Dog Ear Infection Treatment

Ear infections are very common in dogs. Two types are most often seen: infection of the external ear canal (called otitis externa) and infection of the middle ear (called otitis media). Of course any dog can get an ear infection, some breeds so seem to be more prone than others. Dogs with long floppy ears, like Cocker Spaniels and Basset Hounds, or dogs with hairy inner ear flaps, like Miniature or Toy Poodles and Schnauzers, tend to have more ear infections and have them more often. The dog ear infection treatment for each of the two types of infections does vary.

There are many different things that can be the cause of a dog's ear infection, it is important to have your dog examined by a veterinarian, who can determine the proper dog ear infection treatment. A veterinarian will also make sure the eardrum is intact, as some medications can result in hearing loss if administered to a pet with a ruptured eardrum.

The dog ear infection treatment prescribed by the veterinarian usually includes administering medication to and cleaning the ears daily for one to two weeks. Remember, a dog's infected ears are painful and he might not appreciate what needs to be done, so use caution. Ask your veterinarian for a demonstration on how to treat the ears properly. Either he will show you himself or have an assistant show you. Ask all the questions that are needed.

The type of infection the veterinarian finds in the dog's ears will determine the dog ear infection treatment that he or she prescribes. The veterinarian will use an otoscope-an instrument that provides light and magnification-to view the ear canal. He or she will determine whether or not the eardrum is intact and if any foreign material is present. If this is very painful to the pet, sedation or anesthesia may be necessary to complete the exam. The vet will then take a sample of the material in the canal and examine it under a microscope. This is called cytology, and allows the vet to determine the organism causing the infection. If more than one organism is present, multiple medications are necessary.