Preventing ear infections

A common problem in dogs and cats is ear infections, with the main cause of this being bad hygiene, which can lead to chronic ear problems over time.

Some clues that your dog may have an ear infection include discharge, odor, or shaking of their head. Sometimes the flap on the ear of your pet (pinna) will also get rather swollen. This is called an aural hematoma.

If your Dog is having problems with his or her ears it is a good idea to get them checked since ear problems can lead to other problems in the body. A routine physical exam is done on any dog with an ear infection. Ear swabs will be used to sample the discharge.

The healing of an ear infection takes 3-7 days and for the majority of cases, proper cleaning and topical medication is all that is needed.