Dog’s ears should be checked every week. Ear disorders are very common in quadrupeds. If you leave the cleaning of your dog’s ears to chance, your dog will suffer, and it will mean money out of your pocket! Treatments for such problems can be very expensive, especially when there are complications.
Almost every dog spends at least an hour a day outside the home. This means that germs and dust gather in their ears, which can lead to infections. If a dog keeps its ears raised up, the risk of otitis is very high. If he stays in the rain even after you gave him a bath, his ears must be thoroughly cleaned. “The hairs of the ear must also be trimmed because they’re sources of infection. Dogs hate it, but it’s good prevention. Checking and grooming their ears is very important and should be done regularly by a veterinarian. If you try to clean your dog’s ears at home on your own without first being taught how to do it by a specialist, you risk touching and damaging his eardrum,” advises AMP’s vet, Ciprian Cocianu. If the ear has too much wax and dirt and doesn’t have a pinkish color, you need to consult a veterinarian as soon as possible. Otitis in dogs can take many forms. In addition to fungal, bacterial, and parasitic otitis, there’s even an allergic otitis that occurs due to food sensitivities. This kind of otitis causes redness of the ears, and the dog will scratch at them constantly. Parasitic otitis requires special care because it’s contagious. This type can be recognized by black crusts inside the ear. If the parasites reach the ear of another dog, or even a human’s ear, the otitis will start immediately,” warns Dr. Cocianu. If otitis is already present, never try to treat it at home before taking the dog to the vet. “After determining the type of the otitis, the doctor will decide on the treatment. If you treat your dog according to hearsay, you risk doing more harm,” says Dr. Cocianu.
