all about dogs

Symptoms of Ear Infections

Ear infections can affect dogs of all breeds and ages. The earliest signs of ear infection in dogs include attempts to scratch the ear resulting to pain, and frequent shaking of the head. Also, if your dog seems to keep its head at a certain angle, chances are that it is suffering from an ear issue of some sort. Signs of pain and discomfort near the ear or head area can also be telltale signs of dog ear problems. Ear issues can be particularly irritating, painful, and distressing to your dog, so make sure that if your dog displays symptoms of ear issues such as discomfort, or if it orally expresses its discomfort through whining or moaning, you already know what to do to help relieve the pain or discomfort.

Diagnosing Ear Issues in Dogs

If you detect early symptoms of ear infection in your dog, you can diagnose whether there really is a problem or not by using your senses. Inspect the ear area. If you see a discharge, take that is a viable sign that your dog has an ear infection. Discharges from your dog’s ear may vary in kind, but all of them are causes for concern. After all, it is better to be sure than sorry. Milder discharges may be color brown. When the discharge is yellowish in color, it is most likely to be pus, which is very much associated with ear infections. The worst kind of discharge that you should look out for is a bloody discharge. That basically means that the ear issue that your dog is suffering from is serious. Also, try to get a sniff. If you smell a pungent odor emanating from the ear, your dog most likely has an ear issue.

Causes of Ear Issues in Dogs

One of the most common causes of dog ear problems is ear mite, which are small insects that affect the ears. This is also the reason why most ear infections are accompanied by a fluid discharge. The discharge is the ear’s natural reaction to try and counter the irritation brought about by ear mites. However, discharges are also one of the leading causes of severe dog ear issues. If there is even just a small amount of discharge left in the dog’s ear, it can be a dwelling place for bacteria and can cause even bigger dog ear problems. In addition, if you have a dog that has long or large ears, you should be a little bit more concerned than when you have a dog with smaller ears.

How to Treat Dog Ear Issues

When you manage to detect and diagnose an ear problem in your dog at the earliest sign of onset, you can still dabble in a bit of home treatment, if you please. However, even in such cases, a veterinarian’s advice is still your best bet, since you will be needing medications to help with the ear issue. Ear infections caused by ear mites are basically easy to cure because by eradicating the cause, you also treat the ear infection. This is the reason why it is important to be sensitive enough to detect symptoms, and to check whether the problem is caused by ear mites or some other factor. Antibacterial agents can also be used. However, prevention is still indeed better than cure. To prevent dog ear infection, make sure to clean your dog’s ears regularly. In cleaning your dog’s ears, use a cotton ball instead of a cotton bud. You should also use a recommended dog ear solution.