The dog is worried about the ear, but it is clean. Veterinary Academy. Possible Causes of Ear Diseases
“Why is the dog shaking its head” - such a question is often asked in veterinary clinics and on forums where dog breeders communicate. What is the reason for this behavior of the dog, and is it dangerous?
Let's start with the fact that this phenomenon can have many reasons. With their identification, as in the case of any other veterinary problem, the search for a solution must begin.
foreign body
A fairly rare cause for ear problems, but it does happen sometimes. Most often, the dog is annoyed by water that gets into the ear after swimming or washing. When bathing a dog, always make sure that the water jet does not get into the ear! It is difficult to do this alone, so it is better to involve assistants or take the dog to the groomer.
Sometimes an insect can get into the ear or a wax plug can get stuck.
Main features foreign body: the dog constantly shakes its head, while the ears are completely clean. Do not try to remove the foreign body yourself! Be sure to contact a specialist. And it's not worth the hassle.
If your dog does not tolerate the road well, or there is a problem with transporting him to the clinic, call the veterinarian at home. Emergency veterinary care at home - perfect solution in difficult cases, saving time and nerves. The range of veterinary services provided with home visits will solve almost any problem. The added benefit of calling veterinarian at home - minimizing stress for an animal that is already having a hard time.
Otitis
Ear inflammation most often occurs in dogs with long, floppy ears. This is a fairly common disease in breeds such as spaniels. But anyone can become a victim of otitis media.
Clean regularly inner surface ear at the dog, do not let it get cold, lie on cold or wet surfaces, sleep in drafts. If you have the slightest problem, immediately contact your veterinarian so that later you do not have to treat the disease in an advanced stage.
Ear mite (otodectosis, ear scabies)
A characteristic sign of otodectosis will be the presence of a gray-brown plaque on the inner surface of the ear and a characteristic bad smell. AT advanced cases ear mites start to call severe discomfort- the dog tries to scratch his ears with his paws, "butts" to scratch his ear on the surrounding objects. Touching the affected ear causes acute pain.
In any case, treatment should begin with a veterinary examination by a specialist.
Abrasions and open wounds of the ear
Usually this is a consequence of some disease. His symptoms have already been eliminated, but the dog, combing the ear, scratched its inner surface, and now it is no longer annoyed by the root cause, but by the effect.
You can help the dog by treating the damaged area wound healing drugs. But you should be very careful not to get anything into the ear canal.
Closed head injury
Head shaking in dogs is not always associated with ear problems. A dog may shake its head for other reasons as well. One of them may be a closed craniocerebral injury.
If the dog got swipe on the head, for example, after being hit by a car, then one of the consequences of the incident may be the behavior in which she will shake her head.
Even if there is no external damage, be sure to contact a specialist! Closed injuries very insidious and prescient further development events are quite difficult. But the sooner you intervene in the situation, the greater the chances of a successful solution to the problem.
Open wounds on the head
Dogs shake their heads to get rid of something that gets in their way. For example, a dried crust on a wound, an ointment applied or a dressing worn. If your pet has a head injury and is treated with some kind of topical medication or bandage, he will likely shake his head to shake it off.
Your task is not to allow the dog to do this, otherwise the treatment may drag on for a long time.
Impaired coordination
Stroke and consequences of the transferred plague in nervous form can also cause head shaking.
Needed here comprehensive consultation. Most likely, it will not be possible to radically solve the problem. But you can make the manifestation of these symptoms less pronounced, thereby making life easier for your pet.
And finally, let us remind you once again.
Self-treatment in most cases still ends with a trip to veterinary clinic. If you are not sure about something, if you do not know how to do this or that manipulation, do not experiment.
Even if you can treat the dog yourself, the diagnosis and prescription should be made by a specialist.
Health to you and your pets!
