Train My Pets

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It’s not uncommon for hunting dogs to get an ear infection in fact it’s a result of the size and depth of their ears. Because hunting dogs (gun dogs) spend so much time outdoors and have large, floppy ears, they are actually more prone to getting an ear infection. Infections in the ear are a result of yeast or bacteria which can grow in your dogs’ ear and eventually may wind up in the ear canal.

Symptoms of Otitis
Since ear infections can be quite painful to your dog and can even lead to deafness, it’s important to know what to watch for. Some symptoms will be behavioral while others are more clinical in nature. Watch for:

Your dog has any discharge from their ears which is heavily colored
Your dogs; ears begin to emit a strong, foul odor
Your dog begins to scratch his ears or shake his head excessively

These symptoms can worsen and the infection may become more severe. The deeper the infection goes into the dog’s ears, the worse it will get as it affects the inner ear. This will affect your dog’s balance and ability to hear. The advanced symptoms may include:

Disorientation
Falling down or an awkward “drunken” gate
Loss of hearing
Unusual eye movements or “crazy eye”

As soon as you’ve noticed something wrong, take your dog to a veterinarian. The faster you treat the infection, the easier it will be to care for it and the less it will cost you in money and your dog in pain.

Your veterinarian can find the problem by utilizing a special scope to observe the infection, and sometimes, a cotton swab may be use to get a sample. Ear mites and other diseases can have the same symptoms of otitis, so they must be ruled out before treatment can begin.

Treating Ostitis
The usually course of treatment is medication. Hydrogen peroxide saturated in the ear on a regular basis may be prescribe; otherwise, special medication may be suggested for more serious states of infecttion. To diminish the effects of infection, antibiotics may also be used. Your vet will thoroughly clean your dog’s ears, then you’ll take him and administer medications at home.

When you give the medication, which is usually squirted or poured into the dog’s ear, you will have to hold the dog down or have someone help you. Obviously, the dog won’t like this, but it needs to be done.

Because dogs cannot become immune to ear infections, you should watch carefully for the signs, even if you believe he is cured. Early action requires early detection, and makes the infection easier to handle.

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