Ear infections, also called otitis externa, are the most common, and sometimes the most frustrating, infection we treat. Ear infections affect both dogs and cats, and can cause significant inflammation and discomfort for the pet. Signs of an ear infection include head shaking, scratching the ears, a noticeable odor to the head or ears, discharge and/or redness inside the ear canal or ear flap.
In cats, the most common causeof an ear infection are ear mites-a small parasite that gets transmitted from cat to cat. Dogs, on the other hand, ear infections are most commonly a yeast or bacteria, or even sometimes both. Despite common belief, ear mite infections in dogs are extremely rare. Most cases of ear infections in dogs are a result of an underlying condition-conditions such as allergies (see our allergy section for more information), excessive moisture or wax accumulation within the ear canal, narrowing of the ear canal, polyps and foreign bodies, among others. Cats can also have these underlying problems lead to non-mite ear infections.
Ear infections need to be diagnosed with a complete physical examination and an examination of the ear canals with an instrument called an otoscope. The otoscope allows us to see the inside of the ear canal to determine if an infection is actually present. More importantly it allows us to visualize the ear drum. If the ear drum has been damaged or ruptured, it tells us the infection has gone deeper than the outer ear, and it also limits the medications we can apply to the ear. Certain medications, if applied to an ear with a ruptured ear drum, can cause ototoxicity-a condition that causes the pet to become deaf. We will also perform cytology on the ear discharge. Cytology allows us to identify the actual type of infection that is present. Knowing what is growing in the ear allows us to choose the correct medication to treat the problem.
Ear infections can be frustrating, especially in dogs, because the underlying conditions that predispose them to ear infections are often chronic and ongoing. So, the ear infections tend to be recurrent. In these cases, managing the underlying condition can often help to keep the ear infections to a minimum. In addition, routine ear cleanings at home can minimize the accumulation of wax and moisture, and thus reduce the frequency of ear infections. We would be happy to demonstrate how to clean ears on your next examination visit.
It is important to note that your pet needs to be evaluated each time they develop an ear infection-even if they are one of the unlucky ones that have repeated ear infections. Each time they get an ear infection we need to evaluate the ear drum, and determine what they are infected with. Many times an ear infection is different, and we need to treat accordingly.