Etiology and predisposing factors
The dog shakes its ears as a result of a parasitic invasion, the same otodectosis, often otitis in a dog occurs after an allergic reaction (atopic, food, contact or drug allergy). Also, the causes of inflammation of the outer ear in dogs is the ingress of foreign bodies, the development of a tumor or obstruction of the ear canal. Keratinization disorders, diseases of the skin and sulfur glands also become causes of otitis media.Some breeds of dogs are more likely to get otitis
Breeds of dogs with hanging auricles and outer ear are predisposed to it. ear canal covered with hair - spaniels, retrievers, terriers, poodles, etc. Also, dogs with a "hanging" shape of the auricle, a narrowed ear canal, are also more likely to suffer from otitis media.Ear infections in dogs
Gap eardrum contributes to the development of otitis media. Without treatment, otitis media leads to thickening and fibrosis of the walls of the external auditory canal with a decrease in its diameter, an increase in the secretion of apocrine glands located in the epithelial layer. In the future, calcification of the ear cartilage is possible.Diagnosis of otitis media in dogs
As a result of otitis, the dog shakes his head, scratches his ear, abrasions on the ears are often found, and pain is noted. When examining the auricle in a dog, attention is paid to the presence of neoplasms, foreign objects, ticks, the presence and nature of exudate.Typical symptoms of otitis media are:
- purulent discharge with an unpleasant odor;
- earache;
- the animal shakes its head;
- head tilted;
- auricle scratched;
- redness and swelling of the external auditory canal;
- obstruction is noted;
- dogs can flatten their ears.
In the first days of treatment, washing is performed 1-2 times a day, then, as the symptoms disappear, once every 2-7 days. Local preparations used frequently and in sufficient doses:
- sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate;
- urea peroxide;
- boric acid;
- ethanol;
- acetic acid;
- chlorhexidine;
- isopropyl alcohol;
- boric and salicylic acids.
Features of the treatment of otitis media in severe cases
When the tympanic membrane is ruptured, only sterile isotonic solution sodium chloride or diluted acetic acid. Flush outer ear canal in dogs with severe otitis media, extreme caution should be exercised due to the possibility of tympanic membrane rupture. Glucocorticoids are not prescribed to pregnant animals. It should be taken into account that some local funds may cause irritation or allergic reaction which leads to deterioration.Surgical intervention
Surgical treatment is indicated for significant obstruction of the external auditory canal, tumor, as well as with the development severe inflammation middle ear. Need to complete the operation therapeutic treatment to eliminate the disease on the remaining part of the ear.The phenomenon when a dog's ears itch cannot be called rare. There can be many reasons. Of course, in order to avoid this irritating animal disease, it is necessary to follow the rules of hygiene: clean the pet's ears with cotton swabs.
If, nevertheless, it is noticed that the dog is shaking its head, trying to penetrate auricle paw, scratches his ears, makes some sounds, tilting his head to one side, then you should carefully study what can cause such behavior, but it is better to bring the animal to a veterinary clinic.
Why does a dog scratch his ear?
Ear shape. It can be considered the most harmless cause of irritation in the ear. For example, the shape of terrier or poodle ears trap ear secretions, leading to redness and inflammation. AT this case The ear may need to be thoroughly cleaned and further care taken to avoid contamination. It should be borne in mind that when walking, dust also gets into the ear, it lingers on sulfur, dust can be pathogenic bacteria Therefore, these dogs need to clean their ears more often.
Pathogenic bacterial infections. In most cases, the disease occurs against the background of another disease, so the pet must be immediately carefully examined, and then a course of antibiotics will be prescribed to get rid of the primary infection and methods for treating ear inflammation will be indicated.
Allergy. In this case, a visit to the veterinarian is required. It is impossible to diagnose the disease without examination and analysis.
fungal infection. Determining the presence of a fungus in the ear is not difficult and on your own. Typically, the symptom is a large number of ear discharge and bad odor. Treatment is made medicines prescribed by a veterinarian.
Foreign body. While frolicking on a walk in the park, among tall plants, grasses, a dog can involuntarily pick up seeds, stems or even insects in his ear. After a walk, the dog will often shake his head and tilt it to one side, perhaps trying to clean his ear with his paw. If the foreign body is not visible, then in no case should you look for it in the ear. Be sure to visit the veterinarian on the same day so that it does not sink even deeper.
Mite. Ticks can be transmitted to dogs even from cats, therefore, if there is a suspicion of ear mites, it is advisable to examine all animals living together. The tick is characterized by constant, almost non-stop itching, in which the dog actively scratches the ear, tilts its head, groans, combs the ear until it bleeds. Ticks are treated pharmaceutical preparations prescribed by a veterinarian.
How to protect your dog from ear diseases?
You should not try to penetrate too deeply when cleaning your ear.
It is better to remove the hair that grows inward from the ear.
