In this article I will list the most common ear diseases in dogs and cats. I will describe the symptoms of these ailments and tell you why they develop. I will list possible complications and why the ear smells, what to do and how to remove dirt. I'll tell you when you need to see a veterinarian.
Ear Discharge in Dogs: Common Causes and Treatments
Along with ear discharge, if your dog's ears feel painful to touch, if your dog tilts his head to the side, trips or circles to the side, licks or scratches his ears, or shakes his head.
If the ear or ears feel sore or if there is an odor coming from the ears, it may be a sign of these common ear problems in dogs:
Ear mites
Ear mites, although very small, can be a big problem for dogs, especially young ones. One sign that your dog may have mites is a hard, blackish-brown discharge from the ears that often looks like dried shoe polish. Other signs include scratching and head shaking.
There are several ways to treat ear mites; some options kill only adult mites, but newer products also kill eggs and immature forms. Treatment with these products is much easier, so talk to your veterinarian to determine the best option for your dog.
Read more about ear mites in dogs
Outer ear infection (otitis externa)
Waxy, yellow, or reddish-brown discharge from the ears may also be a sign that your dog has an ear infection, which may be the result of allergies, mites, polyps, excess earwax production, excessive bathing or swimming (which can leave too much moisture in the ear). ears) or other problems.
Additional signs that your dog has an ear infection include a foul or fruity smell from the ears; pain; hot or sore ears; scratches; or shaking your head.
This type of problem requires immediate attention from a veterinarian. An antibiotic may be needed to treat an outer ear infection, as well as an antifungal lotion, oral medications, an ear cleaning solution, or an ear drying solution.
How to properly clean a dog's ears?
Chronic diseases sometimes require surgery.
Inner ear infection (otitis interna) or middle ear infection (otitis media)
An untreated outer ear infection can easily lead to a very painful middle or inner ear infection, both of which have symptoms similar to otitis externa, along with a reluctance to open the mouth or balance problems. Some dogs may walk in circles or experience nausea.
Treatment for middle or inner ear infections may require antibiotics, an ear flush by your veterinarian, or surgery if the infection is severe.
How to decide
Experts are confident that many problems can be avoided if you regularly examine and, if necessary, clean your puppy’s ears. It is advisable to do this every day, and in the summer (especially if you live in the countryside) twice a day, while there is a danger of bringing a tick home from a walk.
If your pet is unlucky and an insidious enemy has nevertheless settled in his ear, try to solve the problem yourself (especially since getting to a veterinary clinic from outside the city is not always possible).
Remember: under no circumstances should you pour vegetable oil into your ear - you won’t get rid of the tick, and you’ll only make it worse for the puppy.
Pull out the tick using tweezers using gentle twisting movements. Better yet, stock up on some special device such as a lasso before your trip to the countryside, which today can be purchased at any pharmacy for a very reasonable price. They are more reliable and easier to use. After pulling out the tick, treat the wound with a disinfectant.
Summer also means swimming in the river. To prevent water from getting into your puppies' ears, use a special powder that you can find at a veterinary pharmacy. The pet’s ears are “powdered” (you must act strictly according to the instructions), and at the end of the day the remaining powder is removed using a dry cotton swab.
If you notice that your puppy shakes his head every now and then, trying to get rid of the wax that has filled his ears, and does this especially actively in the morning, do the following. Buy a lotion at the pharmacy that is designed specifically for cleaning ears, instill it in your pet, and gently massage the base of the ears. The fur villi, which are located inside the ear, will themselves lift, straightening, pieces of sulfur from the depths upward.
All you have to do is wrap your index finger in cotton wool and collect this sulfur. This is what owners of dogs of various breeds do, including the popular miniature Yorkie today. Interestingly, in addition to the efforts of a person, the Yorkie itself very actively shakes its ears, pushing out all the dirt accumulated inside.
Various troubles often happen to babies - they can, for example, get dirty in milk or porridge, like small children. In such cases, it is safest to clean the ears with a gauze swab, which must first be dipped in lukewarm boiled water.
Experts categorically do not recommend cleaning your puppy’s ears with cotton swabs, so as not to damage the eardrum (this can result in hearing loss for the pet). And in general they emphasize: there is no need to try to clean the most inaccessible places - leave this work to a veterinarian who is armed with knowledge of anatomy and the necessary tools.
Dog Ear Discharge: Why You Should Talk to Your Vet
Gently pull back your dog's ears and quickly look inside. You should see a clear pink ear canal. If you notice any discharge, redness, swelling or odor, it's time to talk to your veterinarian.
If left untreated, ear problems in dogs can lead to severe pain, hematomas (the pinna of the ear fills with blood), balance problems, and even deafness.
Since dog ear discharge can be the result of several causes and come in all sorts of smells, colors, and consistencies, don't try to guess what is causing your dog's ear discharge.
Find out by making an appointment with your veterinarian, who can diagnose the cause of your dog's ear discharge and prescribe the best treatment.
Otodectosis
Parasitic disease. Caused by the microscopic mite Otodectes. Dogs, cats and rabbits get sick. Characterized by severe itching, the dog scratches its ears with its paws and rubs against various objects. Mites cause inflammation, irritation and damage to the delicate skin of the ear canal, which contributes to increased secretions and the proliferation of fungi and microbes. As the inflammatory process develops, first serous and then purulent-ichorous exudate is released from the ear, which dries out in the form of crusts and scabs, impeding free outflow. The waste products of mites color the discharge brown and black. The discharge has a peculiar unpleasant odor.
