Ear infections in dogs are often a result of poor ear care routines and practices by the owners. Some breeds, however, are much more likely to get ear infections just because of the type of ears that they have. Dogs that have a lot of "leather" on the ears, which is the long flap of ear that covers the opening of the ear, are more likely to have problems with ear infections than dogs that have pricked or erect types of ears. This only makes sense as less air enters the ear to promote drying and provide oxygen to the area to prevent bacterial growth.

Dog Ear Infections And Bacteria

Any type of dog can get water in their ear or ears or have an excessive production of wax in the ear. Once this happens and the water or wax is not removed naturally or by the owner, the conditions are right for nasty bacteria to move in and get started breeding and creating irritations and ear infections.

The actual veterinary medical term for an external ear infections is otitis externa and it is characterized by:

•    Redness and heat to the ear or ear flap
•    Excessive scratching of the ears
•    Rubbing the head on the ground
•    Sensitivity to being touched around or on the ears
•    Discharge from the ear draining down the face
•    Foul, yeasty smelling discharge
•    Tilting of the head in combination with scratching and rubbing
•    Constant shaking of the head as if to dislodge something in the ear

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The dog's ear is very sensitive and requires care to stay free from infections, ear mites and other ear problem. Their sharp sense of hearing has saved many lives, detecting sounds we cannot hear due to their acute hearing. Dogs themselves depend on their hearing more than their eyesight. Yet the ears and ear diseases make up 20% of the average veterinary practices. And dogs with lots of fur tend to have furry ears, which collect oil and infections – such as cocker spaniels or poodles. Got the picture?

Infections In The Ears

Wet ears cause ear infections in dogs, so try to insert cotton balls into the canal when bathing the dog, or allowing them to swim. If experienced, there are drying agents to insert into the dog’s ears if the eardrums are intact, such as ClearX or Panodry, which will dry the water in the canal. You can wipe out the dog’s ears with cotton balls, but a small amount of wax needs to stay in the dogs ear canal, so be careful.

Some breeds like the Poodle, the Cocker Spaniel, or the Schnauzer has hair plucked out of the ears by groomers. This causes serum to ooze from their pores, which causes the growth of bacteria. Also, the folded over ears of the cocker make them vulnerable to bacteria. After wiping the ears with mineral oil, and a “dirty look” reappears in a week or so – this could mean infection due to the growth of bacteria. Scratching at the ears, rubbing against things, or shying away if you touch the ear are also symptoms of ear conditions. You may want to have the dog checked at the vet if this occurs.

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