Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

214 •DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
rolled onto a glass slide, and examined under the microscope looking for bacteria,
yeast, ear mites, and any other predisposing factors. Your veterinarian
may need to do a culture and sensitivity test on the discharge, especially if this
is a recurring problem. A correct and definite diagnosis of the cause helps to
determine the most appropriate and best treatment.
The first step in treatment is to clean and dry the ear canals. This requires
ear-cleaning solutions, a syringe, an ear curette, and cotton balls. It should be
done at the veterinary clinic. Cleaning creates a less favorable environment
for bacteria to grow and allows the medication to treat the surface of the ear
canal. Medication can’t penetrate the debris in a dirty ear.
Follow-up care at home involves medicating the ear with a preparation
prescribed by your veterinarian (see How to Apply Ear Medicines, page 208).
If the ear continues to produce wax and exudate, a cleansing and flushing
solution such as Oti-Clens or Epi-Otic, and/or a drying solution such as
ClearX or Panodry, may be recommended. These solutions are used immediately
before medicating the ear with an antibiotic or antifungal medication.
Topical and/or oral corticosteroids may be recommended to control pain and
decrease swelling and inflammation. Some dogs may need oral antibiotics as
well for severe infections.
Bacterial infections that continue to progress produce thickening and narrowing
of the ear canal and chronic pain. These ears are difficult to clean and
treat. As a last resort, your veterinarian may advise a surgical procedure called
an ear resection that reestablishes air circulation and promotes drainage.
OTODECTIC MANGE (EAR MITES)
Otodectic mites are tiny insects that live in the ear canals and feed by piercing
the skin. They are highly contagious to cats and dogs, but not to humans.
Ear mites are the most common cause of ear symptoms in puppies and young
adult dogs. Suspect ear mites when both of the dog’s ears are involved.
Ear mites should not be confused with the mites that cause sarcoptic
mange. This is an entirely different disease, but one whose signs can include
crusty ear tips (see Scabies, page 126).
It takes only a few ear mites to produce a severe hypersensitivity reaction
that leads to intense itching with scratching and violent head shaking. The
ear flaps become red, excoriated, crusted, and scabbed. The canals contain a
dry, crumbly, dark brown, waxy discharge that looks like coffee grounds and
may have a bad odor due to secondary infection.
Ear mites can be identified by removing a specimen of wax with a cottontipped
applicator and looking at it under a magnifying glass against a black background.
Mites are white specks, about the size of the head of a pin, that move.
Treatment: Once the diagnosis has been made, all dogs and cats in the
household should be treated to prevent reinfestation. If you have a house
bunny or ferret, check their ears as well. The ears must be cleaned as described