Pets and Chronic Ear Infections

Every veterinarian has dog and cat patients that have ear infections that simply seem to never completely clear up. Dogs with chronic ear infections outnumber cats with chronic ear problems by about 10 to 1. Reasons for this difference in chronic infection rates will be a subject of another day’s blog but some of the difference surely can be attributed to the floppy ears of some dogs that inhibit good ventilation of ear tissues.

The fact is a dog’s ear structures are perfect for incubating bacteria and yeasts.

This Cocker Spaniel's ear has been infected for years!

Breeds with pinnas that are flopped over and cover the external ear tissues are especially prone to repeated flare-ups of itching, inflammation, pus and wax accumulation and skin tissue damage.

How do ear infections start?
All pets have a normal assortment of bacteria and a few yeast organisms present on all skin surfaces. A healthy skin and immune system prevents these potential invaders from penetrating the skin surface, including the very thin hairless epithelium (skin) lining the deep ear canal and the thicker epithelium of the external ear structures. Anything that disrupts the integrity of the epithelial barrier or weakens the local cellular immune competence invites superficial organisms to “step inside and make themselves comfortable”.

What commonly compromises the health of the ear lining epithelium?
A.) Poor quality diet
B.) Moisture contacting the epithelium (water from bathing, swimming, rain)
C.) Debris such as dust, dirt, pollens, wind-blown vegetation particles
D.) Allergic inflammation
E.) Ear cleaners that do not dry quickly (moisture is the enemy!)
F.) Seborrhea… a skin condition where too much sebum is secreted onto the skin from the sebaceous glands.
G.) Parasites such as ear mites and constant exposure to bacteria and yeasts from an unhygienic environment.

Can chronic ear infections be cured?

An ear cleaner is used to remove a buildup of debris and not for daily long term use.

Some cannot be cured. In these cases, for example with allergic otitis, the best we can do is manage the ear disease with antibiotics and ear cleaners… that means simply keeping the symptoms under control. The dog or cat should be on a high quality diet with adequate amounts of beneficial fatty acids in order to have a healthy epithelium not only in the ear tissues but also all over the body. Healthy food provides healthy skin, which provides a good barrier to the skin’s enemies.

Gently remove any visible oily deposits you see using a cotton ball or Q-tip but do not force anything down the ear canal! Use common sense in your use of ear cleaners. They should be used only when there is substantial debris accumulating in the external ear tissues. Try to select an ear wash that evaporates fully and quickly. You can call the manufacturer for answers to your questions, too.

Follow your veterinarian’s instructions on treatment and prescription medications. Be sure to have the vet look at your dog or cat right away if any ear problem seems to be returning because the longer and more frequent the infection occurs the more scar tissue and permanent damage occurs to the delicate ear epithelium. Many chronic ear problems in pets occur because treatment was not continued long enough.

In cases where medical problems continue in spite of culturing the bacteria, selecting the specific antibiotic, ear cleanings, anti-yeast medications, special diets and allergy control measures all have been used unsuccessfully, surgery may just be the answer. Find a veterinarian who is competent with performing a lateral ear canal resection. Removal of the outer half of the ear canal opens the ear structures to excellent ventilation, removes exuberant scar tissue folds, relieves obstruction of the ear canal, and allows easy application of medications or cleaners directly t the affected tissues.