Otitis (an inflammation of the ears) and ear infections are common ailments for many dogs.
In some cases, an ear infection in a dog may be easily treated and
cured. However, in too many cases, these canine ear problems become
chronic and difficult to treat.
Why Does Canine Otitis Become a Chronic Problem?
Why Are Some Ear Infections Hard to Treat for Our Dogs?
While some causes of ear infections, such as ear mites or foreign
bodies, may have an easy cure, other types of ear problems may actually
be secondary to another cause. What this means is that the ear problem
itself is a symptom of another disease. Unless the underlying cause of
the ear problem is resolved, the ear problem may improve with treatment
of the ears but is likely to return once treatment is discontinued.
Potential Causes of Otitis and Ear Infection in the Dog
There are a number of different things that can potentially cause either otitis or infection in the ear of a dog.
- Bacteria frequently are capable of invading a dog's ears and
causing infection. Many different types of bacteria can cause ear
infections. However, bacterial ear infections are frequently secondary
to another cause.
- Yeast infections are also commonly diagnosed for dogs with ear infections. The most commonly found yeast is Malassezia. Yeast infections are also usually secondary to another cause.
- Parasitic diseases such as ear mites, scabies mites, Demodex mites, fleas and ticks can also be responsible for causing ear infections and otitis.
- Fungal diseases can affect both the skin and the ears of infected dogs.
- Allergies are frequent causes of ear disease in dogs. The allergy
may be a food allergy, a flea allergy, or atopy (an allergy to
environmental allergens such as pollens, dust mites, grasses, etc.) Some
dogs suffer from more than one type of allergy. Learn more
- Foreign bodies can enter the ear canal or can become tangled in the hair on the ear flaps, causing ear disease. Plant awns such as foxtails and cockleburrs are common examples.
- Fly bites and even chigger bites can cause ear infections, especially on the ear flaps.
- Hypothyroidism is a metabolic disease of the dog that can affect the ears and cause ear disease.
- Diseases of the immune system, such as lupus, can also affect the ears and cause otitis or ear infections.
- Diseases that affect that keratinization of the skin can affect the ears and cause otitis.
- Masses within the ear can also cause otitis and ear infections to occur. These masses can be benign or cancerous.
Proper diagnosis of the cause of your dog's ear infection and/or otitis is necessary to determine the correct treatment.