The diagnosis of “otodectosis” is made on the basis of clinical data and laboratory tests. Microscopy of ear scrapings is available in any clinic that has a light microscope.
Otodetis mites are sensitive to most acaricides, so they can be easily destroyed with proper treatment. In order for anti-mite drugs to penetrate the parasites, it is necessary to clear the ear canal of crusts, wax and exudate. Otherwise, the medicine will simply dissolve in the contents of the ear and will not have any effect.
Otodectosis can be easily cured only at the very beginning. In the process of development, otitis media is added to the parasitic disease, which is much more difficult to cure.
Preventing ear problems in dogs
Dogs with floppy ears—basset hounds, Irish setters, spaniels—are more prone to ear problems, but any dog can contract ear mites, develop an infection, or have an irritant such as hangnails or seeds stuck in their ears.
Preventing ear problems before they start will help your dog live a full, happy, noisy life.
Every time your dog's ears become inflamed, the wax glands inside become larger and more active, and the ear canal becomes scarred and narrowed, increasing the likelihood of future problems. To keep your dog's ears healthy, follow these steps:
Check your dog's ears every two weeks for dirt, odor, and foreign bodies.
Keep your dog's ears clean. You can remove visible dirt with a cotton swab soaked in dog ear cleaning solution (do not insert the cotton ball into the ear canal) or by wrapping a damp cloth around your finger and gently cleaning the outer ear.
If your dog swims a lot or has a tendency to get ear infections, ask your veterinarian about products that dry out the ear canal and prevent the growth of bacteria and yeast.
Acute otitis media
According to statistics, acute forms of otitis media account for 30% of the total number of ENT diseases. Most often it occurs in preschool children.
Symptoms of acute otitis media
The disease is characterized by an acute onset with the appearance of the following symptoms:
- earache;
- ear congestion or hearing loss;
- increased body temperature;
- anxiety;
- disturbance of appetite, sleep;
- headache and toothache.
Causes of development of acute otitis media
In most cases, the disease can be caused by various pathogenic microorganisms - viruses, microbes, fungi, etc. In exudate obtained from the middle ear, respiratory viruses are found in 30-50% of cases. The most common causes of otitis are parainfluenza viruses , influenza viruses, rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, enteroviruses, respiratory syncytial viruses, etc.
In 50-70% of patients with acute otitis media, bacteria are detected in the exudate from the middle ear (most often Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis).
Often the cause of otitis is a mixed (viral-bacterial) infection.
When making a diagnosis, a differential diagnosis is made with myringitis (inflammation of the eardrum) and exudative otitis media.
The occurrence of otitis media is directly related to the condition of the nose and nasopharynx: rhinitis and tonsillitis often provoke inflammation of the middle ear.
Otitis often occurs against the background of decreased immunity and immunodeficiency states.
1 Diagnosis of otitis in MedicCity
2 Diagnosis of otitis in MedicCity
3 Diagnosis of otitis in MedicCity
Routes of infection
The most common route of infection into the middle ear is through the auditory tube during rhinitis and sinusitis.
It is possible that infection can penetrate through the blood during influenza, scarlet fever and other infectious diseases.
In rare cases, the infection enters the middle ear through the ear canal due to injury (rupture) of the eardrum.
Stages of acute otitis
There are 5 stages of the disease:
- stage of acute eustachitis: feeling of congestion, noise in the ear, normal body temperature (if there is an infection, it may increase);
- stage of acute catarrhal inflammation in the middle ear: sharp pain in the ear, low-grade fever, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the middle ear, increasing noise and congestion in the ear;
- pre-perforative stage of acute purulent inflammation in the middle ear: sharp unbearable pain in the ear, which radiates to the eye, teeth, neck, pharynx, increased noise in the ear and decreased hearing, increased body temperature to 38-39 degrees, the blood picture becomes inflammatory in nature;
- post-perforation stage of acute purulent inflammation in the middle ear: pain in the ear becomes weaker, suppuration appears from the ear, noise in the ear and hearing loss do not go away, body temperature becomes normal;
- reparative stage : inflammation is stopped, perforation is closed with a scar.
Erysipelas of the auricle
Acute erysipelas is an infectious disease and is caused by streptococcus pyogenes; later, other flora may join. With such inflammation there are symptoms of skin damage and a general inflammatory syndrome - weakness, fever, chills. Factors provoking the disease: decreased immunity, abrasions and burns of the skin, swimming in polluted waters, contact with a carrier of pyogenic streptococcus or a sick person. Depending on the depth of damage to the skin, three forms are distinguished:
- Erythematous, when pain occurs, redness of the skin (it has a “varnished” appearance) slightly rises above the level of healthy skin and has a clear border with it.
- The bullous form, more severe, is characterized by the same skin lesions as in the erythematous form, but with the formation of large blisters above the surface of the skin with transparent or cloudy contents.
- Necrotic form. With this form, deep damage to the skin occurs, right down to the reticular and papillary layers, and deep ulcers with purulent plaques form. Due to the addition of various microflora, it is more severe than other forms. Typically, patients with this form require surgical debridement of areas of necrosis.
