Dog earache: causes and treatment

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 3 August 2021
Update Date: 22 June 2024
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How to Identify and Treat an Ear Infection in Your Dog
Video: How to Identify and Treat an Ear Infection in Your Dog

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Otitis is a very recurrent problem in veterinary clinical practice and manifests itself as itching, redness, excess earwax and earache in the dog, causing discomfort not only for the dog, but also for the tutor who observes him.

A very common sign of ear infections is increased production of earwax (wax) by the ceruminous glands. If your dog is shaking or nodding his head, scratching his ear excessively, has a lot of earwax and an unpleasant odor, you should see a veterinarian.

In this post by PeritoAnimal we will explain about canine otitis, its causes, treatment and one of the most recurrent symptoms, Earache in dog.


Otitis in dogs

The ear is divided into inner, middle and outer ear, and the latter is divided into vertical and horizontal channel. Otitis in dogs is a ear inflammation (ear and ear canal) and, depending on the location, it receives the classification of internal, media and/or external otitis.

The most common type that appears in veterinary clinics is canine external otitis. If poorly treated, it progresses to medium and/or internal, causing more serious problems that can manifest in neurological symptoms.

Predisposing factors of otitis in dogs

There are risk factors that make animals of certain ages, breeds and lifestyles more likely to develop recurrent otitis. For example:

  • Elderly animals are associated with more inflammatory tumors or polyps;
  • Race is also an important favor. dogs of pendular ears or with lots of hair such as Shi tzu, Basset Hound or Cocker Spaniel create ideal conditions for the microorganisms in the pinna to develop and cause inflammation and infection of the ear.
  • The anatomy/conformation of the auditory canal of brachycephalic breeds such as Bulldog or the narrowing of the ears of Shar pei are other factors that predispose to the appearance of otitis and, consequently, earache in dogs.
  • THE constant food exchange or bath without drying at the end, leave the environment of the ear moist and dark, ideal for developing an otitis in dogs.

Causes of Otitis in Dogs

Otitis in dogs can have different causes, among them there are primary and secondary causes, such as:


Primary Causes of Otitis in Dogs

Allergies

A considerable percentage of dogs have some type of allergic reaction/food intolerance or environmental allergy. In case the dog is allergic to some environmental component, it develops atopic dermatitis at certain times of the year.

One of the most common symptoms of chronic allergies is earache in dogs, and they are often the only symptom of this problem. As this is a generalized reaction, the canine otitis is, as a rule, bilateral, that is, both ears are affected, although they may be affected in different degrees of severity.

An allergic dog has thickened and erythematous (red) skin in the canal, red and painful interdigital space, alopecia (fur gaps) diffused throughout the body. In cases of food allergy in dogs, they may have irritated anus region, along with gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and/or vomiting.


foreign bodies

In fact, foreign bodies are at the top of the differential diagnosis list when a dog with earache and suspected of unilateral otitis. The veterinarian should look for thorns or plant seeds (very common), small stones, dust, insects or hair.

Masses in the ear canal

Polyps or other types of tumors can develop inside the pinna or ear canal and cause pain and otitis with secondary infection.

parasites

The parasites are more common in cats (otodectes), however in dogs it is also possible to observe parasites seen directly in the canal during otoscopy.

autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases can cause bilateral ear infections recurrent.

endocrine diseases

Endocrine/hormonal problems are also included in the differential diagnosis list for canine otitis, as they can cause excessive production of earwax by the glands and trigger secondary infections.

Secondary causes of otitis in dogs

An animal that is predisposed to problems with excess earwax or a good ear microenvironment can provide the overgrowth of opportunistic microorganisms such as fungi (for example, malassezia in a dog) or bacteria (pseudomonas or S.aureus).

This is why it is very important to keep the ear canal clean, dry and free from hair or foreign bodies. Know how to identify dog earache symptoms in the next section.

