Ear inflammation - when things go wrong

Ear inflammation is a commonly seen condition, vets call it 'otitis externa'. Sometimes there is ear inflammation alone or sometimes there will be microbial overgrowth (or infection). Otitis externa can be categorised by causes and factors. Let us tell you more about the 3Ps of otitis externa.

Primary causes of ear disease

There is always a primary cause (trigger) that starts the inflammation in the ear canal. The most common primary causes are allergic skin disease, foreign material in the ear canal or parasites like ear mites. In order to maintain long term ear health, the underlying cause needs to be identified and managed properly.

Less common causes of ear disease are hormonal disorders, autoimmune disease and seborrheic conditions.

What is causing your dog´s ear problem?

What is causing your dog´s ear problem?

Primary causes of ear disease

There is always a primary cause that starts the inflammation in the ear canal. The most common primary causes are allergic skin disease, foreign material in the ear canal or parasites like ear mites. In order to maintain long term ear health, the underlying cause needs to be identified and managed properly.

Less common causes of ear disease are hormonal disorders, autoimmune disease and seborrheic conditions.

If a foreign material (also called a foreign body), such as a grass seed, becomes lodged in your dog’s ear it often causes irritation and inflammation which needs to be addressed.

Parasites that live on the skin surface are less common these days due to effective anti-flea or anti-tick treatment, however they do still occur. Ear mites are small white parasites that can infest the ears of several species like dogs, cats and ferrets and can cause intense itching and discomfort.

An allergy is the body’s own immune system over-reacting to a so-called ‘allergen’. An allergen might be a food component, something in the environment (pollen or house-dust mites are common environmental allergens), fleas or a substance in a medication, a bowl or a collar.

When the dog inhales, ingests or comes in to contact with an allergen it causes the body to release various irritating chemicals, such as histamine, which leads to inflammation, redness, itch and discomfort.

Predisposing factors

Certain factors predispose your dog to otitis, so they make otitis more likely to happen. These factors do not cause inflammation by themselves but they can make it more likely to occur.

A Spaniel, like Pogo, is an example of a dog with floppy ears, a factor that might be predisposing to ear disease

Dogs with heavy, tight-closing earflaps, narrow ear canals (due to breed or possible lumps) and excessive hair growth are more prone to develop ear disease. Although your dog might have these breed related features, it does not always cause problems and it is therefore not advisable to routinely interfere with the ear canal environment by routine cleaning or hair plucking if the dog has no ear problem. If the ear is self-managing properly, there is no need to interfere.

Swimming, excessive bathing, meticulous cleaning when not appropriate, or even warm weather can increase humidity in the ear canal and change the microclimate to stimulate overgrowth of bacteria and yeast.

If your dog is suffering from an suppressed immune system it may have an increased risk of developing otitis.

Perpetuating factors

These are the factors which make a dog’s ear problem harder to manage. Frequent recurring ear inflammation or a chronic, long-standing case, make subsequent flare-ups harder to treat.

If the inflammation is ongoing the ear canal can develop chronic changes. These can include permanent swelling and hardening of the ear cartilage or a ruptured ear drum with inflammation or infection spreading to involve both the middle and sometimes inner ear.

This can lead to hard-to treat infections, hearing loss or possible deafness, head-tilting to one side and balance problems as well as pain for your dog and heartache for you as an owner.

A chronic case of otitis often needs deep ear flushing under a general anaesthetic or even extensive surgery.

Image (CWalker, ThePhotoVet)

Work with your vet to get to the bottom of your dog’s ear problem at an early stage to avoid chronic changes and don´t skip your revisits!

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