The dog's ear stinks - 5 reasons, treatment

Every dog owner knows that it is necessary to carefully care for your pet. And this must be done not only to maintain an aesthetic appearance, but also to timely identify signs indicating the development of certain diseases in the animal’s body. One of these symptoms is unpleasant odor from the ears. A healthy pet's ears do not smell, but if there is a bad smell coming from them, this is a sign that not everything is in order with the dog's health.

First of all, owners must understand that eliminating the smell, sickly sweet or foul, will not solve the problem. First, you should find out the cause of its appearance, and then take appropriate measures to treat the disease.

Dog ear anatomy

A dog's ear canal consists of three parts: the outer, middle and inner ear . The outer ear - the part of the ear that we can see - is called foam and protects the inner parts of the ear, which house important structures that serve our dogs.

Important nerves and blood vessels also run through the inside of the ear and must be protected. Ear diseases can compromise these structures and cause permanent damage. This is why supporting your dog's ears is so important.

Prevention

The best treatment is disease prevention. It is necessary to inspect the dog's ears daily, and once a week to clean them. Avoid exposure to water when swimming. Rinse the ear canal with a special lotion. For dogs with long hair, carefully trim the hair inside the ear flap. Try not to let your pet tumble on the damp ground.

ATTENTION. After walking in nature, you need to pay special attention to the inner surface of your ears. Make sure there are no nicks, scratches or foreign bodies on the skin of the ear.

Why do my dog's ears stink?

Inflammation of any part of the inner ear in dogs can cause irritation and lead to changes that cause an unpleasant odor. Sometimes the smell is unpleasant - like garbage or morning breath. Other times, it can smell strong like cheese or sweet like caramel.

Ear infections are the most common culprit behind dog ear stink, but can occur for many different reasons. Infections are most often caused by bacteria or yeast and often occur as secondary infections, or in response to a primary factor.

Signs of ear infections in dogs include:

pain;
itching;
redness;
discharge (with or without odor);
rubbing ears on the ground or furniture;

Some dog breeds, such as those with floppy ears, hair in the ear canals, and narrow ear canals, are more likely to have smelly ears than others. Dog breeds that are more susceptible to stinky ear problems include bulldogs, spaniels, retrievers, terriers and poodles .

What does the smell of fish and mushrooms mean?

This symptom indicates that the animal is infected with ear mites. It appears as a black coating on the mucous membrane. Also, if a dog's ears smell like fish, the owner may suspect he has a fungal infection. This pathology is always accompanied by severe itching and redness of the ears.

A stinky ear canal may also indicate other medical conditions. They can be identified by their nature:

A sweetish smell, reminiscent of a rotten apple, indicates that your pet has otitis media. This disease may be accompanied by redness of the mucous membrane, as well as the appearance of brown discharge (in complicated forms of the disease). If inflammation of the auricle is not observed in the animal, then the stench signals problems with the liver.
A rotten smell indicates excessive accumulation of dirt in the ear canal. Characteristic of shepherd dogs, as well as other breeds that produce large amounts of sulfur.
A cheesy aroma indicates the development of a fungal infection. It may be accompanied by the formation of a white or greenish coating on the mucous membrane, reminiscent of curd mass.
A sour smell indicates the presence of a bacterial infection.

It should be noted that if a stink appears from a pet’s ears, the dog owner must immediately take action: take the animal to the veterinarian, examine it and then follow all the doctor’s recommendations for treating the pet. Under no circumstances should you deal with this problem without the help of a veterinarian. Remember, any independent actions you take may not only not help you cope with the problem, but may also aggravate it. It is especially dangerous to use folk remedies for treatment if the dog shakes its head and liquid brown mud flows from the ear. This indicates severe damage or the presence of a complicated infectious disease.

Causes

Here are some common reasons why your dog's ear stinks.

Bacterial ear infections . These types of ear infections usually involve more than one type of bacteria. These bacteria can cause ears to smell sweet, like grapes or caramel, or rancid, like rotten chicken, or bad breath. Dogs with bacterial ear infections may rub their ears on the ground or furniture to relieve the itching. Other signs include shaking or tilting the head and avoiding touching the ears.
Yeast infections . Smelly yeast infections in dogs' ears are caused by Malassezia, a type of yeast. You may smell something similar to baking bread or beer. These types of ear infections are the most interesting for dogs. You may notice your dog rubbing his ears on the floor or scratching them intensely.
Allergy . Another very common cause of ear infections and odors in dogs, it is responsible for almost half of ear infections. Your dog may be allergic to something in the environment, such as pollen or food. Infections caused by allergies may have no odor or take on the rancid, or sweet smell of a bacterial ear infection. Common signs of allergies include ears that are red or warm to the touch, ears rubbing along the floor or scratching the ears, discharge from the ears, or sores/scabs on the ear. In severe or chronic cases, the ear canal may become hard and thickened.
Ear mites . Ear mites are tiny and difficult to see with the naked eye. Otodectes cynotis, Demodex and Sarcoptes are the most common ear mites in dogs. They are very itchy and uncomfortable for dogs. Often you will see a buildup in your dog's ears that resembles coffee grounds. This buildup can cause your dog's ear to stink. This smell is usually similar to old garbage.
Foreign objects . Surprisingly, it is not uncommon to find objects in a dog’s ears that do not belong there. Fur, grass seeds, or anything else your dog has been poking at can get into their ear. Your dog may also develop a mass or growth in his ear. Growths, polyps, or enlargement of the glands that produce earwax can also cause bad odor.

