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Itchy Dog Ear
The itchy dog ear is so irritating to the dog. He scratches
and scratches and scratches some more and he still has an itchy dog
ear. His human needs to find out what is causing his ear to itch and
do something about it before the problem worsens. Some kind of
inflammation is causing the itchy dog ear. In the beginning, the
external ear canal is affected.
The dog is shaking its head or pawing at its ear. The dog might also
have an ear discharge, with or without odor. In the next stage, the
inflammation spreads to the middle ear, which includes the eardrum.
In the final stage, inflammation spreads to the inner ear and
affects the dog's balance. In the more severe stages, dogs are
reluctant to open their mouths or chew and have a pronounced head
tilt, balance problems, and drooping lips or eye- lids.
Luckily, most cases of inflammation are caught during the first
stage, and, at this stage, the chances for curing the problem and
stopping the itchy dog ear are good.
Many things cause dogs' ears to become inflamed, including ear
mites, a bacterial or yeast infection, a foreign object or mass
within the ear, allergies, or medical conditions that allow
infection to develop within the ear. Some breeds are more likely to
develop problems because of their ear structure. It can take time
and a variety of diagnostic tests for a veterinarian to determine
the underlying cause of the itchy dog ear.
This cause must be identified, or the problem can worsen and spread
farther into the ear, causing the dog intense pain and, possibly,
necessitating surgery to drain the infected material and remove the
affected tissues. Even if bacterial or yeast infections aren't the
primary cause, they often develop in affected ears.
A veterinarian will prescribe medication to treat these infections.
Keep in mind that frequent follow-up visits will be necessary to
monitor the dog's response to medications administered at home. An
important part of treating your dog's itchy dog ear involves
frequent ear cleanings. This can be done at home but it must be done
thoroughly and regularly.
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