Labrador Retriever Dogs Blog

Some breeds of dogs are more susceptible than others to ear disease. Dogs whose ears “drop” or fall over the opening of the ear canals are the most suceptible to ear problems. Ears that drop allow moisture and debris to build up in the ear canal. Making the situation even worse is the fact that hair grows in the ear canals of these breeds.

Bacteria, ear-mites, and yeast grow especially well in areas that are moist, alkaline, and dirty, making ear canals prime targets for these disease causing elements. Add hair to such an environment, and you have the ideal breeding ground for these bacteria, ear-mites, and yeast to grow with wild abandon.

The goal of ear care, then, is to keep the ear canals of our little buddies clean and dry. Doing so will greatly reduce the opportunity for ear infections to occur.

Good ear care begins with frequent inspection of the ear canals for any signs of irritation. An excellent time to do this is during your grooming sessions, several times each week. Ideally, your dog should learn to happily accept you peeking into and handling their ears as pups, but it is never too late to gently and gradually train this vital health behavior.

When inspecting your dog’s ears, it is important to know how they should look. A healthy ear will be light pink in color. It will appear clean, with minor appearance of wax. It will also be odor-free. Any variations from light pink, clean, and non-smelling, are “red flags” that call for attention and action.

Similarly, there are a number of easily identifiable signs that indicate irritation or infection in the ear canal. The presence of any one of these signal a need for further investigation. These signs may include behaviors such as frequent scratching or pawing the ears, shaking the head, or tilting the head to one side. Other behaviors may be observed as problems with balance, hearing, or disorientation. We may be alerted that there is sensitivity to having an ear touched. Visual signs may also include redness or swelling of the ear canal, and discharges that may be yellowish, blackish, bloody, or the consistency of coffee grounds. There can be an accumulation of dark brown wax. An unpleasant odor is often detectable. Finally, there may be behavioral changes including listlessness, or irritability when ear canal irritation or infection is present.

Whatever the signs, when irritation or infection of the ear canal is suspected, seek veterinary care quickly! Ear problems cause considerable discomfort.

So far, we’ve learned why some breeds are so susceptible to ear canal irritations and infections and the general kinds of ear canal issues they tend to get. We understand the importance of examining our little buddies’ ears regularly. And, we know how to recognize healthy ears, and the signs and symptoms of infected or irritated ear canals.

INFECTIONS

Infections of the external ear (otitus externa) or of the middle ear, (otitus media) are most frequently caused by the growth of bacteria or yeast. Bacteria and yeast thrive in such warm, moist, dark environments. The accumulation of wax, hair, dirt, and other foreign matter in the ear canal, besides being problems in and of themselves, are high risk factors. These elements trap moisture and further prevent any circulation of air. Because of this, the accumulation of wax, hair, dirt, and other matter contribute to the both the beginning and the continuation of these bacterial and yeast infections in the ear canal.

Veterinary intervention is needed to correctly diagnose and prescribe the needed treatment for such infections. Antibiotics are often used for bacterial infections, while antifungals are ususally the choice for addressing yeast issues.

When yeast or bacterial infections are present, a dog will often shake its head, scratch or paw its ear, and may tilt the head to one side. This type of infection frequently produces a pungent odor. As the situation worsens, the ear canal will become inflamed and often produce a pussy discharge.

It should be noted that ear infections can also be symptoms of possible allergies or hormonal imbalances. Again, a veterinarian can determine if this is the case and prescribe the appropriate interventions.

Ear mites are common parasites that are highly contagious, easily spreading from pet to pet. Because parasites depend upon a living “carrier,” if one pet in a home has been diagnosed with ear mites, any other pets in the home also need to be examined for similar infestations and treated, by a veterinarian, as necessary.

Excessive itching is the most common sign of ear mites. Ear mites create dark, crumbly debris, resembling coffee grounds.

Proper ear care can usually prevent recurring infections. This involves keeping the ear canals clean and dry. A first step is removal of excess hair in the canal. Hair in the ear canal tends to trap dirt and water. Hair removal should be done as gently as possible, handling only a very few hairs at a time.

Twisting hair clusters around a tool and yanking can cause irritation! Please avoid such abrupt, massive actions, as they can do more harm than good.

A few hairs at a time can be comfortably removed using the thumb and forefinger to grasp the hairs at their bases, next to the skin, and carefully pulling.

After removing excess hair, the ear canals may be flushed with a commercial cleanser designed specifically for canine ears. Ask your veterinarian’s advice! After flushing, gently massage the base of the ears, next to the dog’s head, to distribute the solution within the folds inside the canal. A good ear cleaning solution will be designed not only to clean the ear canal, but also to liquify the wax, dry the moisture from the canal, and normalize the pH (acidity-alkaline factor) in the canal.

During warm weather your furry friend is likely to have more opportunities to be in water, whether for fun or for bathing. As preventative maintenance, a veterinarian-approved solution to treat the ears after water exposure can be useful.

