How To Deal With A Dog's Ear Infection
Posted on: 10 March 2023
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If you suspect that your dog has an ear infection but you're not completely sure, you probably want to find out the symptoms of an ear infection. You may even be wondering how it can be treated, especially if your dog has never had an ear infection before. Take a look at how you can identify dog ear infections and what you should do about them.
Symptoms of an Ear Infection
If you notice that an unpleasant odor is coming from your dog's ears along with a discharge, infection is present. You may also see redness and swelling of the ear canal. Another sign that is hard to miss is when your dog starts to shake their head incessantly. Infection may be in one or both of your dog's ears. Some dogs will also whine and rub at the area with their paws. If you suspect an infection you should do a thorough check of both your dog's ears.
The Causes of Ear Infections
The most common reason why your dog has an ear infection is that they have picked up what is known as ear mites. Ear mites are usually in your pet's ears because they are looking to consume the shedding that comes off their skin. Ear mites need to be killed using medication before they leave their eggs behind. The eggs will hatch and cause an infestation and an ear infection.
Another reason why your dog may have an ear infection is that they have been exposed to some kind of allergen in the environment. This could be pollen or mold. Some dogs also get ear infections due to the food that they are eating.
Treatments for Ear Infection
Visit your vet to have them clean your dog's ears thoroughly. They will then give your dog medication to help relieve the infection. Once your dog's ear infection has subsided you should go into protection mode to prevent the ear infection from happening again. The first way to start is to make sure that your dog's ears are kept clean. You can do this by using an ear-cleaning solution frequently. This will get rid of ear mites.
Whenever you notice that your dog has symptoms caused by pollen or mold exposure, you can start giving her medication immediately and try to clean up the environment. Observe your dog when they eat certain foods and if you notice that it is triggering your infections over time then replace the food.
Reach out to a local veterinarian to learn more.