s done. There are potentially some newer medications that your vet can apply, so you don't have to, and which last for weeks, but you'll need to ask your vet if they offer them and if they would work well for your pup.
Be sure to use and finish all medication as prescribed. Your pup will likely start to feel better well before the medication is finished, but the infection is likely not fully resolved.
Your vet may want to see your pup for a follow-up to make sure the medication resolved the issue, and an additional medication isn’t needed.
One word of caution here: try not to assume you can treat an ear infection alone. While you can clean your fur baby's ears at home, and there's a chance they'll be able to fight it off on their own, you run the risk of letting the infection get too deep in the ear, which can be more painful and more difficult to treat.
This is bad because particularly deep inner-ear infections can lead to loss of hearing and even facial paralysis. You need those antibiotics and antifungals, and without knowing what the microbe is, you can't do that on your own.
There are a few cases where an ear infection doesn't respond to treatment.
In the first case, stronger medications, potentially even IV medications, can help. In the second case, an antihistamine might work, and you'll benefit from identifying what is causing the allergy and removing it from the home. This might involve air filters, vacuuming, a change in food, etc.
In the third case, a deeper analysis of the problem and potentially surgery may be necessary. Luckily, this is fairly rare and generally only happens in older dogs.
To put ear infections in perspective in the context of incidence, according to Wetaskiwin Animal Clinic, ear infections are the #1 reason why pets end up at the veterinarian.
Further, in terms of complications, we’ve learned how they can turn into more serious cases if they spread to the inner canal. One serious ear infection complication is called ear hematoma.
“A hematoma is caused when your dog’s vigorous ear scratching and head shaking bursts a blood vessel. Without medical attention, the ear will crinkle into a “cauliflower ear” as the hematoma regresses. If your dog has a soft swelling of their ear flap, contact your veterinarian. This swelling can be painful, and your dog may hold their ear slightly out from their head due to the discomfort.” - Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
So, a hematoma isn’t directly caused by an ear infection, but can be a byproduct of your pup scratching at the infected ear. Check out this short video on ear hematoma surgery on a dog by Krista Magnifico DVM:
That said, they say that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that's definitely true with our fur babies.
Now that we know what causes ear infections, we can talk about a few steps you can take to prevent them from occurring in the first place.
The first thing to do is make sure that, your dog’s ears regularly stay dry. As discussed above, if your pup likes to play in the water, you should take steps to dry out their ear canals.
You can use some commercial products, take advantage of home remedies, or both. Keeping their ears dry will help prevent runaway bacteria and yeast from turning into problems.
Second, if you notice that ear infections tend to happen around the same time every year, chances are there's an allergy in play. Seasonal allergies can be difficult to track down, but you can do a lot to minimize contact with whatever is causing the problem.
For example, you might:
If there isn’t a seasonal pattern, talk to your vet about doing ear cleanings at home. Some dogs don't need this, but dogs with floppy ears might benefit from a regular ear cleaning.
Especially if your dog has ear infections regularly, you'll probably want to keep an eye on their ears and make sure they stay cleared out.
For dogs with floppy ears, making sure that bad bacteria overgrowth does not occur should be an ongoing endeavor. Regular applications (at least twice a week) of our Momma Knows Best 3-in-1 Hydrate and Repel balm will help keep bad bacteria, mites and other bugs away from their ears.
Simply apply a small amount of the balm on the inner side of the ear flaps.
Ear infections are quite common, so don’t feel like a bad pet parent if your pup gets one – or several.
“An estimated 20 percent of dogs have some form of ear disease, which may affect one or both ears.” – American Kennel Club.
It's a routine problem that when caught and treated early has no lasting impact on your pup's overall health.
As with most kinds of illness or ailment your fur baby might suffer from, it's best to do what you can to identify the cause and try to prevent it from happening again.
This might mean regular ear cleaning, using ear-drying tools or products, or tracking down an allergen to minimize or get rid of it. It can be a lot of work, but we'll do anything to keep our fur babies comfortable and happy, won't we?
Have you ever had to handle an ear infection in your canine companion? If so, how'd you go about it? Was it a challenging process, or was it relatively simple? Be sure to leave all your thoughts and stories down below! I'd love to hear about your experiences.
Additionally, if you are feeling like getting a little special something for your fur baby that is unique, made right here in the USA, 100% pup and cat safe, USDA certified organic and brought to you by a US company, check out Toe Beans online pet supplies store!
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K. Marie is an animal lover, wife, kitty mom, dog auntie, writer, and co-founder of Toe Beans, a proud American family-owned online boutique pet supplies store focused on the improvement of the life of furry family members via pet parent education, better products, and advocacy. She has over 20 years of experience as a pet momma. She loves sharing her personal journey and experience as a pet parent via her blog and Facebook page where she currently has more than 50K followers (@furrytoebeans) and counting :-). Read more
October 06, 2023
My dog daughter is Daisy 🌼 and she has big floppy ears they keep dirt and debris and most of the time a smell. However in one ear I noticed it getting worse and worse I was able to look on here and even tho it eventually started pouring fluid (clear) I was able to stay calm thank you now it’s just us waiting for the crust to come out any thoughts?
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K. MARIE - TOE BEANS TEAM
October 06, 2023
Hi Jen! Big floppy ears are sadly a breeding ground for infection. Any fluid or crust buildup is a good indicator that intervention is needed. Your pup may be itchy or in pain. I recommend chatting with your vet about a regular cleaning routine to keep those ears nice and healthy. I hope Daisy is feeling better soon!