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Ear Infections in Dogs

Ear Infections in Dogs

Otitis media, Otitis interna, Otitis externa

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Updated on September 26, 2024
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
Ear infections occur commonly in dogs. Three sections of the ear can be infected, the external portion (otitis externa), the middle portion (otitis media) and the inner portion (otitis interna). Otitis externa is the most common ear infection in dogs.
SEVERITY:
Severity is mild to moderate to severe
  • Diagnosis Icon
    Requires a diagnosis by a veterinarian
  • Time to Cure
    Can resolve within days in mild cases
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian and by the pet parent
  • Prevention Icon
    Management of underlying causes and regular ear cleaning can help prevent infection
  • Spread Icon
    Transmission is typically not possible between animals or from animals to humans
  • Lab Icon
    Diagnosis requires physical exam, ear cytology, in some cases advanced imaging like MRI or CT scan or allergy testing may be recommended
VERY COMMON IN
Any dog can develop ear infections during their lifetime. Breeds with large, floppy ears are more prone to ear infections.

Symptoms & Signs

Pets with external ear infections have inflammation of the vertical and horizontal ear canals. Pets will often shake their heads, scratch their ears and brown or yellow debris can be visualized when lifting up the ear flap. A foul odor may also be noted. The symptoms for middle and inner ear infections are often similar to external ear infections and include pain in the ear, head shaking, infected or bloody discharge, and scratching or pawing at the head or ear. As the infection in the middle ear progresses, the dog may also have facial paralysis on the infected side due to the inflammation of the facial nerve that runs adjacent to the middle ear. Signs of facial paralysis include difficulty swallowing, drooping eyelids and facial muscles, and a third eyelid that moves up and partially covers the eye. As the infection progresses to the inner ear, the symptoms will include a loss of balance, a downward head tilt and walking in circles. Any dog can develop ear infections during their lifetime. Dogs with narrow ear canals, such as dogs with chronic anatomical changes due to previous disease or dog breeds such as Shar Pei and Chow Chow, are prone to yeast and bacteria becoming trapped in the narrow canal. Dogs with long, droopy ears, such as hound breeds, are prone to developing ear infections due to their ear anatomy. Dogs that enjoy swimming may also be more susceptible to ear infections.

Diagnosis

External ear infections are diagnosed based on otoscopic exam of the ear and ear cytology. For cytology, your veterinarian will take a sample of the debris in the ear and examine it under the microscope to look for yeast, bacteria and mites. Middle and inner ear infections are diagnosed with a thorough otoscopic exam and x-rays, CT scan or MRI of the head. Animals usually need to be anesthetized so that they can be properly examined and so that the ear can be flushed and treated. A ruptured eardrum or an eardrum that is discolored and bulging with fluid is an indicator of a middle and possibly inner ear infection. Most cases of middle and inner ear infections usually have signs of an external ear infection as well, but not always.

Causation

Ear infections are sometimes due to an underlying cause, like abnormal ear anatomy, which allows substances to become trapped in the ear. Other factors, such as food adverse response or environmental allergies, can allow dogs to develop ear infections because their skin is inflamed from the allergy, which is more conducive forming secondary infections.

Ear infections can also be caused by ear mites, grass awns or other foreign bodies embedding in the ear, growths in the ear and adverse reactions to substances applied to the ears. These infections usually begin in the horizontal and vertical canals, but can begin to move deeper if not treated. The middle and inner ear of dogs and cats is separated from the external ear by the tympanic membrane (eardrum). It is not possible to see the middle or inner ear unless the eardrum has been ruptured. The middle and inner ear coordinate hearing and control balance. Infections in this area may show up as hearing loss, loss of balance or other neurological problems.

Fortunately, if caught early, most middle and inner ear infections can be treated successfully. Most cases of middle and inner ear infections in dogs and cats are caused by an extension of an infection in the outer ear. Staphylococcus, streptococcus, and pseudomonas bacteria or malassezia and candida yeast are often isolated as the infectious agents. Less commonly, bacterial infections may ascend from the oral cavity through the auditory tube and into the ear.

