Keeping Your Pet’s Ears Happy: A Guide to Proactive Ear Care
Ear infections can be a bit of a bother to our pets, but fear not, pet parents! With a little bit of TLC and some proactive steps, you can keep your furry friend’s ears in tip-top shape and prevent any serious complications from popping up.
Getting to Know Ear Infections
Okay, so let’s talk about ear infections. They’re like those annoying little bugs that sneak up on you when you least expect it. Ear infections, or the fancy veterinary term of otitis externa, happen when your pet’s ear canal becomes red and inflamed. Essentially some bacteria, yeast, and other players are throwing a party and your pet’s ears are the VIP section.
Bacteria and yeast thrive in warm, moist and dark environments so the ear canals are the perfect place to set up shop. Pet ears come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny cat ears to the long long bassett hound ears and everything in between. Sometimes the shape of a pets ear will make it more likely that they will get an ear infection
Signs and Signals:
- Scratching: If you notice your pet scratching excessively around their ears, it could be a sign of discomfort or irritation.
- Head shaking: Frequent head shaking can indicate that your pet is trying to relieve itching or discomfort in their ears. Sometimes they can shake their head so much or so hard that they end up damaging the cartilage in their ears. This is called an aural hematoma (aural is medical speak for the ear!) and can look like your dog’s ear became a puffy little pillow filled with liquid.
- Funny business around the ears: Keep an eye out for any unusual behavior, such as rubbing their ears against furniture or pawing at their ears.
- Strange smells: A funky odor, reminiscent of a bakery gone wrong, could be a sign of infection or buildup in the ear canal.
- Discharge or debris: If you spot any discharge or debris in your pet’s ear canals, it’s time to take a closer look and investigate further.
Why Being Proactive Pays Off
Listen up, pet parents! Taking a proactive approach to ear care can save you and your pet a whole lot of time, money and trouble down the road. We’re talking about avoiding chronic inflammation, eardrum damage, $400+ vet bills and all sorts of other nasty stuff. Plus, who wants their pet feeling uncomfortable or in pain? Not us!
Easy-Peasy Proactive Steps
So, what can you do to keep those ears happy? It’s as easy as one, two, ear-check!
- Regular Ear Check-Ups: Take a peek inside your pet’s ears every now and then to make sure everything looks A-OK. Look out for any redness, swelling, debris or weird smells. Often you can see a medium to dark brown moist build up within the nooks and crannies of the inner ear, tho the debris/discharge can be other colors
- Gentle Ear Cleaning: Keep those ears clean by giving them a gentle wipe-down with a damp cloth like a baby wipe or using a pet-safe ear cleaner. No need to get all up in there with cotton swabs—leave that to the professionals! A great rule of thumb to follow is never put anything smaller than the tip of your elbow in a pet’s ears. I’ve seen clients try to clean their pet’s ears with cotton tipped application (like Q-tips) and end up accidentally going too deep and breaking through the ear drum!
- Stay on Top of Hygiene: If you are giving your pet a bath, put large soft pieces of cotton in their ears to prevent any stray water drops from entering. After a dip in the pool or lake, make sure to dry your pet’s ears thoroughly to prevent infection from setting up.. Moisture is like a magnet for bacteria, so let’s keep those ears nice and dry!
- Address Any Underlying Issues: If your pet has allergies or other health issues, work with your vet to get them sorted out. The skin is one of the largest organs on the pet’s body and the ears are one of its most favorite places to show irritation. Addressing the root cause can help prevent those pesky ear infections from coming back for round two.
- Don’t Wait, Communicate: If you suspect your pet might have an ear infection, don’t wait around hoping it’ll go away on its own. They almost never go away on their ownSchedule a visit to the vet for some expert advice and a game plan to tackle the problem head-on.
In Conclusion
Ear infections might be a pain in the, well, ear, but with a little proactive care and a whole lot of love, you can keep your pet’s ears feeling happy and healthy. So, go ahead, give those furry ears a little extra scratch behind the ear—you’ve earned it, pet parent!