Causes of Dog Ear Infections: What Every Pet Owner Should Know—So Listen Up!
The causes of dog ear infections are many and varied. While an ear infection may appear to come from out of
nowhere, there is generally an underlying cause, though it may not be an obvious one.
Because ear infections are common dog health problems, your dog will likely fall victim to one sooner or later.
Part of the reason for this lies in the anatomy of a dog's ear which makes it attractive to parasites, fungus, bacteria, as well as the collection of plant debris while out on walks. And once any of these life forms take up residence, they can raise havoc and drive your dog crazy!
No doubt, as a caring pet parent, you will want to help your dog avoid these pesky and painful ear problems as much as possible.
Learning about what can cause a dog ear infection will put you in the
best position to do this. Plus you'll be sparing him from a lot of
serious discomfort and the necessity to visit that "scary" place known
as the vet's office!
So let's get to it.
Common Causes of Dog Ear Infections
One of the main causes of ear infection in dogs is something an owner can remedy immediately:
- Wet ears!
While the inside of a dog's ear already has a certain natural level of yeast and bacteria, excessive moisture remaining after bathing or swimming can change this balance, allowing bacteria to build up and trigger an infection.
- Yeast and bacteria love and thrive in a moist environment - particularly when it is also warm and dark.
Not only is it a good idea to clean and dry your dog's ears thoroughly after they are exposed to water, but also to look for foreign object that may have entered the ear during a swim.
Foreign objects remaining in the ear can lead to the development of an ear infection.
Interactive
Other Causes Of Dog Ear Infections
- Excessive wax can not only be an indicator of an ear infection, but also the cause of one. Wax
build up can occur if the ears are not kept clean, leading to an increase in microbial activity. This in turn can
alter the ideal amount of wax present for its normal protective function.
- Uninvited guests visiting the ear such as fox tails, grass seeds and any other type of plant matter. When foreign matter of this type gets inside the ear and is not removed promptly, it can become embedded into the fragile skin of the ear causing irritation, inflammation and you guessed it - ear infection.
- Dog owners themselves can contribute to the onset of an ear infection in dogs if they get into the habit of
using cotton-tipped swabs during grooming.
Even with the best of intentions, they can accidentally damage the delicate anatomy of the ear, or push materials including wax to a deeper level thereby cutting off air circulation or causing irritation.
On a side note, when it comes to air circulation in a dog's ear, you may hear some people recommend plucking out hair inside the ear to improve circulation.
This is contrary to the one reason dogs have hair in their ears in the first place which is to protect them from substances that might invade the ear canal.
Another thing to keep in mind is that after hair is plucked out, a serum is excreted which turns out to be irresistible to bacteria.
In my view, hair should only be removed for a medical reason and upon the advice of a vet. A hair mat blocking the ear canal and causing secondary problems might be a valid reason for removal, but consulting with a professional is always a good decision when it comes to dog ear problems.
and Controlling Ear Infections in Pets
More Common Causes
- Ear mites. These microscopic insects are quite often the trigger for a dog's ear infection,
or more accurately said, they put in motion the mechanism that gets the ball rolling.
- When mites invade the ear canal they obtain food by piercing the pet's skin which subsequently leads to an allergic reaction.
The result of this can be seen by your pet experiencing an intense amount of itching which naturally leads to an intense amount of scratching. By and by, the ear becomes highly irritated and inflamed, setting the stage for an infection.
- Allergies. Sensitivities to food and/or medications, are frequent causes of ear infections in dogs
because they can set up conditions in which bacteria can thrive.
Sometimes antibiotic ear preparations are prescribed in these cases, but should be used with caution since, used excessively, they can become ineffective against the bacteria.
- Food sensitivities. When dealing with a problem in the diet, it may take awhile to identify the actual ingredient. While you are trying to discover the food culprit, vets often recommend strengthening
the immune system to make it more efficient in identifying real threats as opposed to harmless ones.
In fact, ear infections in themselves are quite often a sign that the immune system is in a weakened condition.
- Lastly, a word about hormone imbalances and in particular - hypothyroidism, a disease associated with a slowing of the metabolism.
When a dog has this type of thyroid deficiency, it may show up in a variety of signs.
One of the more visible ones is an adverse change in coat condition including a fair amount of hair loss. Another is a predisposition toward ear infections.
What To Do
If you suspect your best buddy has an ear infection, don't hesitate to take him to your vet. If the problem isn't treated, it can lead to lots of bad things for your pet such as pain and damaged hearing to name just a couple.
If you see the ears are red together with a whole lot of scratching and itching going on plus a bad smell, these are reasons enough to get it checked out. So go, hurry!
Wrapping It Up
There you have it, now you know some of the main causes of ear infection in dogs.
I hope you put this information to good use along with regular ear inspection and cleaning to keep your dog's ears as healthy as they can be.
If you have made it to the bottom of this page, you are a blessing to your dog - as he is to you.
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