How to Diagnose Dog Otitis: Symptoms

At home you should be aware of the signs of earache in dogs and main symptoms of otitis in dogs:

  • Scratching your ears a lot;
  • Shaking your head (pain);
  • Tilt your head;
  • Red or hot ears;
  • Increased amount of wax;
  • Bad odor in the ear canal;
  • Exudation;
  • Sensitivity to touch and crying when he scratches himself (meaning he has pain);
  • Aggressiveness when trying to manipulate or clean (pain);
  • Hearing loss;
  • Lack of motor coordination.

Diagnosis of canine otitis

At the veterinarian, the diagnosis is more complete and involves the combination of clinical signs, the dog's history (provided by you), clinical examination and complementary tests, such as:

  • Otoscopy, to directly observe the canal;
  • Cytology, observation under a microscope of possible microorganisms;
  • Culture and antibiogram, to find the best antibiotic to be used;
  • Optical fiberoscopy video;
  • Radiography;
  • Magnetic resonance;
  • Computed tomography;
  • Biopsy and histology.

How to Relieve Earache in Dogs

The main goals of canine otitis treatment involve:

  • Identify the primary cause and control predisposing factors;
  • Remove secondary infections;
  • Decrease inflammation and relieve pain;
  • Remove excess earwax and keep the ear environment dry and clean.

if you are looking home remedy for dog earache, see these articles from PeritoAnimal, home remedies for canine otitis and ear infection - home remedies.

Topical cleaning solution

There are several cleaning solutions suitable for the most diverse situations.

  • One ceruminolytic (with, for example, urea) prevents the formation of more earwax.
  • One ceruminsolvent (glycerin or lanolin) soften the earwax and cause it to release from the walls of the ear canal.
  • There are still the drying solutions that dry the canal and are indicated for productive or purulent otitis (propylene glycol, acetic acid, etc.).

If your pet has a lot of wax and wants to clean, here are some tips for how to clean dog ear:

  1. Soak a cotton swab or swab in saline or cleaning solution.
  2. Clean excess wax with gentle, circular motions.
  3. Avoid using cotton swabs or sharp objects to try to get deeper. Swabs can be used in the superficial recesses of the ear.
  4. Then pass a dry cotton to remove excess liquid and not leave a humid environment.
  5. Cleaning ends when the cotton comes out clean without dirt.
  6. You can also remove/cut the hairs that are directed towards the inside of the ear canal to aerate the area.

Topical treatment solution

There are situations where it is enough to start the first approach without having to use the Dog Ear Pain Treatment Solution, are the case of situations where there is no infection and canine otitis is not installed. This condition is determined by the veterinarian, only he can determine the best approach to take. If you need a treatment solution for canine otitis, you should:

  1. Wait about 30 minutes after applying the cleanser to the dog with earache.
  2. Add the treatment solution, whether anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, acaricide or corticoid.
  3. In more severe or generalized cases, it is necessary to medicate with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs or systemic corticosteroids, adding baths with specific shampoos. If it is a dog with atopic dermatitis or a skin problem.
  4. Certain animals need immunotherapy, that is, vaccines with the allergen that stimulate the immune system.
  5. For dogs with food intolerances or allergies, it is necessary to make a hypoallergenic restriction diet and control it to rule out which food is causing this allergy.

If you are wondering if in cases of ear pain in dogs I can give dipyrone, see our article and find out what to do.

Earache in a dog: consequences

Along with canine otitis or just as a result of a more vigorous shaking of the head, microfractures of the cartilage of the ear can occur and cause a hematoma, the so-called otohematoma, where accumulation of serosanguineous fluid between the skin and cartilage, creating a blood pouch in the ear.

This situation, in addition to being very uncomfortable, is very painful for the dog with earache. The treatment is surgical performed under anesthesia, during which the otohematoma is drained and fissures are created so that drainage continues and no fluid accumulates. In addition, for the post-surgical period, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs can be prescribed to aid in healing and pain management.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Dog earache: causes and treatment, we recommend that you enter our Other health problems section.