What You Need To Know About Ear Infections In Dogs

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My dogs both got their first ear infections when they were puppies last summer. First Grace started shaking her head constantly, then began pawing and scratching at her ears. I did what any good pet parent would do and took her in to the vet, where she was diagnosed with a bacterial ear infection. She needed ear drops to resolve it. And then…a mere two days later…Benny was shaking his head, whining and scratching at his ears and hanging his head to the side! Back to the vet! They must love me there…

When they did the tests, Benson came back with a yeast infection! More drops! We had quite the schedule of drops, since they were on different medications at different intervals! According to the AKC, up to 20% of dogs develop some form of ear disease which is why it is important for dog owners to be aware of the symptoms and treatment of ear infection.

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Types of Ear Infection

The most common type of ear infection is outer ear infection, otitis externa. This is when there is inflammation in the layers of cells in the external part of the ear canal and can infect either one or both of the ears. With Grace it was one ear, and in my poor boy Benny it was in both ears. Of course, Benson fights with his full body weight after I manage to corner him…great experience for us all around and I am grateful if I only end up with a few bruises…

If you have had any experience with ear infections, you know that they can come on FAST! It seems like one minute they are fine, and the next minute they are scratching and in a great deal of pain and discomfort. And it can get progressively worse leading to the infection leading further into the ear canal. The middle ear is just behind the eardrum (otitis media) and the inner ear are where the ear brain meet (otitis interna). If an ear infection is left untreated and moves deeper into the ear canal it understandably becomes much more serious and difficult to treat.

Keeping this in mind, it is very important to get your pet to a vet for testing and a proper diagnosis as soon as you see signs of an ear infection!

Symptoms

As soon as I notice one of my dogs shaking their head, I am on high alert! After the experience when they were puppies they are a lot more sensitive when I start lifting their ears to take a look around so I try to work it into a nice head rub so they don’t freak out and run away! They weigh considerably more now than they did last year (each one individually weighs more than I do!) and corralling them is no easy feat! If I am too obvious in my attempts to get into their ears, Benson will IMMEDIATELY run as far away from me as he can, head down, wounded look in his eyes.

Symptoms to watch for include:

• Head shaking
• Scratching/itchy ears
• Redness and/or swelling in ears
• Discharge (black or yellow)
• Unpleasant odor
• Sensitivity to being touched or petted around ears
• Head tilt
• Scaly skin/scabs
• Ears feel warmer than usual
• Irritability or tiredness

Also, if your pet has chronic or recurring infections you may notice their ears are scaly or their ear canals can appear thickened.

If it is a severe infection and the ear drum has ruptured you may notice that your dog is having difficulty standing or walking in a straight line as the ears affect balance, and they may lose their appetite. This can cause very serious side effects including permanent hearing loss and facial paralysis.

Causes

With Grace, the likely suspect for her bacterial ear infection was dirty lake water. The vet even said to me “I see we have been swimming in the lake recently”. I had not even thought to check the water quality before they went in the lake but now I know to check, and if there is a low quality day we find other places to go for our walks! I check her ears when we get home and dry them out if they have water in them. Besides ear and skin infection, if your dog drinks the lake water (like mine do) it can cause digestive upset and either dirty floors or constant trips to the yard…Ok, back to ears!

Dog’s ear canals are much deeper than ours are, which enables them to hear much better than us! But unfortunately their long, narrow ear canal can put them at higher risk for ear problems, particularly in floppy eared dogs (mine…) as it encourages a moisture buildup. And unlike our ears, dog’s ear canals are L-shaped, which means that moisture and bacteria can get trapped in the horizontal canal easier than it can in humans making it a common infection in dogs.

Causes for ear infection are as follows:

• Moisture buildup leading to yeast
• Bacteria
• Allergies
• Mites
• Foreign object
• Tumor
• Polyps
• Wax buildup/plug
• Dead skin buildup
• Injury
• Excessive cleaning
• Auto-immune disorders

Allergies have been shown to be the underlying cause for up to 75% of all cases of ear infection (Paterson, 2002)! This is why I cringed when Benson was diagnosed with seasonal allergies…He has been shaking his head but not excessively and I have been making sure to keep on top of them! When I get his ear cleaner out he will give me a wary side eye and watch my every move!

