Category: Ears

Photo by Jenna Krabacher. Haleigh, the dog in the photo, used to have ear infections. Read how Haleigh got rid of her ear infections at the end of this article.
By Dr. Kimberly Luce , DVN
Some dogs are prone to ear infections and there are many causes so sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint what the problem is.
In fact, most ear infections or problems are actually not a primary illness, but are a consequence of another illness, such as allergies to food or air allergens like pollen, dirty moist ears, floppy ear anatomy that traps moisture  (after a bath, a swim, or a rainy day), immune suppression or other problems.  Dirty, moist ears that you don’t see into, or underlying allergies, are the most frequent causes.
Many dogs have ear problems chronically, and home care may be the mainstay of treatment to keep your dog’s ears healthy.  Unfortunately, some dogs require surgery to “cure” their chronic discomfort.  This can be a very good solution, but may be avoidable with good home care and cleaning techniques. Often, dogs with recurrent ear problems see the vet frequently. Medication may be required, and the dogs are clearly very uncomfortable.
Common symptoms include scratching at the ears, shaking the head, rubbing the ears or head on the ground, an unpleasant odor, whining, or not allowing their beloved owner to touch the ear!

Ear infections typically occur because
1. Moisture remains in the ears and can allow bacteria and yeast to thrive. Preventing the accumulation of moisture and keeping the ear canals dry can help reduce the severity and frequency of chronic ear infections and may even prevent them.
2. Dogs with floppy ears are most likely to develop ear infections because their ears cover the ear canal, which traps the moisture from a rainy day, humidity or a good swim. These breeds need special attention. You should lift any type of dog’s ears frequently and look at the ear “flap” (pinna) and the external canal. It should appear pink, clean, have mild or no debris or discharge, and feel comfortable when you touch or rub the ear.
Treatment of ear problems can involve many complex diagnostic tests, medications, and home care.  This can be very frustrating, and often, adequate home care can prevent the necessity for medication or testing. Ear care at home is usually fundamental to the prevention, control, and care of problem ears.  Keeping the ears clean and dry is very helpful, and can be done safely with proper technique and specific products that are labeled for use in the ear.  Other products or remedies can actually damage the ear, and hearing, severely.  Only products that are labeled for use in the ear should be used to clean and care for the ears.
A great home care kit is the EAR AID.  These products are designed to work together to gently clean ears and treat abnormal populations of bacteria and yeast, and may be very helpful for your dog’s ear problems.
Keep your dogs ears clean with specific ear cleaners, dry with drying agents and be sure to lift the ear flap every week and look inside the ear them for dirt, excess wax or early problems.  If keeping the ears clean and dry at home is not enough, see your veterinarian.
Dr. Kimberly Luce graduated from the North Carolina State College of veterinary Medicine in 1994.  Since then she has worked in general practice, emergency and critical care, and with board certified specialists in a variety of fields such as Internal Medicine, Surgery, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Neurology, Radiology and Acupuncture.  Her passions are critical care and pain management, and her broad knowledge base give her a special , holistic and comprehensive point of view of her patients.   She currently resides in Santa Monica, CA with two chihuahuas, two cats, two baby turtles and a betta!  Her favorite grooming products are the happytails ear wipes and the Dry Dog Instant Clean.
“My baby girl had horrible ear problems. They would itch and she would get infections in them all the time. The medicine the vet gave us had a strong, medicinal odor and she hated it. She would run every time she saw the bottle.  So I ordered the ear wipes by happytails to see if it would help.Her ears are really bad and I truly did …not expect much but I had to try something.To our wonderful surprise after about a week of daily cleansing her ears look wonderful! They do not bother her at all and you would never know she had such problems with them. And she does not run from me when it’s time to clean her ears!  The pads have a very soothing smell that we both love and I am so grateful I found your products. Thank you so much!”

Photo by Nikki Figular

Under normal circumstances, your dog’s ears shouldn’t smell bad at all. They shouldn’t be red, or itchy, or have a discharge. If your dog shows any of these symptoms, his ears need attention.

 

Up Close And Personal

 

One of the most enjoyable aspects of owning a dog is always having something to cuddle. It’s not so nice cuddling them when their ears are stinky.

 

Foul smelling ears are an indication that something isn’t quite right in the ear canals. When you bathe or groom your dog, it’s important that you get close to his ears and have a sniff. Identifying problems early will allow you to start treating the ears straight away, and have him feeling more comfortable very quickly.

 

Ear mites can cause a bad smell in the ears, as well as an obvious build up of dark crumbly material. They also make the ears extremely itchy, and are easily spread from one dog to another. If they’re not treated, a secondary infection can develop, which hurts and can be more difficult to resolve. You can easily treat ear mites by using an insecticidal ear drop from your veterinarian.

