Dogs wag their tails and drop their ears when they are most happy. They love to get cuddled and enjoy every moment of their importance. Unfortunately, these ears get infections quite often and it is the floppy ears that are more prone to infections than the cropped ones.
A dog’s ears are the most mysterious places of its physical being. They are deep, dark and mostly moist. It is of paramount importance that the dog owners need to be aware of the fact that, it is these ears that can pave way for so many infections. Some dogs have their ears erect and hence they experience proper air circulation and thus are not prone to any bacterial infection, but there are certain other breeds whose ears are not only drooping but also have hair growth inside the ears, and it is such ears that call for more attention and care from pet owners. The hair needs to be cut at frequent intervals to keep it clean.
Most infections in the dog’s ears take place due to the moist condition of the ears that lead to growth of acarus and the ears become a breeding ground for other obnoxious organisms and bacteria. Some of the symptoms of ear trouble in dogs are excessive ear scratching, a foul odor from ears, excessive shaking of head and redness of the infected areas.
Canine peripheral vestibular syndrome is another not-so-common ear trouble in older dogs that is due to inflammation of the inner ear. The dog loses balance and trips off steps or falls for no reason or staggers in circles while running into objects. The veterinarians cannot help with this condition though, and only more love from owners can make the canine feel a little confident still.
A regular and routine homecare check for the dogs ears is very important to keep it away from ear troubles. Try to look for any wax like substance or for any other foreign material inside the ear on a periodic basis. Sniffing inside the dog’s ears is another way to detect any problems. If you observe any kind of watery or pus-like discharge that is foul smelled it maybe the signs of bacterial infection. Additionally, follow with routine application of ear care products to keep the ears free from mites, yeast or any kind of bacterial infection.
Here are some generalized tips to take care of your dog’s ears
- The dog’s ears should be routinely flushed with warm water, and the hair growing inside ears should be trimmed regularly.
- Follow certain home dogs’ ear care remedies including application of hydrogen peroxide, mineral oil or a combination of equal parts of vinegar and alcohol.
- Ensure drying and cleaning of excess moisture in the ear canals. An excellent choice for dog’s ear wash is using Tea tree oil because of its antibacterial and natural antiseptic properties.
- If your dog’s ears tend to retain moisture after a bath or a swim, it is advisable that one should use some kind of an ear-drying product.
- Proper cleaning of the ear canal is very essential, however, one must be very cautious and also aware of the ear anatomy of a dog. The L-shaped ear canal of dog descends vertically making a 90-degree horizontal turn before reaching the eardrum. One needs to be careful when cleaning the ear canal with cotton swabs because it might push the dirt inside and there is a chance of losing the cotton tip inside the ear canal.
At times, a dog may need to be administered with anesthesia and a veterinarian might have to surgically intervene to remove and clean off mites or any other microorganisms that could not be removed at home.
Regular cleaning of your dog’s ears can ward off most of the ear problems. A sniff-check and a regular visual examination can really help your dog from developing any serious ear infections. If you feel that your beloved canine must be suffering from canine peripheral vestibular syndrome make sure you show more love and care, because these dogs needs your love for inducing some confidence within itself.