Like humans, pets can develop ear infections. Pet ear infections are more common than you think. One in every five dogs that go to the vet for ear pain is diagnosed with an ear infection. If the dog lives in a humid climate area, nearly fifty percent of dogs will get an ear infection at one point. Of the cats that go to the vet for ear pain, one in fifteen will be diagnosed with an ear infection. If you think that your pet is suffering from an ear infection, make sure to bring your pet to see our Oakland Park veterinarian at Oakland Park Animal Hospital for ear pain relief.
What Causes Ear Infections in Pets?
Ear infections in dogs are often caused by yeast infections, bacterial infections, and allergies. In cats, bacterial infections are not common. Yeast or allergies causes ear infections in cats.
What Are the Symptoms Of Pet Ear Infections?
Since your pet cannot tell you that they are in pain, it is up to you to be able to recognize the symptoms of an ear infection. These include:
- Pawing and scratching at the head and ears
- Tilting the head
- Shaking the head
- Smelly ears
- Ear discharge
- Redness or swelling of the ear canal
How Are Ear Infections Diagnosed?
If you suspect that your pet has an ear infection, our veterinarian will use an otoscope to look deep into his or her ear canal. If the skin of the ear canal is bright red, it is a sign that your pet is fighting an infection. If there is a discharge in the ear, a sample would be sent to the lab to test for bacteria and yeast.
How Are Ear Infections Treated?
If your pet is diagnosed with an ear infection, our veterinarian will prescribe medication to treat the pain and the infection. The medication prescribed might either be an oral medication or an antibiotic that goes right in the ear.
Complication of Ear Infections
If the ear infection is severe, your pet's eardrum will heal over time. In most cases, it takes three to four weeks. During the healing process, you should not put any medication in your pet's ear. To treat the infection that caused the eardrum to rupture, you would need to give him an oral medication.
How Can Ear Infections Be Prevented?
There are a few steps that you can take to reduce your pet's risk of developing an ear infection.
- Control your pet's allergies
- Clean your pet's ears regularly with an ear cleaning solution
- Have your pet groomed regularly to remove fur from the inside of the ears, allowing the air to flow through the canal freely
- After bathing or swimming, dry your pet's ears
If you suspect that your pet has an ear infection, schedule an appointment with Oakland Park Animal Hospital. Our Oakland Park veterinarian will examine your pet's ears and if necessary, he will prescribe medication. Call our animal hospital at (954) 731-4228.
