Ear Care for Cats & Dogs

Ear Care for Cats & Dogs

Ear Care for Pets

Ear problems and infections are some of the most commonly observed pet health problems in the veterinary clinic. Head shaking and/or scratching at the ears are the most common symptoms of discomfort that requires specialized ear treatment for dogs and cats. Our pets occasionally scratch at their ears and shake their heads, and it’s perfectly normal. However, if your dog is constantly shaking his head or your cat is always scratching one of her ears, that’s an indication of discomfort and the presence of an underlying problem.

Minimal ear care is usually needed for healthy pets. When noticed, an ear problem in pets is usually an indication of an underlying primary problem such as skin allergies, ear mites, and thyroid problems to name a few. Less commonly, a foreign body or a mass in the ear canal may lead to discomfort. Almost always, ear problems will result in a secondary ear infection, which needs to be adequately resolved in order to free your pet of the discomfort and itchiness associated with an ear infection.

If it appears that an ear infection is coming back repeatedly, or is not resolved with initial treatment, it is important to know that chronic, recurrent ear infections can lead to middle ear infections, in addition to ongoing discomfort. Ear care is a very specialized part of veterinary medicine, which falls under the care of a veterinary dermatologist. If your pet has been dealing with a chronic, persistent or recurrent ear infection, it is likely time to meet with a veterinary dermatologist with a strong interest in ear treatment for dogs and cats.

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Dog ears come in a variety of shapes and styles. Some of the most common include:

• Drop ear: Ear that hangs down over the side of the head, like in the Basset Hound
• Prick ear: Pointed ear that stands erect, like in the German Shepherd Dog
• Rose ear: Ear that folds backward, like in the Bulldog
• Semi-prick ear: Pointed ear that folds over slightly on the top, like in the Collie
• V-shaped ear: Long ear that ends in a V-shape, like in the Vizla

Anatomy

The external ears of dogs, cats and rabbits consist of:

• The ear flap, which is mobile, floppy or erect and may be hairy.
• The L-shaped external ear canal, which ends at the eardrum.

Behind the eardrum lie the middle and inner ears which contain organs ensuring hearing and balance.

Why do I need to cleanse my pet’s ears?

The ear canal contains glands that secrete earwax (cerumen), playing a cleaning and protective role.
Healthy ears stay clean thanks to a natural self-cleaning mechanism. However, it may be necessary to clean the ears of your dog/cat/rabbit with a suitable product if:

• the amount of earwaxis abnormally high
• hair at the entrance or in the ear canal and/or its narrowness leads to the formation of plugs
• a lack of ventilation(pendulous ears…) encourages the growth of microbes, causing bad odors and otitis.

Breeds with a predisposition to otitis also require regular maintenance: drooping or hairy ears (beagles, poodles, etc.), long, narrow or winding ear canals (cocker spaniels, shar-pei, etc.) or breeds prone to allergies (bulldogs, westies, etc.)

While all dogs’ ears need care, dogs with drop ears or folds require additional attention because the shape of the ear causes more moisture to become trapped. Check the ears daily for problems.

When you conduct your exam, look for these potential trouble signs:

• Discharge: Discharge can be a sign of an infection in your pet’s outer, inner, or middle ear. If the discharge is brown or black and looks a little like coffee grounds, your pet may have ear mites. The tiny critters feast on wax and oil in your pet’s ears and can make your dog or cat very uncomfortable. If ear mite infestations aren’t treated, damage to the eardrum can occur.
• Scratching. Occasional ear scratching isn’t a cause for concern unless your pet can’t stop scratching. Constant scratching and pawing at the ears can cause bleeding and infections in some cases.
• Redness. Red, swollen or hot ears are another sign that your cat or dog’s ears may be infected.
• Odor. Infections can cause a foul odor to come from your pet’s ears.
• Pain. Does your pet yelp or withdraw when you touch his or her ears? An infection or injury may be to blame.
• Foreign Objects. Do you see anything in or on your pet’s ears that doesn’t belong, such as grass, pebbles, burrs or ticks?
• Head Shaking. Your pet may try everything to get rid of that uncomfortable ear sensation, including shaking his or her head.

Steps for performing a good ear cleaning on your pet:

1.Gather your supplies. You will need a liquid ear cleaner or ear cleaning wipes, and some gauze or cotton balls.

2.Begin when your pet is calm. It may help to attempt the ear cleaning after a good play session, so your pet will be a little relaxed.

3.Enlist the help of a second person. Having someone else hold your pet while you clean his ears will help the process go more quickly and smoothly.

4.Consider a towel wrap for your cat. Wrapping your kitty in a towel, leaving his head out, is a gentle means of restraint that can calm your cat and help reduce your chances of being scratched.

5.Hold the ear flap in one hand and the ear cleaning solution in the other. Most people find ear cleaning easiest if they hold the cleaner in their dominant hand. With the other hand, lift the ear flap if it’s floppy or hold it stead if it stands up.

6.Place a small amount of ear cleaner into the ear canal. Locate the opening to your pet’s ear canal. In some dogs, there will be quite a bit of hair that you may need to part so you can see the hole. Place the tip of the ear cleaner into the ear canal, and squeeze in a small amount. Be sure that you have a good hold on your pet’s ear, so he doesn’t shake the cleaner out right away.

