Dog Ear Problems

The dog ear is divided into three parts as the pinna, the middle ear and the inner ear. The outer ear or flap forms the pinna. The pinna helps capture sound waves. The middle ear processes the sound waves captured by the pinna. It consist of the tympanic cavity, the eardrum and the auditory ossicles. The auditory ossicles are are group of small bones known as malleus , incus and stapes. The sound waves travel down the ear canal and it is transmitted by the auditory ossicles into the inner ear. The inner ear is made up of small fluid-fill canals. There are tiny hair inside the canals that record the fluid movement and changes in the dog's posture and position. This helps govern the dog's sense of balance. The cochlea converts the sound vibrations into messages. These messages are carried to the brain to be translated into meaningful sounds.

Thus, the tiny ear of our dear Fluffy carries out so many process to convert sound waves into sounds. There are many dog health problems that plague Fluffy. Dog ear problems are one of the many dog health problems. Let us see the various dog ear problems that can affect Fluffy.

Common Dog Ear Problems
Inflammation: Parasites, microorganisms, tumors and dog ear skin problems may lead to inflammation of the ear canal. Otitis externa is caused by ear mites. They make Fluffy agitated and he run around the house. Thus, it is extremely important to get rid of any parasites lurking around Fluffy's ears.

Yeast Infections: Malassezia pachydermatis is a common yeast infection in the dog's inner ear. Yeast thrive in the moist and warm environment of Fluffy's ears.

Bacterial Infection: Staphylococci, Streptococci, E. coli, and Pseudomonas spp cause dog outer ear infections. A persistent infection can lead to inflammation of the ear canal leading to dog inner ear problems. The infected usually discharges pus.

Allergies: Food or inhalation of certain substances may lead to allergies in dogs. Dog ear problem is the first sign of dog allergy. Thus, it is important to treat the allergies along with the dog ear problem.

Foreign Bodies: Ants, stick-tights, dog fur or any forgiven body can lodge itself in Fluffly's ears. This causes irritation, dog scratching that leads to a dog ear problem.

Hormones: Dog ear skin problems can be due to deficiency or excess of hormones in Fluffy's ears. Thyroid hormones, glucocorticoids and sex hormones are known to cause dog ear problems.

Remedies for Dog Ear Problems
Ear mites: If you find dry, dark, crumbly coffee ground like deposits in Fluffy's ears, then it is a confirmed mite infestation. In order to treat dog ear problem of mites, clean the ear thoroughly and use ear medications that kill dog ear mites. The veterinarian may continue this treatment for several weeks to completely eliminate ear mites.

Yeast: A brown waxy discharge with bad odour generally spells yeast infection. Clean the dog ear daily to get rid of the infection. The veterinarian will prescribe special medications as a part of yeast infection treatment.

Bacterial Infection: The discharge in a bacterial infection is usually yellowish in color and has a bad odor. Bacterial infections are not eliminated with simple cleaning. You need to consult the veterinarian as soon as possible as the dog's outer ear problem may spread to the dog's inner ear. The veterinarian may advice antibiotics to free Fluffy from the dog ear problems.

Home Remedies For Dog Ear Problems

• Apply warm compress on the outer region of the ear several times a day. This helps Fluffy get some relief from irritation, inflammation and redness. It also helps ease the pain due to dog ear problem.
  
• Cod lever oil drops help relive the pain Fluffy suffers due to ear problems. If cod lever oil is unavailable, you may try Vitamin E drops.
  
• Two tablespoon of apple cider vinegar added to a cup of water given to Fluffy for drinking helps prevent the spread of ear infection. This solution can also be used to clean Fluffy's ears.
  
• Take two cloves of garlic macerated in olive oil. Leave this mixture standing for two weeks, after which, put two to three drops in the infected ear. Apply this home remedy for dog ear problem daily.
  
• Trimming the hair on the dog's inner ear helps prevent bacteria, yeast and other parasites to thrive on Fluffy's sensitive ears.

Consult the veterinarian in case of suspected dog ear problem. Include vitamin C in your pets diet to boost his immunity to fight against any possible infection. Tea Tree oil and Rosemary extracts have been found to cure infections. Follow the advice of the veterinarian and give proper treatments to cure the dog from ear problems. The next time you clean your ears, remember to clean Fluffy's ears. Maintaining physical hygiene of your dog is an important part in the prevention of dog ear problems.