Ear Problems

People frequently tell me that their pets have selective hearing.  Mine definitely do!  They don't hear you call them, but they come running if they hear something drop, the rattle of food in the dish, or a package being opened.  Dogs and cats possess an acute sense of hearing, but how do you know if your pet has a problem with its ears?

Quite often ear problems are easy to spot.  You should look into your pet's ears on a regular basis, at least once a week.  The ear canal is lined with skin which should be pale pink in color and smooth in texture.  There shouldn't be any odor coming from the ear and there should be virtually no ear wax visible.  When a bacterial or parasitic infection is present, the skin around and in the ear canal may be red and look inflamed or rough.  There may or may not be a lot of yellow, black or brown ear wax present.  Sometimes pus will drain from the ear canal, or you may notice ulcers on the skin of the ear.  If your pet has chronic ear problems, the skin will have a leather-like appearance and become pigmented.  Usually your pet will alert you to the problem by repeatedly shaking its head, scratching at its ears, or will even tilting its head to one side (as if you just asked it a question).  More often than not, there will be an odor coming from the ear.  Your pet will be quieter than normal because it is uncomfortable.  If you've ever had an ear infection, you'll know just how uncomfortable your pet can be.

How do ear infections occur?  The ear canal is the perfect breeding ground for yeast, bacteria, and parasites because it is a warm, dark, moist environment.  And when any of those are present, the body responds by producing wax to help flush them out. I tend to see ear infections more frequently in dogs with hairy or floppy ears or a lot of skin around their face because air flow through the ear canal is reduced. Some breeds are predisposed to ear problems, such as Westies, St. Bernards, Labradors, Shih Tzus, and Cocker Spaniels. Dogs that swim also have a tendency to develop ear infections.  Recurrent ear infections can also be a sign of allergies. 

Ear infections of the external ear canal can lead to hearing loss if left untreated.  The infection can extend into the middle and internal ear.  If this happens, your pet will not only have a head tilt, but may walk in circles and lose its balance.  Ear infections can also cause hearing loss due to excess wax or inflamed skin physically closing off the ear canal.

In addition to looking into your pet's ears regularly, you can help to reduce the incidence of ear infections by cleaning the ears anywhere from once a week to once a month using a pet ear cleaner.  Do not use cotton buds deep in the ear canal.  Instead, put some cotton wool on your finger and wipe away any debris.  You can, however, use a cotton bud to clean the debris that you can see.   Clipping the hair around the ear, or plucking hair that is actually growing in the ear canal, will also help by increasing air flow within the ear canal.  If you have a dog that swims, be sure to wipe the ear with cotton wool to help absorb excess moisture afterwards.

If you think that your pet has an ear infection, bring it to your vet, who will treat it appropriately.  With recurrent ear infections, your vet will take an ear swab that will be sent to a lab to see what organisms grow and what antibiotics they are sensitive to.  Allergy testing can also be performed.  Occasionally, pets with chronic ear problems require surgery.