1. Flushing the Ear

Most times we will flush the ear at the clinic. Many pets with severely infected ears require sedation or general anesthesia. Flushing provides a more
thorough cleaning so that you can start with a clean ear canal when you begin home care.

2. Cleaning the Ear

Prescription ear cleansers are preferable to alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, and are much more gentle on the tissue. We usually prescribe Vet’s Solution, Malaseb or Dermapet, depending on the particular condition of the ear.

To clean the ear, completely fill the canal with cleanser, flap the ear pinna over and massage (you will hear sloshing if you have an adequate amount of cleanser in the canal.) Then take several cotton balls and thoroughly swab out the vertical canal, removing all wax and cleansing liquid. Cotton tip applicators (Q-Tips) can be used to clean crevices, but don’t penetrate deep into the canal. A safe rule of thumb is to always be able to visualize the tip of the applicator.

3. Medicating the Ear

Medicating the ear should only be done after the ear has been cleaned. Medication cannot penetrate through debris in the ear canal and is therefore ineffective if the ear has discharge in it.

Instill enough medication to coat the canal and massage the ear to evenly disperse it throughout. Take a cotton tip applicator and apply medication on the pinna itself.

continued...

EAR CARE & INFECTIONS

Ear infections are a common problem of dogs. They are almost always associated with an allergic process, either inhalant allergic dermatitis (also known as atopic dermatitis,) or food allergy dermatitis.

Otitis externa is the medical term used to describe
inflammation of the external ear (the part of the ear canal outside the eardrum.) The most common

signs include head shaking, scratching of the ears, and
holding the ears “cocked.” The inside of the ear pinna is often red and inflamed. Dark, waxy discharge may be present and frequently there is an odor.

Otitis can sometimes involve only the horizontal canal, in which case discharge or inflammation is not obvious to the owner. A thorough examination of the ear canal involving an otoscope and ear cytology is necessary to make the diagnosis. Ear cytology is the process by which a smear of exudate is placed on a slide, stained, and examined under the microscope to determine which micro-organisms are present. This allows more specific diagnosis, more accurate treatment, and serves as a way to monitor progress.

Otitis should be treated promptly and vigorously. If left neglected, changes occur in the ear canal, making recovery much more difficult and expensive. Certain breeds of dogs are noted for their predisposition to otitis, including Poodles, Retrievers, Shepherds, Spaniels, and Sharpeis. However, all breeds are susceptible. Keeping the ears clean in susceptible breeds is important to prevent ear problems.

TREATING THE INFECTED EAR

Ear infections are painful and pets do not easily tolerate cleaning and medicating the ear. However, they rarely resolve on their own. Sometimes using a muzzle or wrapping the pet in a towel will help get the job done. We may recommend that the pet be treated at the clinic daily for the first two to three days, until home treatment can be tolerated.