The ear is a mini environment and if the balance is upset with moisture and humidity, such as after swimming, bacteria and yeast may flourish. Ears can become very greasy and smell horrible, and medication are often needed to control infection.
If your pet has itchy ears, call us for an appointment as the sooner we start treatment, the better.
Meet Eddie….
Eddie, the hairy Labradoodle, was having some terrible ear troubles. Both of his ears were red, sore and smelly, and he was shaking his head and rubbing his ears on the furniture.
His ears were examined with an otoscope; an instrument that shines light into the ear canal. Both canals were swollen and full of dark, smelly wax. A sample was collected and examined under the microscope revealing a large amount of yeast.
Eddie suffers from allergies and when his ears become irritated, his constant itching makes them red and sore. Just add salt water from the beach and there is a warm, dark, and moist environment; the perfect conditions for normal yeast inhabitants to reproduce.
Medication is not very effective unless the horrible wax is removed, so Eddie had his ears cleaned under an anaesthetic. This involves flushing the ears with a warm saline until they are clear of wax, allowing better penetration of medication.
After his procedure, Eddie was sent home with an ointment to settle the inflammation and kill the yeast. Thankfully he is now a much happier and more comfortable dog.
