It is an inflammation of the ear. There are several types: external and average or internal.
- External: It is the most common and affects the outermost part of the ear, from the eardrum to the outside.
- Medium or internal: as the name implies, it affects the inner ear canal, from the eardrum to the internal structures.
"The severity will depend on the cause and chronicity. A foreign body can perforate the eardrum, a badly treated otitis can trigger an otitis media that is much more serious," explains veterinarian Arantxa Cascallar, of the Vets & company Veterinary Clinic, in Madrid.
Symptoms of otitis
By observing your dog, you can suspect if he suffers otitis. For example, you can detect it if:
- It is uncomfortable.
- Shake your head or shake a lot.
- He scratches his ear.
- Scrub your head on sofas, armchairs, bed, etc.
- His ears are red, smell bad, have scabs or suppurate pus or blood.
- He is nervous and does not let himself be touched when you approach.
- Loses balance (in this case, it is likely that the inner ear is affected and causes alterations in the vestibular system, resulting in loss of balance, dizziness and even nausea and vomiting).
What to do if you have otitis?
Go to the veterinarian since you have to find out why it has occurred and treat it. This, in addition to performing a physical examination and seeing with the otoscope if there is any foreign body, you can recommend a general check-up of the animal and, especially, if the problem persists. This way you can find out if you suffer from any autoimmune disease, allergies, dermatitis or other conditions related to otitis.
"The treatment will depend on the cause that causes it. If it is a mite, antiparasitic drugs will be used. If the cause is a food allergy, an elimination diet should be used. If it is a yeast, we will use drops that carry antifungals or cleansers that facilitate its elimination, and if it is bacterial with antibiotics. If what you have is a spike you have to extract it as soon as possible. You should never self-medicate or of course introduce sticks, "the veterinarian warns.
What should the owner not do?
Although we want to protect our companion animal and believe that we must act quickly, we must be patient and go to the veterinarian. He will know what to do to treat otitis. Therefore, avoid:
- Try to extract the foreign body without having experience in it.
- Pour oil or other product to soften the foreign body and extract it.
- Clean the ear before the veterinarian has observed the ear canal.
- Use swabs, cottons, etc.
- Use expired products or topical drops that have not been prescribed by a veterinarian.
Are there breeds predisposed?
Yes. Some breeds of dogs, due to their physical characteristics, have a greater predisposition to suffer from otitis. This is the case, for example, of dog breeds with drooping ears, because dirt accumulation is favored. "Certain breeds such as Shar-pei or Cocker have a greater predisposition. Likewise, dogs that live in the countryside are also more at risk of otitis from foreign bodies. On the other hand, breeding or shelter dogs can suffer from parasitic otitis. "explains the veterinarian.
The good hygiene It is essential to prevent otitis problems in our pets. If we check your ears often, we make sure they are clean and if we remove the inner hair from the ear periodically, we can reduce the risk of this inflammation.
В © ВЎHOLA! The total or partial reproduction of this report and its photographs is prohibited, even citing their origin.
What is canine otitis?
Otitis It is a water or chronic inflammatory disease that affects the auricular pavilion, the external auditory canal and / or the eardrum. It is caused by mites, fungi, bacteria, presence of foreign bodies, allergies, viral diseases, autoimmune diseases, or endocrinological disorders, among others.
What are the symptoms?
To know if our furry has otitis it is very important to know if he has any of these symptoms:
- Yellowish, brown or black discharge
- Sacud> Treatment of canine otitis
If we suspect that the dog has otitis, it is important that we take it to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Once there, will do an ear cleaning and will prescribe a few drops specific to the type of otitis that is affecting you. This treatment can last several days and even weeks, but to recover it is important to follow the instructions of the professional.
In severe cases, you will recommend administering antibiotics by mouth or by injection until several days after it has recovered.
Canine otitis is a disease that causes a lot of discomfort to the dog, but, fortunately, it can be prevented by cleaning the ears (the outermost part) with specific products that you will find for sale in veterinary clinics and in animal stores.
Canine otitis is one of the most common diseases in dogs.
Since they have a very developed and especially sensitive sense of hearing, we must pay special attention to their care
Canine otitis is inflammation of the ear, either internally or externally. It can affect one of these parts or even all, one ear or both. However, the most common in dogs is otitis externa,
Canine otitis can occur for several reasons, although the most common causes are allergies, especially in atopic dogs or with adverse reactions to food. They can cause allergic processes that affect the external auditory canal, causing otitis. Then these otitis can be complicated with yeasts that live in normal conditions in the ear without causing a problem in a healthy ear, and / or with bacteria, It must be remembered that the tap water is full of bacteria that, if we do not filter it, go directly to our dog. In addition, an excess of moisture in the ear will favor the development of fungi and yeasts, so ear washes should be performed with special products formulated for that purpose, and not with water or serum.
They can also be caused by parasites (the most common is the mite), foreign bodies (especially if you tend to frequent areas of the field, seeds or spikes can be introduced in your ear) and trauma due to excessive scratching of the animal itself, or fights .
In addition, certain breeds, such as the poodle, English bulldog, cocker, German shepherd, golden retriever, labrador retriever or shar pei are predisposed to suffer from them.
The most common symptoms presented by dogs with otitis are:
- Frequent shaking of the head and scratching of the ears
- If the infection only occurs in one ear, the dog will turn the head to the damaged side or, in the case of dogs with straight ears up, lower the affected ear
- Earwax Increase
- Yellowish, brown or black discharge
- Redness of the ear
- Strong smell of stale in earwax or rotten in severe canine otitis
- Appearance of pus
- Behavior changes towards aggressive behavior, caused by pain
If you notice that your dog has any of these symptoms, do not hesitate to go to the veterinarian immediately to establish the appropriate treatment.
How to prevent canine otitis?
The best way to prevent canine otitis is to clean your dog's ear canal once or twice a month. For this there are specific products for the prevention of canine otitis, such as dry cleaners, which you can find in a veterinary center.
