Did you know that ear infections are one of the main reasons why animal are brought to the veterinarian? Most pet owners think that an ear is nothing complicated, but in fact it is a very complex organ and when irritated or infected, causes significant pain for the animal.

Certain signs that an ear – or both – are infected:

The external part of the ear in dogs consists of 3 parts: the pinna, the ear canal and the eardrum. The visible part of the ear canal is vertical; the deeper laying part is horizontal and extends down to the eardrum. The horizontal and vertical part meet in an angle that is hard to clean so that debris and wax can get trapped.

Dogs that swim frequently can experience ear infections due to the increased moisture in the ear canal. Some dogs have very narrow ears and the decrease of ventilation might trigger ear infection also. Dogs with floppy ears or excessive hair are more likely to get ear infection because again, the chances of moisture trapped inside the ear is higher and ventilation decreased. These factors make an ear infection more likely but do not cause infection.

Ears should never be cleaned with water, nor with rubbing alcohol or vinegar. Water increases the moisture in the ear canal (be careful when giving your dog a bath and keep ears dry!) and alcohol might trigger irritation that can damage the thin lining of the ear and make it more vulnerable to bacterial infections. Don’t poke into your animal’s ear with Q-tips or else to avoid causing trauma and in addition Q-tips will pack the earwax into the ear canal, making it very difficult to remove.

Ears should only be cleaned with gently and with special formulated products. Special disorders need a prescription from your veterinarian.

Yeast and bacteria are not considered the cause for ear disease; they are the result of the inflammation of the ear canal. When the external ear is infected it is a sure sign of some underlying disease that allowed yeast and bacteria to overpopulate and then result in infection, even after the initial cause was resolved.

The most common reasons for ear problems are allergic reactions. Humans experience hay fever from mold and pollens, dogs will respond with ear and skin disease. Food allergies are triggers as well. Please see our article about Allergies in Dogs .

Other causes for ear infections are ear mites, polyps, tumors in the ear canal, and foreign objects that got lodged in the ear. Ear infections need to be treated by your veterinarian, only he can identify the primary reason for the infection.

Long-term inflammation and failure to treat the dog’s ears might lead to infection of the deeper laying middle ear.

Certain breeds, such as the Cocker Spaniel, are prone to experience a thickening of the ear canal that makes it inflexible. Worse, it could become mineralized and cause the animal chronic pain. In such cases surgery is needed.

If your animal experiences ear infections frequently or the medications bring little or no improvement, a thorough exam by your veterinarian is necessary. If the underlying cause for these infections is not found and treated it will repeatedly trigger infections.