The arrival of warmer weather brings with it an increase in the number of ear problems seen by veterinarians. The most common ear problem is otitis externa, which is a medical term that indicates inflammation and/or infection of the outer structures of the ear. A diagnosis of otitis externa does not necessarily mean that the pet has a bacterial or fungal infection in the ear. Some cases of otitis externa are caused by external parasites such as ear mites or by irritation from an insect sting, both of which cause the pet to scratch excessively at the affected ear. Other cases may simply be related to activities such as swimming, which promotes a warm and moist environment that is an excellent place for bacteria and yeasts to grow. Still other cases of otitis externa are a symptom of a more generalized problem such as an allergy to environmental or airborne allergens. While humans manifest symptoms of airborne allergens mainly in their respiratory system (hay fever), dogs and cats often develop skin problems in response to allergies, and the ears are particularly reactive in cases of environmental and food allergies. Finally, some causes of otitis externa are caused by trauma such as driving in the car with the windows open, and are easily preventable. Allowing your pet to hang its head out the window of a car that is moving is asking for trouble – dirt, stones and insects can be driven into the ear at high speed, while the wind causes the ears to flap against the head with a great deal of force.
The most common symptoms of an ear problem include redness, excessive wax accumulation, and smelly discharges, accompanied by head shaking, scratching, rubbing or pawing at the ears, and pain when the affected ear is touched. In severe or long-standing (chronic) cases, the ear flap or pinna may become thickened, and the ear canal may become swollen and occluded. These symptoms may occur together or alone. None of them are diagnostic of a specific problem – rather they indicate the presence of inflammation and/or infection. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is important that you bring your pet to your veterinarian so that the specific problem can be diagnosed and the appropriate treatment can be started. After cleaning and inspecting the ear, your veterinarian will recommend a specific course of treatment, which may include pain relievers or other anti-inflammatory medications. As part of this treatment, you will usually be advised to examine the ears regularly and clean them as often as necessary. If your dog swims or otherwise gets the ears wet, you will also be advised to gently dry them as soon as possible.
The purpose of cleaning the ear canal is to remove the excess discharge – when an ear medication is being applied, it is important to physically remove any dead cells and infectious materials, thus allowing the medication to penetrate to the skin surface or down into the deeper part of the ear canal and do its job. Earwax is chemically related to oil, so does not mix with water. Thus, using water to clean an ear full of wax is completely ineffective.
Although oil-based products can be effective to dissolve the wax, under certain circumstances they may intensify the problem. “Natural” products that should never be used in the ear except by a veterinary professional include tea tree oil, almond oil, or vegetable oils such as olive oil. Tea tree oil can be toxic to animals, especially cats, and it stings when applied to inflamed surfaces. Food based oils can provide a source of nourishment to the organisms that are living in the ear, so can actually worsen the problem. Inorganic oil such as a light mineral oil may be useful to dissolve the ear wax, but should only be used on the advice of your veterinarian. Discharges that are made up of infectious material combined with ear wax may not be effectively dissolved by mineral oil. Never put either hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol into an inflamed ear. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) works by combining with organic debris to produce water (H2O) and oxygen (O2), liberating a lot of heat in the process. In an enclosed space such as the ear canal, the heat that is produced will cause excessive pain and will worsen the inflammation. Rubbing alcohol applied to inflamed tissue causes further inflammation and is very painful. If you use a product in your pet’s ears that increases the pain, it won’t take long until you will be unable to get near that ear!
In most cases, commercial ear cleansers are the best products to use, since they contain several different products to break up and dissolve the discharges, and usually are soothing to the ear. However, you should read the label carefully if you choose to purchase an ear cleanser over the counter at a retail outlet – some of these products contain alcohol, tea tree oil, or other substances such as salicylic acid which should be used with caution in cats.
Finally, you should never use cotton-tipped swabs to clean down into the ear canal – if there is a lot of debris within the ear canal, you will simply drive the debris in deeper. Rather, you should use a cotton ball or other pliable material and the tip of your finger – or even better, put the ear cleanser into the canal and massage it in, allowing it to break up and dilute the debris. The diluted debris can then be removed by soaking it up with cotton balls or by tipping the pet’s head gently to the side so that it runs out by gravity.
During your appointment, the members of our veterinary team will be more than happy to teach you how to properly clean your pet’s ears, and will also give you specific advice on how often you should clean your pet’s ears to prevent or control ear problems.
