Taking care of the hygiene of our pets is essential for their health. This calls for bathing him as often as necessary, cutting his nails, brushing his teeth and also cleaning his ears. This ear cleaning must be done with special care if we want to prevent our four-legged best friend from suffering from otitis.
Canine otitis is an infection in the animal's ear, specifically an inflammatory disease that can affect its external auditory canal, the middle ear or the inner ear. In addition, they can suffer from it in one or both of their ears. Since it causes intense itching and pain to the dog, it is important to know how to avoid it, as well as recognize its symptoms to go to the veterinarian as soon as possible and remedy it if your pet suffers from otitis.
There are various causes that interfere with a dog's predisposition to suffer from otitis. First, breeds with floppy ears or lots of hair inside the ears are more likely to get the infection. It is also recurrent in dogs that often wet their ears.
Infestation by parasites such as mites, the incrustation of foreign bodies in the ear, allergies or hormonal disorders also play a role in dog otitis. Likewise, it may be due to problems in the dog's earwax or keratin production, polyps or tumors in the ear canal. Excessive, deficient or poorly executed ear cleaning is also a possible cause of otitis, leading to the proliferation of bacteria or fungi in the dog's ear.
To prevent otitis in your pet, consult your veterinarian about the most convenient way to clean their ears, since both the method, the frequency and the product used will depend on the breed of the dog. If they have a predisposition or a history of otitis, you should especially monitor their ears and go to the vet if you suspect they are suffering from the infection. Avoid getting the dog's ears wet as much as possible and do not insert cotton or swabs into them.
If you think your dog may have otitis, you should take him to the vet, never try to cure or medicate him without professional advice. Once the diagnosis is confirmed in the clinic, the veterinarian will recommend cleaning the affected ear with a wax solvent. He will also prescribe the administration of some antibiotic drops to control the infection. Finally, if the dog is in a lot of pain, the administration of anti-inflammatories and analgesics may be necessary.