 

Ears that don’t dry out very well are a perfect environment for bacterial growth and infection, and the resultant bad smell. Examples are dogs with floppy ears which don’t allow air circulation, and even dogs who swim frequently. These dogs benefit from using a product that dries up excess moisture in the ear canal.

 

The third main cause of smelly ears is skin allergies. Irritation and inflammation of the skin due to allergies also extends to the ear canal. Your dog will dig and scratch at his ear with his foot, desperately trying to relieve the itch. These allergies lead to secondary infection with bacteria and fungi, which is also itchy, painful, and smelly. Smelly ears are often related to an allergy to food, or to dusts and pollens in the environment.

 

Get Some Fresh Air Into Those Ears

 

You can tackle your dog’s stinky ears by treating the cause of the smell, which is usually an     infection. To do this, you’ll need to take your dog to your vet for an ear exam. She’ll take a sample of his ear discharge and examine it to identify the bacteria that’s causing the problem. She’ll then clean the ears and prescribe an appropriate antibiotic, and also some pain relief.

 

You’ll still need to deal with the primary problem. If your dog is a water baby, then make sure you clean and dry his ears after he swims. If the infection was caused by ear mites, your vet will advise you on what to use to kill them. If he has allergies, it’s a good idea to start a food trial to rule out any food sensitivity. Your vet may prescribe anti-itch medication such as Benadryl to stop him scratching and traumatizing his ears, and encouraging further infection.

 

Ear Clear is a useful tool to have in your arsenal for treating ear infections. It’s an all natural product, containing antimicrobial herbs and tea tree oil, and will help to reduce any infection and swelling in your dog’s ear canal. Extra virgin olive oil will soothe the ear canal, and help break up any wax accumulation. Finally, lavender oil is anti-bacterial and anti-itch, and makes your dog’s ears smell a lot more pleasant.

 

A bad smell means that something is wrong in the ears, and that something usually hurts. Treating the cause of the smell will not only have you snuggling up to your dog again, but will have him feeling more comfortable. That’s a win-win situation for both of you.

 

 

 

 

One of the most common reasons for a dog to visit their veterinarian is an ear infection. In fact, ear infections are the #1 reason why people take their dog’s to the vet.

The skin lining a dog’s ear canal is very similar to that on his body, which means that anything that affects his skin, may also have an effect on his ears. Any changes in the ear canal skin can allow bacteria and fungi to multiply and cause infection. Your dog will scratch his ear, shake his head and cry. If you look inside his ear, it’s often red, it may smell bad, and in some cases, you’ll see a discharge around the opening of his ear canal.

Ear Ye! Ear Ye!

There are several causes of ear infections in dogs.

• The first is the conformation of a dog’s ear. Floppy ears, such as those belonging to Cocker Spaniels and similar breeds, are particularly prone to infection. This happens because the pendulous flaps keep the canals moist, and prevent air circulation in the ears. The result is a warm moist canal that allows the growth of bacteria and fungi.

• Medical conditions can also predispose to ear disease. Illnesses, particularly hormone disorders such as an under active thyroid gland , can lead to changes in the skin lining the ear canal, and a similar secondary infection.

• A third cause of ear problems in dogs is allergies. Allergic reactions to food, or to dusts and pollens, can not only make a dog’s body itchy, but can cause redness, irritation and inflammation in his ear canal.

• It’s still possible for dogs without any of these conditions to have ear problems – examples are dogs who swim regularly, or those who have very hairy ear canals. In both cases, the result is moisture in the ear canal, and infection.

Sore Ears Can Stick Around

Unfortunately, ear infections can be difficult to clear up, and may last several weeks. These more chronic infections are most likely to be caused by allergies, or by floppy ears.

You’ll need to visit your vet to determine the underlying cause of your dog’s ear infection. He’ll look at the shape of his ears, and examine his outer ear canal. He’ll then look inside his canal with an otoscope, and have a close look at a sample of discharge under a microscope. This sample can tell him if there are any parasites present, and what bacteria and fungi are present. Depending on what he finds, he may recommend the sample be sent to a laboratory to find out what antibiotics could be used to kill the infection.

There are three steps to treating a chronic ear infection:

1 Clean the ear gently, to remove any discharge in the canal. Clip the hair around the opening of the ear canal to allow air to circulate. Try all natural Ear Wipes to make the job easier.

2. Regularly use a product that dries out the canal. This helps prevent a moist environment which, as we’ve already seen, allows bacteria and fungi to multiply.

3. Use a suitable antibiotic or anti-inflammatory ear drop as prescribed by your veterinarian, to kill the infection and ease your dog’s discomfort. In some cases, your vet may recommend antibiotic tablets as well as drops .

