Ear Infections Are Common In Dogs

Ear Infections Are Common In Dogs

Ear infections are common in some dogs due to the anatomy of the ear in those breeds of dogs. Dogs’ ears are deeper and longer than human ears. In certain breeds of dogs, the ears are covered by an ear flap which makes the inside of the ear canal moist and warm, somewhat like an incubator, which is the perfect environment for germs.

Dogs also have a lot of mast cells which can release histamine and other chemicals which are allergic. Thus, it is usual for dogs with allergies to have irritated and itchy ears. It is a long process where the ears are irritated by allergies and respond by producing more ear wax. Due to the inflamed ear canals and additional ear wax and the extra moistness and warmth of the ear canals of dogs, it is now obvious why dogs are so prone to ear infections.

It is very simple to tell when your dog is suffering from an ear infection. Dogs keep shaking their head, holding their head to one side for some time or whining. They also scratch their ears or rub it against the carpet or furniture. When they come close, you can also smell the odor of a bacterial, yeasty ear infection. On taking a closer look, you can see the ear canal is hot, inflamed, red and filled with goo. On touching the dogs’ ear, it will get groans for it showing that touching hurts it. Keep your dog’s ears clean at all times to prevent ear infection. However, every case of ear infection in dogs is a special case, and your dog might show different symptoms from those outlined above. There could be many more complications involved in your particular case.

The other possible causes of ear infection are foreign bodies present in the ear canal, drug sensitivities, masses in the ear canal, thyroid disease, parasites (apart from the common ear mites, there are many other kinds), food allergies (which are not the same as other allergies), immune disorders, cushings disease, and metabolic disorders including diabetes. Other reasons for causing ‘swimmer’s ear’ or ear ache are excessive bathing, sensitivity to harsh ear wax cleaners, excessive hair removal from the ear canal, or excessive hair growth in the ear canals. Apart from the bacteria, fungus and yeast could also cause ear infections. At time, the bacteria might be such that it does not die even on using a strong antibiotic.