It usually occurs in animals with a weakened immune system, either because they have just suffered from some other disease or because they suffer from some kind of allergy.
Although it is not a serious disease, we must treat and cure it as quickly as possible so that it does not take on more importance than it should.
It affects our dog’s ear, irritating it and producing itching and discomfort. Treatment is simple, although it must be supervised by a veterinarian.
What is canine otitis?
Otitis is an infection produced in our dog’s ear. It can occur in the inner part of the ear, close to the eardrum, where it is not noticeable without the right instruments, in the middle or upper area of the ear (inner part of the ear).
In some cases, it also occurs on the outside of the ear. It can affect one of the parts of the ear or several, it can be in both ears or just one.
How is otitis transmitted in dogs?
Canine otitis is not contagious, it is an infection caused by the weakening of our dog’s defenses.
It can also be caused by the accumulation of bacteria and mites, or poor hygiene. It is not a disease that is spread through a mosquito bite or through contact with other dogs.
What are the symptoms of otitis in dogs?
This infection has very visible symptoms, so detecting it is quite simple. Regardless of whether the otitis is bacterial or not, the dog will show the following symptoms:
- Shakes his head a lot, flapping his ears
- Frequent scratching in the ear area with the paws
- Possible hearing loss or deafness
- Possible redness of the inside/outside of the ear
- Possible excessive ear wax, pus, foul odor, or discharge inside the ear
- Possible bad mood, crying when touching ear due to pain.
As you can see, some symptoms are just “possible”, as they don’t always manifest themselves that way.
Internal otitis does not make the upper part of the ear red, but it causes the dog a lot of itching and pain.
Bacterial otitis causes the creation of excessive cerumen inside the ear, sometimes black or gray in color and with a very unpleasant odor.
What is the treatment for otitis in a dog?
Treatment for this condition should always be provided by a veterinarian. Whether it is an internal or external otitis, eye drops, antibiotics and even corticosteroids will be administered if it is of allergic origin.
Yes,allergies have a lot to do with the appearance of otitis, as they weaken the dog’s immune system.
The veterinarian will indicate the treatment to follow and hygiene guidelines so that the infection disappears as quickly as possible, usually in five or seven days it usually disappears completely with proper treatment.
How to prevent otitis?
It is not something that can be completely prevented, as it depends a lot on the strength of the dog’s defenses, but proper hygiene goes a long way in preventing any type of disease. Just clean the ears regularly and this will prevent the formation of bacteria, which can cause infections.
Breeds that are predisposed to ear infections
All breeds have their ears hanging down, so that the auricle cannot “breathe”, air out. The hanging ears are always damp and as they do not air, many bacteria will appear. This is the case with cockers, they have a lot of fur and very heavy ears.