Chronic ear infections can really rack up the vet bills. In order to keep those infections at bay, try an all natural, over the counter solution like Ear Aid – a two step process that both cleans and deodorizes, heals and protects your dog’s ears. If it works on your dog, you’ll save fortunes!

Keep It Clean

If your dog’s chronic ear infection is caused by an allergy, your vet will help you take steps to keep it under control.

However, if his ear problem is caused by floppy ears, or regular swimming, keeping it clean and dry will make it less likely that bacteria will grow in his ear, and less likely that he’ll develop an infection.

Although ear infections are common, using Ear Aid regularly will keep your dog’s ears healthy and pain free. ‘Ear ‘Ear!!

Floppy-eared dogs like Copper are more likely to get ear infections.

Ear infections may be caused by yeast and bacteria

by Carlotta Cooper

Dogs can have ear problems for several reasons, but one of the most common reasons is due to bacterial and yeast infections. That’s when you’ll see the following results:

• dog shaking his head
• scratching at his ears
• Inflammation
• a bad smell coming from his ears
• ears that are hot and painful when touched

Do your ears hang low?

As the owner of a long-haired, floppy-eared breed of dog, I always have to be concerned about my dogs’ ears. (English Setters already have to be on guard against deafness — like we don’t have enough problems with ears!) Any dog with floppy ears is more likely to have ear infections because the long ears cut off some of the circulating air that would otherwise keep the ears dried out. The hair keeps moisture trapped in the ear. Prick-eared dogs, with their ears exposed to the air, have fewer ear infections.

You’re growing what in your ears?

Yeast and bacteria love to grow in the ears of flop-eared breeds. They also like to grow in the ears of dogs that have very hairy ear canals, like long-haired dogs. Poodles are said to be particularly prone to ear infections because they have a great deal of hair in their ear canals.

Not immune to infections

If your dog has allergies, such as dog food allergies, he is also more likely to express that allergy by having ear infections. According to one source, some 25 percent of dogs with food allergies have ear infections as their only symptom. Those ear infections are likely to be yeast infections. If your dog has allergies then his immune system will likely be affected, making him unable to fight off yeast when it takes up residence in h is ears.

Yeast and bacteria are typically present in your dog’s ears all the time. When they grow out of control it means that your dog’s immune system was not able to fight them off. Your veterinarian will be able to provide you with medication for your dog’s ear infection — most likely drops to be used and a good ear cleaner .

The primary difference between a bacterial infection and a yeast infection (to laymen) is that a yeast infection can spread to other parts of your dog’s body. A yeast infection can also develop a secondary bacterial infection. If your dog scratches at his ears relentlessly he could make them raw and they could become infected with a bacterial infection of their own. This infection would have to be treated separately from the yeast infection.

You will also need to do something to build up your dog’s immune system like giving him a supplement with vitamins and herbs designed specifically to strengthen the immune system. Your vet should also make sure that your dog is not suffering from any kind of allergies that could have triggered the ear infection, especially if your dog has recurring ear infections.

‘Ear’s some tips

There are some things you can do to try to prevent ear infections from yeast and bacteria:

• Clean your dog’s ears regularly with a good ear cleaner .

• Keep the hair inside the ear and around the opening of the ear trimmed to allow air to circulate.

• Feed a good quality food without corn, wheat or other carbohydrates that have been linked to food allergies. Look for foods high in meat protein.

• If your dog swims you should use cotton balls to gently dry out the inside of your dog’s ears afterward. Clean your dog’s ears following a swimming session.

For most dogs ear infections are preventable with regular ear cleaning . If your dog does develop an ear infection it’s best to see your veterinarian. Left untreated, or not treated properly, ear infections can become very hard to clear up and may even require surgery. Keep those ears clean!

by Carlotta Cooper

Ear problems? Could be food allergies

Years ago my sweet dog Avery started having inflamed ears when he was just a puppy. I couldn’t figure out what the problem was. I cleaned his ears as often as I cleaned my other dogs’ ears. I kept the hair around his long ears trimmed. I used a good ear cleaner that my vet had recommended. I even took Avery to the vet and we went through a couple of rounds of antibiotics. His ears would clear up but, as soon as the medicine was gone, the inflamed ears and yucky stuff would be back again. Believe it or not, Avery had these ear problems, off and on, for years.

That was a long time ago, before people talked very much about food allergies in dogs. The very idea that dogs could be allergic to regular dog food? Preposterous! But now we know that it not only happens, but it’s actually not uncommon at all. And one of the signs of food allergies is recurring ear infections.

Your dog’s ears provide a warm, moist, dark environment — perfect for things to grow. When your dog’s immune system is healthy his body (and his ears) can regulate all of the proteins, carbohydrates, starches and other nutrients in his diet. If your dog’s immune system is out of whack because his body is having a reaction to his food, that reaction can manifest itself in an ear infection — or in hives, itchy skin or other allergic reactions.

