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Dog Ear Infection Prevention and Detection by Noel Ireland
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Dog Ear Infection Prevention and Detection |
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Education,Family & Parenting,Pets
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Ear infections are a pretty frequent problem in dogs. The issue is that you may not notice there is a problem until it becomes unpleasant for your dog.
Detection
Do you see your dog moving its head a lot? Does your dog brush its ears on the carpet, the furniture, or your leg? Does your dog like it when you touch its ears a bit too much? These are all symptoms of an ear infection.
Did your dog used to like having its ears stroked but now run away when you reach for its ears? That's a dead giveaway for an ear infection.
Here are two more warning indicators of trouble: You see what appears to be dirt in your dog's ears and wonder what it has been up to. Even after a bath, your dog has an unusually bad odor.
It's not dirt in the dog's ears (unless it's been playing in some extremely dirty regions), it's ear wax, and if it is ear wax, it's also the cause of the mysterious stench.
In most situations, stinky ear wax is produced by inflamed (infected) ceruminous glands (wax glands) in the ears. When these glands get inflamed, they produce an excess of ear wax. When you scratch the dog's ears, the extra ear wax causes it to itch at first, which explains the scratching and pleasant expression. If you don't notice the problem and take the dog to the vet, the wax accumulation will become uncomfortable, the dog will refuse to let you touch its ears, the dog will become listless, and the dog will likely want to do nothing but lie around, hoping the discomfort will go away.
The situation described above is typical of an ear infection, which is by far the most frequent kind of dog ear infection. The medical term is Otits Externa, which literally means "outer ear infection." To make things even more complicated, dogs with ear infections often develop another problem: ear mites.
Prevention
Your dog needs you to protect it from the agony of an ear infection, and here's how: don't wait for symptoms; examine your dog's ears at least once a week.
Examine the skin inside each ear.
The skin should be completely smooth; if it feels rough or gritty, you may already be dealing with an ear infection.
Examine the ear canal for a typical appearance (not red or swollen).
Worst case scenario: y
ou'll see a yellow or black discharge, or maybe pus pouring from your ear.
Smell the ears—you should not detect any unpleasant odors.
If you see any indications of an ear infection, take your dog to the vet.
If you observe any wax or debris in the dog's ear but it doesn't seem to be harming him, clean his ears. Clean the ears even if the ear seems clean and clear and you haven't cleaned the dog's ears in a week or so.
Ear cleaning for your dog
If you do not already clean your dog's ears on a regular basis, it may attempt to flee since it is unsure what you are doing and is worried that whatever you are doing may harm it. Calm the dog down by caressing it and talking softly to it—your tone of voice is always important in determining how your dog will behave. The dog will get used to having its ears cleaned on a regular basis and may even welcome the additional care.
-Obtain a pet-specific ear wash solution. Purchase it from a pet shop or your veterinarian.
-Using a cotton ball or cotton-tipped swab, apply some ear wash solution to the inside of the dog's ears. (Careful! (Make sure the cotton ball or swab isn't dripping wet; you don't want anything in the ear canal.)
Your dog will want to shake its head right now to get the extra moisture out of its ears. It's OK. Allow him or her to work things out.
-Using a new cotton tab and extra ear-wash solution, wipe the inside of the ear, around the folds, and any other areas where ear wax may accumulate.
Do not try to clean deep into the ear canal; instead, see a veterinarian.
If you see any earwax accumulation deep within, consult your veterinarian. Have Fun with ACTIVITY BOOKS About Your Dog HERE | |
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