How can I tell if my dog has an inner ear infection?
How can I tell if my dog has an inner ear infection?
Symptoms of Middle and Inner Ear Infections in Dogs Pain when your dog opens his mouth. Reluctance to chew. Head-shaking. Pawing and scratching of the affected ear.
What do I do if my dog has an inner ear infection?
How are Dog Ear Infections Treated? Your veterinarian will thoroughly clean your dog’s ears using a medicated ear cleanser. Your vet may also prescribe an ear cleanser and a topical medication for you to use at home. In severe cases, your vet may prescribe oral antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications.
Will dog inner ear infection go away?
Most often, a dog ear infection will not go away on its own. All types of otitis require a veterinarian to evaluate the infection and the eardrum. If the eardrum is ruptured, certain cleaners and medications can be toxic to the middle ear.
How is an inner ear infection diagnosed?
How is an inner ear infection diagnosed?
- Imaging of your head, such as a CT scan or an MRI.
- A formal hearing test to see if that is also affected.
- A referral to an ear, nose, throat (ENT) specialist.
What happens if a dogs ear infection goes untreated?
An untreated ear infection can lead to chronic issues, hearing loss, and sometimes the need for expensive surgery. An untreated outer ear infection can lead to a deeper infection within the middle and inner parts of the ear. This can cause nerve damage, which can even lead to eye ulcers.
What happens if a dog ear infection goes untreated?
What happens if dog ear infection goes untreated?
Do antibiotics help inner ear infection?
If you have a bacterial inner ear infection, you may need an antibiotic. However, most inner ear infections are caused by viruses, not bacteria. Antibiotics aren’t effective against viral infections.
Are ear infections painful for dogs?
Ear infections are painful. Many dogs will shake their head and scratch their ears trying to relieve the discomfort. The ears often become red and inflamed and develop an offensive odor. A black or yellowish discharge commonly occurs.
How is inner ear infection diagnosed?
An instrument called a pneumatic otoscope is often the only specialized tool a doctor needs to diagnose an ear infection. This instrument enables the doctor to look in the ear and judge whether there is fluid behind the eardrum. With the pneumatic otoscope, the doctor gently puffs air against the eardrum.