I have started putting a few drops in two ear droppers and then walk away from it for a while until he is calm and lying down. Even then if I start scratching around his ears and flipping them up he looks to make sure I have nothing in my hands and that both are in sight! But I manage to catch him and get the drops in there…without too much drama anyways! I have him on allergy medication as well and I noticed that the head shaking is at a minimum for now but I am keeping a close eye on him.

Prevention

Prevention is KEY in keeping your dog from getting an ear infection! You should make sure that your dog’s ears are clean and set a schedule to clean them 1-2x a week. I use a medicated ear cleaner that does a relatively good job at clearing out the wax and debris without having to go into the ear canal. Massaging their ears for 20 to 30 seconds after the drops are applied softens and removes debris which they can then clear when they shake their ears after their massage is done.

With Grace, she will sit there in ecstasy during the massage part as I imagine she thinks it feels pretty good! I have a harder time with Benson though because as soon as the drops go in he tries to take off! But I think he ends up realizing that the hard part is already over because he generally lets me do it!

Bathing and swimming can introduce water into your dog’s ears which can lead to infection. Try to keep your dog’s ears dry during a bath, and dry their ears after swimming! You should also clean your dog’s ears after a dip in the lake. There are drying agents that you can also buy to aid with this.

Dogs with hairy ears are more prone to ear infections, but check with your vet to see if hair removal is appropriate before removing it.

Treatment

Treatment types differ depending on what is causing the ear infection, and your vet will prescribe the appropriate treatment. For many cases it will be some sort of an ear drop (topical application) containing antimicrobials or antibiotics. They may also contain corticosteroids which can speed up the time to clear up the symptoms. If the cause was mites they may also send you home with antiparasitic drugs. For chronic and long lasting cases, your pet may need oral medication or an injection.

Your pet’s ears should be clean and dry before giving them drops, as wax and foreign bodies can inactivate the medication! Your vet will already have given them a good clean at the time of diagnosis but something to keep in mind when you are giving your dog their medication at home. After treatment be sure to use a cotton ball or wipe to dry any excess from your dog’s ears.

Topical medication works by providing your dog’s ear with a thin coating. Time for treatment varies and depends on the severity of the infection but typically clears up within 2-4 weeks. A chronic infection could take several months or never end up fully clearing up. Your vet will likely want to schedule a follow-up appointment to ensure that the infection has cleared.

Foreign objects will need to be removed from a dog’s ear, and your vet will also want to check to see if a tumor or polyp is blocking the ear canal leading to moisture and bacteria buildup. Do not try to remove the foreign object yourself or clean your dog’s ears before your appointment as it can end up pushing the object further into the ear canal!

Allergies were determined to be behind the cause of Benson’s recent ear sensitivities (you can read more on pet allergies here). Your vet can prescribe the proper medication to prevent future ear infections, and with Benny boy the head shaking has almost completely stopped since he started taking his! If your vet suspects that an underlying cause is the reason behind your dog’s ear infection, the underlying cause will need to be addressed to limit the likelihood of future ear infections.

If some sort of a wax or dead skin buildup is the cause, your vet will clean and flush your pet’s ears to remove it. This may need to be done under sedation if your dog will not allow your vet to do this easily.

While keeping your pet’s ears clean is important, it is just as important not to overdo it! If you are excessively or roughly cleaning your dog’s ears it can also be the trigger behind an ear infection, so if this ends up being the case speak with your vet about an appropriate schedule you can stick to!

Dog Breeds

Certain dog breeds are more prone to ear infection than others! This includes breeds of dog with large and floppy ears, hairy ears and breeds prone to allergies.

Some of the dog breeds on this list include:

• Retrievers
• Cocker Spaniels
• German Shepherds
• Boxers
• West Highland Terriers
• Pit Bulls
• Poodles
• Shar-peis
• Old English Bulldogs

Any dog can get an ear infection if the conditions are right (or wrong…). Keeping your dog’s ears clean is a good start, but you should make sure to keep an eye on your dog’s ears and notice if there are any unusual changes. It is very important to get your pup to the vet as soon as you can so that you can start treatment as quickly as possible and prevent the infection from getting worse.

I actually just hung up the phone with our vet. Grace has been shaking her head with increasing frequency throughout the day…She’s also irritable with her little brother (much more than her usual self anyways!) so I thought it was best to get her in to get checked out…I guess swims are off the table for the next couple of weeks, sorry girl!

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