All ear infections, regardless of the cause, may have the same symptoms. Some symptoms to watch for at home that might mean your dog has an ear infection are:
Shaking of the Head
Scratching at the head or ears
Constant rubbing of the head and ears on the floor or ground
A prominent redness or irritation in the ear canal
Discharge coming from the ears
A brown or yellowish discharge present in the ears
Foul odor coming from the ear
Pan when ears are petted or touched
Veterinarian Visit - The Diagnosis
At the first sign of symptoms an appointment should be made with a veterinarian. It is also important to remember that you should never put anything into your dogs ears before seeing the veterinarian. This could result in additional symptoms including neurological which include head tilting and walking in circles.
For dogs that get repeated ear infections or have infections that will not go away with treatment, it is important to find the underlying cause of their problems. Some things are easy to figure out just from a physical examination. If a dog has a lot of hair in its ears, floppy pinnae, or small ear canals, a visual examination will show this. Tumors and foreign objects in the ear can usually be seen during a physical examination, too.
In order to rule out an allergy to food, the veterinarian will put your dog on a hypoallergenic food for a period of about eight weeks. During this time you will monitor your dog and keep a journal of any receding symptoms, increasing symptoms or no change in symptoms at all.
Atopy can be ruled out with either blood tests or with skin testing, similar to allergy testing in people. These tests will usually tell specifically what things a dog is allergic to.
Blood tests for endocrine related diseases will be performed. These tests show the veterinarian if a certain endocrine organ is functioning properly. If there is an endocrine problem, other symptoms will present themselves besides ear infections.
Treatment for Ear Infection
Once the underlying cause is determined, the treatment can begin. For dogs with food allergies, avoiding these foods is paramount. In dogs with seasonal and inhalant allergies, a combination of medications including antihistamines, omega-3 fatty acid supplements and cyclosporine will be prescribed and your dog will most likely be required to take them for the rest of his/her life.
Periodic treatment of skin and ear infections with antibiotics, antifungals, shampoos and topical rinses is usually necessary. The course of treatment varies for each dog and depends on how severely allergic they are and how well they respond to therapy.
For the most part, ear infections can be treated with oral medications and a topical medication placed in the ear. This treatment usually lasts two weeks, however some cases may take longer. It is highly important to note that you must also clean your dogs ears once or twice a week to remove medication buildup. This can collect debris which then impedes the healing process. If after the medication is completed the ear infection is not gone, an ear swab or culture may be needed for further testing.
Dog Ear Infection Prevention
Treat any underlying diseases that might be present.
Dry your dogs ears out after a bath.
Dry your dogs ears completely after swimming
Do not use water or cleanser in your dogs ears unless absolutely necessary and always make sure to dry them completely when you do.
Always remember: Keeping dogs ears dry is the key element to prevention and treatment of ear infections.
An experience veterinarian with great passion for writing, Heather Fox loves to share her knowledge about Dog Diseases Symptoms with fellow pet lovers. You can find more of her lessons including Dog Flea Allergy Dermatitis Treatment on Clivir.com.
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