Taking care of your pet’s ear infection
Ear infections can be triggered by allergies, foreign bodies (such as grass seeds), or a polyp or tumour in rare cases. Wetting of the ear canal from swimming or bathing can make ear infections worse, leading to infections from bacteria and/or yeast (fungal) organisms.
Ear infections can be very uncomfortable for your pet. Itchy ears or red and warm ear flaps are a sign of an ear infection. Ear infections cause long-term damage to the ear canals if not treated properly.
Recurring ear infections lead to changes in the ear that may require surgery. Our specialist dermatologists have developed ways of managing ear problems to avoid the need for surgery in most cases.
Does my pet have an ear infection?
Common signs of an ear infection include:
A red, warm ear flap
Head shaking
Infected ears held down
Itchy ears (scratching or rubbing)
Painful ears when handling
Smelly or visible discharge from the ear canal
How are ear infections diagnosed?
At Animal Dermatology Clinic, we have a video otoscope that cleans and flushes out the ears. It also allows us to assess the health and status of the ear canal, eardrums and middle ear. In some cases, a MRI or CT scan may also be required to correctly diagnose an issue deep within an infected ear. We can also test your pet’s hearing.
How should ear infections be treated?
Cytology (taking smears and examining the discharge under the microscope) is necessary to identify what type of infection is present and the most appropriate treatment. This requires application of eardrops for 14 days of treatment. Ear cleaning or ear flushing under anesthesia may also be required with recurrent ear infections. This is done with a video otoscope, which is a specialised piece of equipment requiring expert skills to use correctly to achieve accurate results.
Does my pet need a veterinary dermatologist?
If your pet has a recurring ear infection or if an infection persists after general treatment, then you should discuss with your local veterinarian about a referral to a specialist dermatologist. Sometimes an infection may have damaged the ear drum and spread into the middle ear. If ears are inflamed, specialised equipment (fibre-optic video otoscope and CT/MRI) is needed to be able to access the middle ear and eardrum. In many cases, there’s an underlying issue that needs to be identified.
Worried about your pet? Give us a call. We treat your pet like one of our own. Call now on: +61 08 6277 9430 (Murdoch) and (Balcatta) or email: dermnurses@adcmg.com