Ear infections in dogs: symptoms, causes and treatments

By Henry Cerny, DVM, MS

Ear infections in dogs are common and most dogs suffer from this painful condition sometime in their life. Scratching and rubbing at the ear(s) and head shaking are common signs. You may also notice an abnormal odor from the ear or see redness or swelling. Most ear infections in adults are caused by bacteria and yeast, though ear mites are a common cause in puppies. Your veterinarian will take a sample from the affected ear(s) and examine it under the microscope to help identify what microorganisms are present.

Treatment for dog ear infection

For successful treatment you must clean the ear with a gentle cleanser as the ear will be painful. An effective way to clean the ear is to fill the ear canal with the cleaning solution, place an appropriate-sized cotton ball in the ear canal opening, then gently massage the ear at the base. The cotton ball serves several functions. It acts as a lid to the allow the fluid to go back and forth in the canal, it absorbs the excess solution and it holds onto the debris as it comes up, letting you know what is down in the ear canal. As long as your dog tolerates it, you can clean the ear several times until the cotton ball comes out fairly clean. There are a few cautions when cleaning a dog’s ear. Do not use Q-Tip swabs as they may push debris deeper into the ear canal and rupture the eardrum. Do not use rubbing alcohol or other solutions that are irritating to inflamed skin (Think of the skin inside the ear of a dog with an ear infection as a rash), After the ear canal has been cleaned, allow it to dry for approximately 10 minutes. Then instill the medication(s) your veterinarian has prescribed (medicated ointment or drops). The length of treatment depends on the patient, severity of infection, and any changes to the ear (i.e., thickening of the tissue in the ear). In some cases oral medications are necessary (antibiotics, anti-yeast, anti-inflammatory). Your veterinarian will schedule rechecks to make sure the medications are working and the infection is cleared.