One of the most common reasons for visits to the vet is a problem with your ears. The dog or cat shakes his head, scratching or in pain, or the owner sees that the animal has any secretions in the ears. Sometimes it smells bad. The inside of the ear flap and ear canal becomes red and irritated and sometimes ulcerated. Secretion formed may be yellow, brown or duration. Common dog ear infection symptoms are easy to treat, while others are more difficult. Sometimes it can take a lot of long treatments and several checks before everything is resolved.
The ear canal
Ear canal length varies between 5-10 cm. according to race and are unlike ours, angled. It is covered with skin, just like the normal skin containing hair follicles and various glands.
The glands produce earwax and other secretions. In a properly functioning healthy ear wax and secretions transported upwards to the outer ear. The ear is thus self-cleaning.
Allergies common cause
is always multiple factors that interact before an ear infection breaks out. Hanging ears increases the risk of ear infections, as well as a lot of hair in the ears, hot and humid weather and high mucus production in the ears. But it also needed a direct trigger. Allergic problems, parasites like ear mites, tumors or polyps in the ear canal foreign bodies such as parts of plants, can trigger ear inflammation but also hormonal disorder that affects mucus production in the ears.
Allergies are one of the most common causes of ear infections in dogs. Most of these dogs have itching in other parts of the body, but a number of dogs have ear problems as the only symptoms of his allergies. Ear mites are very common, especially in cats. It is also highly contagious and, although the dogs. Therefore, all dogs and cats that have had contact with each other, treated simultaneously.
Bacteria and fungi
when the ear canal becomes damaged and inflamed begin the bacteria and/or yeasts that are in the ears to grow into. Bacteria and yeasts are seeing quite normal in the ears of the small amount. They take the chance to multiply when the ear canal is damaged and worsens when heavily ear inflammation.
There is a risk of permanent changes in the ear canal. For example, if an allergic dog is not being treated for the underlying problem or an ear infection has not healed properly before treatment is stopped, it may develop a chronic inflammation.
Inflammation of the middle ear can also provide permanent. Of an ear infection ear canal can become narrowed, the amount of mucus-producing glands more and it becomes more difficult to clean and treat. It all becomes a vicious circle.
To obtain information about an ear infection vet look first at the ear flaps and the area around the ear. It then examines the ear canal with an otoscope called. It checks that the eardrum is intact, and look for changes in the ear canal. Secretion in the ears give additional information. In the microscope looking vet for ear mites, but also for the types of bacteria that are there and if there are yeasts.
What one finds in the microscope is a great help to choose the right treatment. Some bacteria are extremely difficult to treat. Loot at such microscopic examination so is also a culture and susceptibility testing. You then get to know what bacteria it is and which antibiotics are best choice in this particular case.
Treatment of ear infections
Cleaning is a very important part of treatment. Medicines that dropped into the ear works well if the ear is filled with secretions. The wax is also annoying in itself, so it must be removed. Use is preferably such as Epi-Otic. It dripped down in abundance, followed by massage for at least 30 seconds. After my CA10. can dry out the ear with cotton or soft paper.
It is always better to select dog ear infection home remedy treatment rather than antibiotics. A lot of ear cleaning solutions has been shaken out in the meantime. If the mucus is thin or term used anywhere saline for cleaning. Never use swabs (cotton buds) deep in the ear canal, but only in the outer parts, i.e. as far as you can see. Ear infections are treated mainly with ear drops, usually in 10-14 days.
Different ear drops containing different types of antibiotics and usually also somewhat anti-yeast. In addition, ear drops cortisone to reduce swelling and itching. For allergic ear problems may be fine to use drops containing only cortisone. Ear infections are rarely treated with antibiotics in tablet form, possibly at distinct chronic infections and always in the inflammation of the middle ear.
Dogs or cats prone to ear infections treat with preventive agents. Should animal often yeast infections in the ears, it is an acidifying agent such as Epi-Otic a good choice since yeasts do not thrive in an acid environment. Will your pet often ear infections, ask your veterinarian what you can do to prevent new infections.
Although you can not prevent your dog or cat suffer so you can certainly achieve that otitis media is less frequently and may become less severe. Hit your dog or cat to an ear infection, so do not wait to seek veterinary help. The earlier the correct treatment is provided, the greater the chance of success of the treatment and the animal avoid unnecessary suffering.