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Common Ear problems in Dogs and Cats
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Common Ear problems in Dogs and Cats
Whether you own a dog or a cat, there are many common ear problems that can result in your pet being ill of health. In order for you to overcome these obstacles and avoid infections, there are many ways to help care for your animal. This article will be looking into the three main forms of Ear problems in dogs and cats, as well as looking at the symptoms and preventions that can be taken.
The largest and most well known ear problem in dogs and cats is that of Ear mites. These infectious organisms share many common characteristics to ticks and are extremely small in size. To the naked eye, they can be seen as small ‘white dots’ on the skin of the animal. But don’t let the sign of Mites fool you; it is always best to see a veterinarian for a microscopic analysis.
These infections are so widespread due to the nature of their transmission. Ear Mites are transmitted from host to host by physical contact and touch. They can rapidly move from one host to another (especially between playful dogs).
The symptoms of this infection include rapid inflammation of the ear, painful swelling and occasionally a minor form of skin disease. Due to the ear’s small width and accessibility to the underlying skin, it is very easy for Ear mites to infect such areas.
Typical treatments come in the form of insecticide solution that must be applied to the infected area over a period of 30 days. The solution must be applied over such a large time period as the solution does not eradicate incubating eggs, so it must be applied throughout the entire life cycle of the Mite. Preferably treatments are those of prescription medicine (given to you by a Veterinarian). These treatments reduce inflammation within a matter of days and can eliminate Mite eggs. These treatments cost more than the longer period treatments but only take around 10 days to solve the problem.
Bacterial infections are also very dominant in comparison to other ear infections. Bacterial infections can be infections of any kind, whether it is dirt of a hazardous liquid. Usually the defences of an animal’s ear are relatively efficient at destroying foreign bodies. But if your pet has hormonal changes or imbalances within its body, bacteria can begin to multiply in the ear cavity and spread.
Common symptoms of Bacterial infections include an unpleasant odour emitting from the ear, a dark and crumbly solid within the ear canal and signs of decaying tissue. It is imperative that if your animal suffers any of these symptoms, you seek Veterinarian advice immediately. It is strongly advised as if the infection is left to its own devices; it can infect the inner ear and promote deafness.
The best treatment for these types of infection should be to clean your animal’s ear using a good ear cleaner that can be bought from any animal store. Gently massage the ear whilst loosening debris within the ear canal. Remove the debris using soft cotton buds and ensure this is done on a daily basis until the odour has vanished and the ear canal is cleared.
The final ear infection to be wary of is that of Yeast infections. These infections are very similar to Bacterial although they usually cause a brown waxy substance with a more intense odour. Whilst the symptoms are similar, the treatments are very contrasting as Yeast cannot be destroyed by antibiotics. If you suspect that your pet has a yeast infection, I recommend seeing a Veterinarian immediately as they will be able to prescribe appropriate drug treatments and solutions depending on the severity of the infection.
Although these are the main forms of ear infections, there others that can cause inflammation and irritation to your animals. In order for you to maintain your animal’s health and prevent infections of any kind, I recommend cleaning your animals’ ears on a daily/weekly basis with a good ear cleaner and warm water solution. This will reduce the build-up of debris within the animal’s ear canal and greatly reduce the chance of any other infection appearing.
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