Ear Infections in Pets

Ear infections in animals usually involve just the outer ear,
that is, the portion that is visible to you, the ear flap and
the portion that is visible to your veterinarian with the aid of
an otoscope, the ear canal that connects the flap to the ear
drum. In some cases, however, the middle or even inner ear may
be affected.

This condition may be sudden (acute) or may have been on and off
for a long time (chronic). The ear is an extension of the skin
and may be indicative of an overall skin condition that is
afflicting your pet.

Causes

The causes of an ear infection are multiple and include: primary
or secondary to inhaled allergies, food allergies, overgrowth of
bacteria and/or yeast, foreign bodies (foxtails), and malformed
ears (in some breeds).

Treatment

Usually, management of ear conditions involve medications,
either topical and/or systemic. Occasionally, however,
especially in cases of chronic, recurrent infections that have
resulted in permanent painful changes to the ear, surgery may be
recommended to alleviate your pet’s condition.

Cytology

Cytology is the microscopic analysis of the ear material that
may have been performed for your pet. Your pet’s cytology shows:
yeast / bacteria / both / not run.

Cleaning

This is needed to eliminate as much of the discharge in the ear
as possible and may need to be done on an ongoing basis.

A generous amount of the solution should be used and is poured
into the canal. This is followed by gentle massaging of the ear
and allowing the pet to shake its head. Then the use of cotton
balls or gauze allows cleaning of the outer accessible portion
of the ear canal. Note that q-tips or cotton swabs should NOT be
used since these will push debris further into the ear.

Product to be used for ear cleaning:
______________________________

Recommended frequency of cleaning: ____________________________

Topical medication

This has been prescribed to eliminate the bacteria/yeast that is
afflicting your pet’s ear. This may need to be done on an
on-going basis.

Medication to be applied: ______________________________

Recommended frequency of treatment: ____________________________

Systemic medication

In cases of some bacterial or yeast infections, systemic
antibiotics or antifungal medications may be prescribed.

Other treatments

If your veterinarian is suspicious of an inhaled allergy, the
recommendations for treatment may include: antihistamines;
anti-inflammatories; essential fatty acids (EFA’s); allergy
testing and hyposensitization. If you veterinarian is suspicious
of a food allergy, a change to a hypoallergenic diet for 6-8
weeks may be recommended.

Follow-Up

Please follow your veterinarian’s recommendations for cleaning
and administering medications and requests for recheck
appointments. Ear infections often recur and the medication that
worked the first time may not work again later since a different
condition may occur at a later time.

The above is general veterinary information. Do not begin
any course of treatment without consulting your regular
veterinarian. All animals should be examined at least once every
12 months.