Ear Infections in todays Canine.
If your dog has a rather smelly ear/ears, then you might have an ear infection.
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How do you tell if it is an dog Ear Infection?
SYMPTOMS
Your dog or cat will show that something is wrong by shaking his head or scratching at his ears and rubbing the ears on the carpet or rugs.
The ears will become pink or red, inflamed with an offensive odor.
If your pet tilts his head constantly, it could be a sign of a middle ear infection.
The ear will have a crustiness and/or a yellow colored liquid that you can wipe away with a tissue.
Your dog will be very sensitive so be gentle when you look in your dogs ears.
CAUSES:
Causes of an dog ear infections can be an accumulation of wax, long or thick hair in the ear canal, debris, a foreign body and drainage of the ear.
Dog's ears should normally smell nice and clean. If however, you smell anything that does not have a nice smell you should take your dog to the vet so that he can check for allergies and prescribe medicine to clear up the ear infection.
The ears, paws and other moist places on your dogs are a perfect breeding place for yeast. Yeast is a fungal infection but responds so quickly to the right medication.
PREVENTION:
Weekly ear inspections are recommended for dogs with a history or predisposition towards ear infections.
Dogs with big ears, like Cocker Spaniels and King Charles Spaniels, or dogs with hairy inner ear flaps, like Poodles and Schnauzers.
Cairn Terriers, Scotties and Westies tend to have a higher occurrence of ear infections. In cats, the Persian is more prone to such infections.
Ask your vet for a large size tube of Panalog or Derma vet ointment. It's nice to have on hand when it's Friday night at six o'clock and your only option is to go to an emergency hospital or wait until Monday.
So it's a good idea to keep some on hand. Then when you notice your dogs' ears are getting a little moist and smelly you will be ready.
When ear infections become more severe, other warning signs may also be present. If an infection moves from the outer ear to the inner ear, it can then affect your dog's ability to hear.
Sometimes Dog Deafness will result. If your dog seems to have more difficulty hearing you or noises in the environment than is usual, this could be a sign that your pet is suffering from a serious ear infection.
The nerves located in the inner ear may become affected by the infection. When this happens, your dog may feel dizzy. When canines are dizzy they often become disoriented, tilt their heads, and walk in circles.
In addition, when the nerves of the inner ear are affected a dog may begin to exhibit unusual eye movements.
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Any information contained on this site relating to various medical, health, and fitness conditions of Westies and their treatment is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing dog allergies - you should always consult your own veterinarian.
