How To Treat Dog Ear Infections

Some dogs are prone to ear infections. The symptoms typically associated with an ear infection are scratching of the ears, shaking of the head, irritability when the ears are touched, or whimpering when the ears are touched. Ear infections are caused by a number of different factors including bacterial infections, ear mites, unhealthy environments, food allergies, and improper dog hygiene.

Outer ear infections are common in dogs that like to roll around in the mud, or play in water, and also in dogs with long, floppy ears. It is usually easy to detect theses outer ear infections, as the inside of dog’s ears will be red, inflamed, smell foul, and have an excess of waxy discharge. For these type of infections, an enzymatic treatment with hydrocortisone, like Pet King’s product Zymox works extremely well. Zymox treats outer ear infections regardless if they are caused by bacteria, or fungus. Zymox is also available without the hydrocortisone, but this should only be used if the dog has an issue with hydrocortisone. The hydrocortisone will help to remove swelling and itching associated with the infection, and help your dog feel comfortable more quickly.

The other two types of ear infection are middle ear and inner ear, and are regarded to be much more serious than outer ear infections. These types of conditions in dogs require the help of a veterinarian, because the situation can easily become worse and are frequently not curable unless special treatment procedures are carried out.

Dog that have floppy ears are very prone to fungal infections, specifically yeast infections. This is caused by a restricted air flow in the ears. Many floppy-eared dogs also grow tiny hairs on the inside of their ears that block the air flow even more than the skin flap of the ear. These tiny hairs are usually overlooked by pet owners, and are only dealt with by groomers. Regular grooming and cleaning of the ears in floppy-eared dogs is essential to maintaining a health dog. Dogs that do not have floppy ears do not require regular cleaning, unless an excess of waxy discharge is noted. Non-floppy-eared dogs’ ears usually clean themselves, and they have no problem with the highly important air flow matter.

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Article Submitted On: September 16, 2010

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