7.Massage the pet’s ear canal. Put the bottle of ear cleaner down and use your dominant hand to rub the base of the pet’s ear gently and slowly. This helps the ear cleaner move down into the ear canal, loosen any debris that’s down there, and float it up and out.

8.Let your pet shake. Once you’ve massaged your pet’s ear for about 60 seconds, let go and allow him to shake his head. Be sure to avert your face, as ear cleaner and debris may fly out.

9.Use cotton to wipe out excess liquid and debris. Some debris will have moved up to the opening of the ear canal during the ear cleaning process. Use gauze or cotton balls to wipe it out. Do not use cotton swabs, which may push debris into your pet’s eardrum.

Conditions in Dogs and Cats that May Require Extra Ear Cleaning

There are times when your pet may need more than a routine amount of ear cleaning. Your veterinarian will help you determine if this is the case for your pet and, if so, how often you should do it. Some of the conditions that usually require extra ear cleanings include:

• Ear mite infestation.Your veterinarian will determine the best way to treat your pet’s ear mites, but extra ear cleanings will be necessary during treatment to remove all the extra ear debris that a mite infestation causes
• Ear infections.Infection of the ear canal causes extra debris to develop. Extra ear cleanings while also using medications prescribed by the veterinarian
• Allergies.Pets with certain types of allergies tend to suffer from irritation to the skin lining their ear canals. These pets often benefit from more frequent ear cleanings
• Swimming.Dogs that swim are more prone to developing ear infections because water becomes trapped in the ear canals, resulting in a warm, dark, moist environment that’s prime for growing bacteria or yeast. Dogs that swim often suffer from fewer ear infections when their ears are cleaned with a cleaner that contains a drying agent after each swim session
• Extra wax build-up.Certain pet breeds such as Persian cats and Shar Pei dogs tend to build up excessive amounts of wax in their ear canals, which needs to be cleaned out routinely for the pet’s comfort.

Signs of Ear Disease

• Unpleasant odour
• Excessive scratching and pawing of the ear and head
• Sensitivity to touch, often resulting in pain
• Constant tilting/shaking of the head to one side
• Black or yellowish discharge
• Redness or swelling of the ear flap or canal
• Changes in behaviour like listlessness, depression or irritability
• Accumulation of dark brown wax
• Loss of balance or hearing and disorientation
• Bleeding or discharge resembling coffee grinds

Causes of Ear Disease

Some breeds are more susceptible than others, including dogs with pendulous ears or dogs with hairy inner ear flaps. Dogs with allergies are also at risk.

Otitis Externa infection of the external ear canal and Otitis Media, infection of the middle ear are usually caused by bacteria and/or yeast. Other possibilities include accumulation of wax, matted hair, debris or a foreign object lodged in the ear canal. When seeking treatment, act quickly. If your dog has an ear infection, he/she will be in considerable discomfort. Antibiotics are used for bacterial infections while antifungals are administered for yeast. Ear infections can also be indicative of other problems such as underlying allergies. Your veterinarian will determine this during your visit and suggest the best course of action.

Ear Mites are common parasites that are highly contagious, often contracted from pet to pet. Excessive itching is the most common sign. Ear mites create dark, crumbly debris that look like coffee grinds.

Aural Haematoma means blood has accumulated in the ear flap (pinna). The exact cause of this condition in many cases is still unknown, but can sometimes be caused by vigorous head shaking, scratching or trauma to the ear area resulting in damage to the blood vessels, often set off by infection, mites, fleas or debris.

Deafness, usually brought on by age, trauma, loud noise or infection, can also be hereditary or congenital. Unfortunately, once diagnosed with clinical deafness, it is a lifelong condition.

Prevention

Ear cleaning solution used on an appropriate basis can be helpful in maintaining your dog’s ears healthy.

How to Administer Ear Drops or Ointment to Dogs

• Clean the external ear thoroughly with a moistened cotton ball (water or veterinary-recommended solution).
• Gently pull the ear flap over the head and drop the medication into the lowest opening of the ear canal.
• Gently massage the ear area to help work the medication deeper into the ear canal. If there is enough medication in the ear, you will just begin to hear a “squishing” noise as you massage.

You can clean your pet’s ears by following these steps:

• Gently grasp the top of your pet’s ears to expose the ear canal. Place several drops of ear cleaner in your dog or cat’s ear. (Check with the vet if you’re not sure which type of pet cleaner is best for your furry friend.)
• Use a cotton ball or a clean piece of gauze to remove dirt and debris from your pet’s ear. Only clean the part of the ear that you can see. Don’t use a cotton swab, as the swab may slip into the ear canal and damage your pet’s ear, or force debris and wax deep inside the ear.
• Many pets will shake their ears during the procedure. Although you may get a little cleaner on you, shaking will help clear extra solution from the ears.
• Repeat these steps on the other ear. Stop at any point if your pet appears to be in pain or is uncooperative.
• NB- Use an ear cleaner that has been recommended by your veterinarian for your pet’s current problem. Many products are geared towards specific conditions (e.g., excessive wax build-up or the treatment of particular types of infections) and using the wrong one will, at best, reduce the effectiveness of the treatment. Some medicated ear cleaners can also cause deafness if a pet’s ear drum is ruptured so picking the wrong product can have disastrous results.

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