Frequently check how clean the dog's ears are.
Comb the fur around the dog's ears and keep it clean.
Dry the hair around the ears after bathing the pet.
Never try to treat the ears yourself.
Ear problems in dogs cannot “go away on their own”. An animal carrying an illness experiences discomfort and the consequences are unpredictable. One infection can flow into another, become more complicated, in the end, the disease develops into a chronic one and it will be impossible to be near the animal, because of the unpleasant smell from the ears, not to mention the well-being of the pet. Therefore, having found signs of inflammation in the ear, it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Pets, like people, are susceptible to various ailments. Our four-legged friends also have to deal with various diseases. One of the most common are ear diseases.
The presence of such problems in an animal can be judged by certain symptoms. If it scratches its ears, shakes its head, then its owner should turn Special attention on your pet.
What to do if your dog's ears itch
If the dog scratches his ear, you need to establish what it is connected with. The reasons similar symptoms may be different. It happens that the animal has an allergy. As a result, the dog constantly scratches his ear.
Allergy occurs on new food, shampoo or other pet care product. It is important to identify the allergen and exclude its further use.
When a dog's ears itch, this may be due to the ingress of a foreign body into the ear canal. The animal experiences severe discomfort. If the cause is a banal blade of grass, a lump of dirt or an insect, the dog owner will be able to remove it himself. After extraction foreign object just a couple of days to use special ear drops or lotions.
You can get rid of ticks at home. But first, you should make sure that the animal suffers from this particular disease. Therefore, it is best to visit a veterinarian who will put correct diagnosis. If the presence of an ear mite is confirmed, treat the ears of the sick animal, as well as other pets, if you have any.
The fight against the tick will succeed if you follow the recommendations of the veterinarian and give required drug in strict accordance with the instructions. The dog's ear itches even when an infection has got inside. You need to take the animal to the vet. You should not self-medicate. This will only harm the sick animal.
How to treat an itchy ear in a dog
If the dog has scratched his ear, this may be due to severe itching that the animal experiences. The owner of the dog needs to take his pet to the veterinarian. If your four-legged friend experiencing severe pain alleviate the suffering of your pet.
Give the dog antihistamine. This will alleviate the condition of the animal until the diagnosis is clarified. You can use diphenhydramine. This drug is given at 2 mg per kilogram of animal weight. It will not help to completely remove the itchy ear in a dog, but it will relieve the pain. Your pet may still scratch their ears after using this drug. That's why it won't solve the problem.
The dog scratches his ears, how to treat? Only a doctor can answer this question. The veterinarian will be able to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe necessary medicines. Ear problems are different. To solve them, you need to apply the right approach.
ear - common problem faced by dogs and their owners. The dog breeder can learn about the illness of his pet by certain symptoms. shakes his ears, head, rolls on the floor, scratches his ears, the animal has strange discharge - in all these cases, dog owners should pay attention to the health of their pets.
Do dogs shake their ears? So something is bothering them. The animal feels pain or itching in the ears. He needs the help of the owner. The dog experiences incomprehensible sensations. The reasons for this behavior may be associated with hypothermia of the animal or with the ingress of a foreign body into the ear.
It happens that the dog begins to shake his ears as a result of an infection. Inflammation can lead to swelling of the ear. An unhealthy discharge or an unpleasant odor may come out of the animal's ear canal. If a dog develops otitis media, it can lead to sudden deterioration animal health.
Is it possible to help an animal that shakes its ears on its own? It all depends on the situation. You can kill ear mites at home. If your dog has other problems, take him to the vet.
The dog shakes his ears, how to treat it? Look at the animal first. If the dog's ears are blackened from the inside, then the problem is in the ear mites. In this case, you can help your pet without the help of a veterinarian.
Buy special drops from the pet store and start dripping them into your pet's ear. It is important to follow the instructions for using the drug. Fighting a tick is a long and hard task, but you can achieve desired result if you do everything right.
Against ear mites helps a lot vegetable oil. They can also bury the ears of a sick dog. This must be done 21 days in a row. That's how long it takes life cycle tick.
If it's not the tick, the treatment for the dog's ear shaking problem will involve something else. Do not come up with a diagnosis on your own. Let the vet fix it. The doctor will prescribe proper treatment your dog, after which you will need to follow his recommendations.