What cannot be treated?

A number of medications are prohibited for use in treating the ears of dogs. Their categories include:

Hydrogen peroxide. If you use this product to remove odor from your ears, it can burn your pet’s mucous membranes.
Alcohol and all alcohol-containing preparations. They lead to excessive dryness of the skin and can also leave burns.
Specialized medicinal ointments that were not prescribed by the attending physician. Such drugs have many side effects. They cannot be used if you do not have an accurate diagnosis.

You also need to be careful with various cotton pads and swabs. They are not recommended for use on the ears of small breed dogs.

Video: what to do if your dog has an unpleasant odor from his ears?

Treatment

You should contact your veterinarian to eliminate the odor coming from your dog's ears. Long-term ear infections can lead to a ruptured eardrum and subsequent hearing loss.

Your veterinarian will do a number of things to get an accurate diagnosis of why your dog's ear stinks.

First, your veterinarian will use an otoscope to examine the inside of the ear. This is where your veterinarian will be able to see any redness, discharge or mass, or foreign objects inside your dog's ear.

During the test, your veterinarian may also take a swab from your dog's ear to examine under a microscope. This will show if your dog has mites, bacteria or yeast in his ears. Bacterial cultures are necessary for dogs whose ear infections have not responded to previous treatments to determine the most effective antibiotic.

Further diagnostics, such as x-rays, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), may be needed to study the extent of the disease in your dog's ear.

Surgery may be recommended for some conditions, such as chronic ear infections or masses.

Ear pain - how to determine it

The inside of the animal's ear is red and much hotter than the rest of the body. The dog shakes its head, tilts it towards the diseased organ, complains and whines. May also scratch it constantly, sometimes even until it bleeds. On the side of the diseased organ, the muscles are tense and painful on palpation.

Discharge comes out of the ears, sometimes colorless; in advanced cases, it thickens and turns into pus.
The dog’s behavior has changed - it is restless, aggressive, or, conversely, indifferent to everything, its appetite is reduced or absent. She may also experience insomnia.
In all these cases, you should not self-medicate, but urgently contact a veterinarian.

Medicines to treat ear infections in dogs

Your veterinarian will prescribe either topical medications (such as ear drops for dogs) or systemic treatment (usually by mouth) depending on the severity of your dog's bad odor symptoms.

The most common topical treatments are combination medications containing a steroid to reduce inflammation and itching, an antibiotic, and an antifungal drug to control the infection.

In the case of ear mites, medications such as ivermectin, selamectin and moxidectin .

Home care

Optimal treatment requires a combination of home and professional veterinary care. Your veterinarian may advise you to clean your pet's ears as a preventative measure or as part of treatment for an ongoing problem. It is important not to use cotton swabs when cleaning deep in the ear canal, as this can cause debris to get into the ear canal and into the eardrum.

Take all medications as directed and monitor your pet closely for recurrence of ear disease. Call your veterinarian immediately if you notice any signs of relapse. Ear diseases are much easier to treat when they are still in their early stages.

Hematomas and tumors

Swelling on the ear or on the head near it can be the result of bruises, animal or insect bites, and sometimes - a manifestation of a separate disease. The dog becomes restless, tries to scratch the lump with its paw, and walks with its head tilted to the floor.

If you are sure of the origin of the pathology, try to help yourself: wash the abrasion (if there is one), treat the auricle with a special lotion (sold at a veterinary pharmacy), apply a thin layer of the veterinary drug Mastisan. The instructions do not say anything about dogs, but it relieves inflammation very well and usually does not cause allergies.

A doctor's help will be needed if the owner does not know what caused the lump. The dog needs to be examined. Surgery may be needed.

Allergy

Red spots, rashes on the ears, severe itching are signs of an allergic reaction to external irritants. Food, smells, and sun rays can trigger an exacerbation. First, the owner needs to identify the cause and eliminate it. Next, relieve discomfort with the help of veterinary medications prescribed by the doctor.

Note! Do not use medications from your home medicine cabinet to treat dogs without consulting your veterinarian. Instead of helping, you will cause great harm to your pet!

How to clean?

To clean your ears, you need to prepare a cotton pad, lotion, powder, or choose special wet wipes.

It is worth noting that the formation of wax in the ears is intended to protect the ear canals from the penetration of pathogenic bacteria and pollution. Therefore, frequent removal of sulfur will only do harm. It is recommended to carry out the procedure no more than once every two weeks.

In order to soften the wax, you need to drop lotion into your ears and massage them for a minute. Next, the discharge is removed with a dry cotton pad. The most commonly used lotions are 8-in-1, Cliny, Twins, mr. Bruno, Bars and others.
When using cotton swabs, there is a risk of damaging the eardrum.
Wet wipes clean and disinfect at the same time, but can cause irritation. If redness or pimples appear, it is recommended to stop using this product.
A special powder dries the surface of the ear and deodorizes. The most popular powders are 8-in-1, Biogrum. However, the cost of this product is significantly higher than others.

It is optimal to combine bathing the dog and cleaning the ears.

In puppies

Pug puppies need hygiene procedures just as much as adult animals. It is best to carry out preventive treatment using a gauze swab and ordinary boiled water.

Do not place the tampon far into the ear. It is enough to wipe the visible part and be sure to wipe the surface dry. In puppies, the formation of exudate is much less than in an adult dog, however, due to the increased activity of puppies, the ears more often become dirty for external reasons.