One of the most common health problems that our canine companions may face are ear infections. There are many different factors that could cause an ear infection ranging from allergies to ear mites. However, there are a few common symptoms that should make it easy to spot whether your dog is being affected:
Your dog scratching the area more than usual
Any discharge from the ears
Your dog shaking or tilting his head
Loss of balance
Hearing loss
An unpleasant smell from the ear
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If you suspect that your dog is suffering from an ear infection, the best and kindest thing to do is take him to the vet as soon as you can. They will be able to diagnose and begin treating any symptoms. Usually your vet will recommend medication and cleaning out the ear canal to tackle the problem. However, if your dog has a chronic ear infection then surgery may be required.
Certain breeds will be more prone to ear infections; for example breeds who have non-erect ears – like the Spaniel – or breeds who have excessive hair growth in their ear canals.
You can try and prevent ear infections by checking your dogs ears regularly, trimming excessive ear hair and ensuring the ears are always thoroughly dried after bathing or swimming. Of course, you may want to consider getting yourself an ear infection detection dog too.
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