Signs of Ear Infections in Dogs and Prevention Advice

Symptoms of Ear Infections in Dogs

Head shaking, scratching, whining, etc. can be one of the most common signs of ear infections in dogs. Sometimes, a dog with an ear infection shows no signs at all aside from an abnormal buildup of earwax. But ear infections can sometimes include (but is not limited to) the following signs and symptoms:

• Swelling and redness of the ear canal
• Dark discharge from one or both ears
• Foul to stinky odor of the ears
• Itchiness of the ears
• Crusting in the ears
• More serious symptoms include hearing loss and abnormal eye movements

What Causes Dog Ear Infections?

Ear infections in dogs can be caused by many reasons. Listed are some of the most common reasons that act as triggers:

• Allergies. Allergies (particularly with skin allergies and food allergies) lead to ear diseases and infections.

• Moisture. When your furbaby keeps on getting water inside his ears (most likely when taking a bath or playing with water), it builds up moisture. This moisture in the ear is a suitable environment where yeast and bacteria grow.

• Endocrine disorders. Without enough thyroid hormone to regulate metabolism, many of your dog's body functions slow down. This affects nearly every part of the body, including the ears.

• Other causes of ear infections in dogs include poor nutrition, wax buildup that hasn't been cleaned regularly, foreign bodies that get inside the ear canal, injury to the ear canal, and excessive cleaning.

How do I Prevent Dog Ear Infections?

There are preventative measures you can do to keep dog ear infections away from your furbaby.

• After taking a bath, swimming or playing with water, see to it to use cotton balls on the outer sides of the ears to prevent any moisture from trickling inside your dog's ears. If your dog is able to bear hoods or bathing caps for a short period of time, then do so. This will protect your dog's ears from accumulating water.
• If your instincts tell you something is strange with your dog's ears and suspect an infection, do not clean the ears yourself. Doing may worsen the infection. Schedule an appointment with your veterinarian instead.
• If you see some dirt, debris or foreign objects present in your dog's outer ear canal, remove it gently with a wet towel or cotton with ear saline solution.
• When cleaning your dog's ears, he will likely keep on shaking his head and that's okay. Just make sure that when cleaning, you do not use any material or fabric that leaves fibers behind. Cotton swabs can be used to clean the outer folds of the ears but do not use them beyond that as this might possess a great chance of you poking your dog's inner ear.

Supplements to Help Prevent Ear Infections

Implementing supplements into your furbabies day to day life can help with the prevention of ear infections in dogs.