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Summer is the season for ear infections, especially in New England where pets spend most of the summer adventuring outdoors with their families! Protect your pet from this painful experience by familiarizing yourself with the causes, symptoms and prevention methods for ear infections, all outlined in this guide.
In this guide we answer the most common FAQ's pet parents have about ear infections:
How to tell if your pet has an ear infection
What to do if you think your pet has an ear infection
What to expect during a vet appointment for an ear infection
How to prevent your pet from getting an ear infection
How to clean your pet's ears
What causes ear infections?
Build up of moisture, dirt and debris in the ear canal promotes an overgrowth (infection) of yeast and/or bacteria
Ear infections are a common secondary symptom associated with underlying food and/or environmental allergies
Ear mites - microscopic parasites that inhabit the ears of their hosts. These are especially common in cats.
What everyday activities put my pet at risk for ear infections?
Swimming
Baths
Grooming appointments
Ear hair plucking
Not giving prescription parasite prevention
Feeding outside a prescribed special diet
Lapse in preventative allergy treatments
Cleaning ears with water
Cleaning ears with an ear cleaner that does not have the proper ingredients or drying agent in it
Why are ear infections more prevalent in the summer?
increased allergens in the environment (pollen, ragweed, etc)
high heat and humidity
increased water activities which promote moisture in the ear canal
increased parasite activity
What are the signs and symptoms of an ear infection?
• strong odor
• debris inside the ear, usually dark brown
• red, inflamed, crusty skin on the inner ear flap
• head shaking
• scratching at ears
• shaking head
• head tilt
What should I do if I notice my pet is showing symptoms of an ear infection?
Call your veterinarian! By the time ear symptoms are noticeable, it’s likely an infection has already developed. Infections require prescription medications to clear, so it's important to contact your vet at the first sign of symptoms! Reusing medications you may already have at home from a previous ear infection is not recommended. Every infection is unique and may require a different medication than what was previously prescribed. Instilling inappropriate medications can create medication resistance, among other challenges.
What can I expect from a veterinary visit for an ear infection?
Every patient's care plan is unique, but common components of treatment for an ear infection include:
Ear swab: a sample from your pet’s ears will be collected using a q-tip like tool
Ear cytology: the sample will be analyzed under a microscope to identify the type and severity level of the infection
Exam: your pet’s ears will be examined by your veterinarian to evaluate the ear canal and ear drum
Cleaning: if heavy debris is present, your pet’s ears will be cleaned to clear the ear canals
Medication: your veterinarian will prescribe medication tailored to address the type of infection in your pet's ears. Often times this will be a “leave in” treatment that’s instilled during your visit, eliminating the need for you to medicate at home!
Follow up: ear infections can be persistent, so it’s strongly recommended to have your pet’s ears examined at the end of the medication course to confirm the infection has fully cleared.
How can I prevent my pet from getting ear infections?
Clean your pet’s ears every 1-2 weeks using veterinary recommended ear flush. Learn how to clean your pet's ears here. It's imperative that the ear cleaner contains an effective drying agent to ensure any liquid left in the ear canal after cleaning evaporates! Otherwise, the moisture will build up and actually cause more infection.
Always clean your pet’s ears after any exposure to water (bathing, swimming, etc).
Stay on top of any allergy treatment regimen prescribed by your veterinarian (cytopoint, apoquel, etc).
Adhere to any special allergy diet prescribed by your veterinarian.
Give prescription parasite prevention on a consistent schedule
How do I clean my pet's ears?
Fill your pet's ear canal with the cleaning solution. This can be done by placing the nozzle of the ear cleaner bottle into your pet's ear and squeezing for 1-2 seconds. If your pet is sensitive to this sensation, you can soak a cotton ball in the cleaning solution and fill their ear canal by squeezing the soaked cotton ball into their ear.
Next, massage the base of their ear to work the solution around their ear canal, breaking up debris. You should hear an audible squelching sound. Do this for 5-10 seconds. Your pet may want to shake their head - let them! This will assist in breaking up the debris.
From there, use dry cotton balls to wipe out the inside of your pet's ear. It's best to avoid using q-tip type tools during cleaning because these can actually push debris further down into your pet's ear canal.
Repeat step 3 until the cotton balls are no longer collecting debris.
Note: These are general guidelines for ear cleaning, but every patient is an individual with unique needs. Ear cleaning, especially for cats, should be done with guidance from your veterinarian.
For a visual guide on how to introduce ear cleaning to your pet in a low stress, positive way click here.
If you suspect your pet may have an ear infection, call our office to schedule a visit!