Treatments

icon AT-HOME CARE
External ear infections are often treated at home after diagnosis is made. This may include an ear cleaner and ear medication that will be applied per your veterinarian’s instructions.
icon SUPPORTIVE CARE
Acupuncture and cold laser therapy can help alleviate some of the symptoms of ear infections.
icon MEDICATIONS
Treatment varies depending on the severity of the disease. In external ear infections, a topical antibacterial/antifungal medication will be prescribed for treatment. Your veterinarian may also prescribe a medicated ear flush to remove debris. In mild middle ear infections, oral or injectable antibiotics are often used in combination with topical medications. In cases where tumors, allergies or other factors contribute to the cause of the infection, they must also be properly identified and treated for the entire treatment to be successful.
icon DEVICES
None
icon SURGERY
In more severe or chronic cases, the eardrum may need to be surgically incised and the middle ear flushed and treated. In very severe chronic cases, complete removal and closure of the entire ear canal (total ear canal ablation) may be necessary.
icon SPECIALISTS
A general practitioner veterinarian can diagnose and treat most case of otitis. Veterinary dermatologists and veterinary surgeons can be helpful with chronic cases or cases that require advanced ear surgery.

Cost Of Treatment

Most cases of otitis can be treated for less than $150 per episode. Cases requiring surgery may cost $1500 or more per ear.

Recovery

Many cases resolve within days to weeks of treatment. Pets that have severe infections and pets with middle and inner ear infections may be prone to recurrent ear infections.

Monitoring

Your veterinarian will let you know when they want to see your pet back after diagnosis. For severe infections, rechecks exams may happen every week.

Prevention

Management of the underlying cause for many dogs can help prevent occurrence of ear infections. Dogs that are prone to ear infections after swimming should have their ears cleaned after getting out of the water.

Questions about Ear Infections in Dogs

My dog I heated uses tampon is it an emergency

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made of a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!

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My puppy had parvo virus. If I bring a fully vaccinated dog here, can it infect the new dog? Is there still a risk?

If they new dog is a year old and you are completely sure that that it is 100 percent vaccinated there is a very minimal risk that it will be infected. However, that being said, vaccines are never 100 percent effective so there is always a 0.09 percent chance that the new dog could get the virus. But you should be safe bringing the new dog home. I would make sure that the home environment has been cleaned as thoroughly as possible (this means with bleach to all surfaces) and make sure that the outdoor surfaces have been cleaned as well. Parvo can live in the environment for an annoyingly long time (up to 6 months) so it wouldn't hurt to apply a safe mixture of bleach product to your yard as well. This is probably going completely overboard, but you know how scary parvo can be!

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I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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Can I reapply flea treatment early? It’s been 2 weeks with no results.

A [flea](https://www.petcoach.co/article/fleas-life-cycle-anatomy-disease-transmission) infestation on your pet or in your home can be [difficult and frustrating](https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-are-fleas-so-hard-to-kill) to deal with. Yes, if after two weeks the [flea preventive you applied isn't working](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-reasons-your-flea-prevention-isnt-working), you can reapply flea treatment early, or switch to another brand. I recommend using Advantix or a chewable prescription product from your vet, like Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica, or Credelio. This recommendation is unrelated to Petco or PetCoach. If you are seeing fleas on Mia now, you can give her Capstar ([Nitenpyram](https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/nitenpyram)). It's a one time pill that starts killing adult fleas in 30 minutes and is safe to use with a topical treatment. Use a monthly preventive on all pets for at least 3 consecutive months to break the flea life cycle. Year round use is preferred. You will also have to [treat the environment](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas). Wash all bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. Discard of the bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately afterwards. Use a spray, such as Indoorex or Knockout ES, in the house and to prevent reinfestation.

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. This medication should only be given under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.