Prevention/Treatment

How do I prevent pet ear problems?

When should I take my pet to a vet if I suspect she has an ear problem?

What can you tell me that will help me better understand my pet’s ear problem?

How do I prevent pet ear problems?

To prevent pet ear problems it’s helpful to know some of the many causes to better avoid them.

Some of the most common reasons for ear problems include:

• Water going in ears.  Like when a pet gets a bath, or playing in the water in the yard, creek, lake, pond, beach etc.
• Soapy water going in the ears while getting a bath at home or at the groomers.
• Food allergies

Things to avoid:

• Keep your pet away from foxtail fields.
• Keep your pet away from other pets with ear mites.
• Stay away from chigger infested areas.

Having routine pet ear exams can help catch ear problems early and prevent a more severe and chronic ear problem down the road.

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When should I take my pet to a vet if I suspect she has an ear problem?

The sooner the better. Your pet will benefit the most from early treatment. The longer the problem exists in the ears, the more difficult it becomes to treat, and the more likely the problem will become chronic.

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What can you tell me that will help me better understand my pet’s ear problem? 

The ears of dogs and cats are structural different from human ears. One of the most helpful things to know is the anatomy of your pet’s ear. Understanding the anatomy will help you better understand how problems effect the ear and why certain treatments may have been prescribed. 

The outer ear is called the pinna and is commonly referred to as the ear flap. The pinna leads to the vertical ear canal. Humans do not have a vertical ear canal but in dogs and cats this canal goes straight down then makes a turn toward the nose and becomes the horizontal ear canal. The ear drum is located at the end of the horizontal ear canal. Behind the ear drum there is a middle ear and bubble-like structure surrounded by bone called the tympanic bulla. The bulla is another ear structure not as pronounced in the human ear.

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