Changing food often helps your dog’s ears, especially if you are upgrading the food to one that’s higher quality. Animal protein is usually a better choice than vegetable proteins, such as corn, since it’s easier for your dog to digest and produces less waste in his system. Corn and wheat, found in many dog foods today, have been linked to many allergies.

There are lots of dog foods on the market today which offer “novel” or “exotic” proteins. You should be careful about feeding your dog a diet that is based completely on yak meat or making him crave emu burgers. (That’s not very far-fetched.) If your dog does have allergies you should try to use a food with an easily-available meat protein. Save the extremely exotic meat proteins in case the more common proteins don’t work for your dog. Whether your dog has allergies or not, you always want to have some options for him in the future. If you feed him the most exotic foods when you don’t have to, you won’t have anything available that he can eat if he develops an allergy to those foods.

If changing your dog’s food doesn’t completely clear your dog’s ears up you can also try adding some supplements to his diet. Acidophilus tablets, echinacea, and Ester C can all help improve your dog’s ear problems due to allergies. Acidophilus works to improve digestion. It has active live cultures, similar to yogurt, and can restore any imbalances in your dog’s gastrointestinal tract. Echinacea, in particular, can give a boost to your dog’s immune system.

I wish I’d known about many of these solutions when I still had my Avery. We battled his ear problem all his life. I tried one topical solution after another but the ear problems always returned. There was one terrible time when I tried a potion with blue gentian in it. Avery jerked just as I was pouring the concoction in his ear and my poor boy had purple ears for a few weeks. I tried to keep my friends and family from laughing at him but they laughed anyway. Poor Avery! It was bad enough to have ear infections. Now he had purple ears and people were laughing at him.

At least now we know much more about dogs and food allergies. We can do so much more to eliminate these ear problems by attacking the cause. If your dog has ear problems that seem to keep coming back after every treatment, look at his diet! He may have food allergies.

The Ears Have It –

Our dogs depend upon us for all of their care. Some things are hard to forget. Your dog is not going to let you forget to feed him! If your dog’s breath gets too bad you may think about brushing his teeth. And when you hear a clickety-clack on your floor you may be reminded to trim his nails. Hopefully you do these things regularly. But when it comes to your dog’s ears he can develop a serious problem before you ever realize there’s something amiss.

‘Ear’s the facts

There are several obvious signs of ear disease:

• A bad odor coming from your dog’s ear(s)
• Scratching or rubbing the ears or head
• Discharge from the ears
• Redness or swelling of the ear flap or inside the ear canal
• Shaking the head or holding it to one side
• Painful ears
• Changes that go with these signs, such as depression or irritability

I hear you!

Unfortunately, ear disease, or otitis externa, is all too common in dogs. Veterinarians see if very frequently. It can occur for a number of reasons.

• Your dog may have food allergies
• Your dog may have ear mites (tiny, almost microscopic pests)
• Your dog can have a bacterial or yeast infection
• Your dog can have something stuck in his ear, such as grass seed
• Your dog may have experienced trauma to his ear — this can occur when he scratches and rubs his head too much
• Hypothyroidism can result in ear infections

There are other reasons why your dog can develop ear problems. Flop-eared dogs are said to be more inclined to ear infections than prick-eared dogs. This is because their flop ears cut off some of the air flow to the ear canal that keeps the ears dry. When ears are moist and dark they are more likely to encourage the growth of bacterial and yeast infections.

Can you hear me now?

Ear infections and other ear problems can make your dog miserable. Regular cleaning is the single best thing you can do to prevent your dog from developing ear problems.

Cleaning your dog’s ears isn’t difficult. You should clean your dog’s healthy ears about once a week. You can obtain a good ear cleaner from your vet or from a source that sells good dog products. Ear cleaners should not sting your dog’s ears so check the ingredients. You should fill your dog’s ears with the cleaner and massage the base of the ear for 20-30 seconds. This massage helps loosen the wax and debris inside the ear. You can wipe the ear out with a cotton ball. You may need to do this a couple of times until the cotton ball comes out clean.

Your dog’s ears will remain cleaner and less likely to become infected if you keep the hair inside the ears clipped. This will allow more air to reach the inside of the ear and keep the ear canal drier.

If your dog has ear infections because of allergies you can try changing his food but you may have to identify what your dog is allergic to first. If you suspect that your dog is having ear problems because of hypothyroidism you should see a vet and let him diagnose the problem. The ear problems will clear up when your dog’s hypothyroidism is properly treated.

If your dog is experiencing ear disease you should see your vet. Neglecting ear problems can lead to permanent loss of hearing.

Regular ear cleaning will prevent most ear problems. This is truly a case where an ounce (or less!) or prevention is worth a pound of cure.