Please, avoid alcohol as it can cause tremendous burning and further irritation! Also, Q-tips are “out” for ear canal care!

Regular ear exams and periodic maintenance to keep the canals clean and dry can prevent untold ear discomfort!

Ear infections in dogs ears can be very painful and serious, and should be treated immediately by a veterinarian, not ourselves.

How do we know if our dog has an ear infection?

By doing a regular inspection of our dogs ears will be the first step. Be familiar with his ears; know the typical smell, as that may be the first sign of something wrong. If there is an infection or ear mites, the smell may change, a foul odor is very typical of mites or infection. And if you see a dark, waxy type discharge, then this is another symptom of mites or infection. Either way, your dog needs to be checked and treated.

Even if you suspect, it may be something as simple as allergies, it would be better to be safe than sorry and let your loving dog suffer. They depend on you for their care and they have total trust in you. So when you think of it that way, you want to do everything in your power to make sure they stay healthy and happy.

The breeds with the longer floppy ears are going to be more prone to ear infections to those that have the upright ears. I have a black lab and a Chihuahua, ears of each kind. And I always watch for their behavior when it comes to their ears. When they are healthy, they leave them alone, but if there is pain, or discharge, they will paw at them or try to scratch. Dogs will also shake their head back and forth as if trying to shake something out of their ears.

How can you prevent ear infections?

Between normal checkups check your dogs ears on a regular basis. When you are playing with him or her, just casually look in the ears; it doesn’t need to be a form of trauma for them. Another good time is when you are bathing your dog. Never, ever stick anything in your dog’s ear. It is always a better idea to see your vet when it comes to anything to do with this very fragile part of your pet’s body. Their ears are not like ours, they are very sensitive and have parts that can easily be touched and damaged.

There is one method that a vet will recommend for the owner to do. If you sense a foul smell, or something has changed, you may want to flush your dog’s ear with warm water. There are ear washes for dogs that contain Tea Tree Oil; this is very gentle and very effective in cleaning the ears. It is a natural antiseptic, antibacterial and fungicidal, which will help to keep your dog’s ears clear and infection free.

Make your dogs ears a part of your routine, whether bathing or when sitting quietly with him. Give your dog the care that he or she needs and can’t do for him or herself. They can’t tell when something is wrong; it is our job to make sure they are well and carefree.

Just as a dogs life should be!

In this article, “How To Avoid A Dog Ear Infection Or Other Canine Ear Problems”, we investigate the some causes of ear infections and other related ear problems as well as providing some pratical advice on how to keep your dog’s ear in good working order.

Regular examination of your dogs ears should be another integral part of your grooming routine. Your examination should not only be checking for dirt, excessive wax, offensive odors, but also for tears and swellings. There are three main parts to a dogs ears: the outer flap (the pinna), the ear canal, and the middle or inner ear.

The pinna can either be pendulous (floppy) or erect. It can be covered in long hair in breeds such as spaniels and setters or with short hair in breeds such as shepherds and terriers. The ear canal is L-shaped. It starts of at a vertical angle and then makes a horizontal turn. Because of this shape we can only make a cursory examination. A veterinarian can make a complete examination using a device called an otoscope. Using the otoscope the veterinarian can also check the inner ear.

A dog which shakes its head, scratches or rubs it head against the floor or furniture is indicative of a dog with a possible ear problem. Offensive odors could also be indicative of an ear infection. These as well as tears and swellings on the outer ear should be checked and treated by a veterinarian.

Cleaning of the ear canal can be accomplished by using various solutions. There are cleansing solutions, ear-wax loosening and removal solutions and ear drying solutions available through your veterinarian and pet stores. Before putting anything in your dogs ears, consult with your veterinarian.

If the ear flap is dirty, it can be cleaned with a soft moist cloth or gauze wrapped around a finger tip. Q-tips can be used inside the small outer crevices. Gentleness is essential so as not to cause trauma to the outer ear or cause wax or dirt to be forced down the ear canal. Dogs with excessive hair such as spaniels should have the hair on the underside of the flap removed by trimming it, thus causing adequate ventilation and drainage. A build-up of dirty waxy hair can seal off the ear canal creating an environment suitable for bacterial growth such as yeast infections, or a breeding ground for parasites such as ear mites.

Another good time to check your dogs ears is when you come home from exercising in open fields or in the forest (hunting or tracking). Check for bugs such as ticks and for tears. A good brushing and bathing can remove dirt, bugs and allergens, which can also affect the ears.

Because of the shape of the dogs ears damage to the ear drum is rare but caution should be exercised when cleaning the ears. Again, never put anything in your dogs ears unless advised by your veterinarian and use extreme gentleness when cleaning the ears. Consult your veterinarian immediately if you have any concerns. An ounce of prevention is always worth a pound of cure.