Any infection can provoke otitis in dogs, so it is found everywhere. Disease external and internal parts of the hearing aid affects large pets and small puppies, animals with ears of different shapes. Responsible dog breeders are advised to thoroughly familiarize themselves with the causes that cause this unpleasant affliction.
Otitis in dogs - symptoms
Vets constantly face a variety of inflammatory processes in the hearing aid, causing suffering to our pets. Signs of otitis in dogs can be easily detected by experienced hosts. Hearing loss, itching and headaches instantly manifest themselves in an unpleasant way, causing the animals to change their behavior. Careful observation and examination of the head quickly helps to detect infection in the early period.
How does otitis occur in dogs:
- Animals are strange and often shake their heads.
- The skin in the sore spot becomes bumpy with thickenings.
- For a simple touch to the head, pets react painfully.
- As a result of visual inspection, the dog breeder can detect strange discharges.
- When otitis in dogs, our four-legged friends often itch, unusually incline their head.
- When you touch the ear, you hear squelching sounds.
- There are strong brushing on the head.
- The ears of the patient have the otitis of the puppy hot.
- The disease leads to exhaustion, loss of appetite , makes the dog irritable.
- When otitis in dogs, it is visually easy to notice the redness of the auricles.
- Often there is an increase in lymph nodes under the jaw.
- There are signs of pain when opening the mouth.
The causes of this disease are diverse and common, to insure and not to allow one hundred percent otitis in dogs is difficult. Some breeds are predisposed to this infection more than others. These include animals with long or heavily overgrown ears, pets with large folds on their heads. A small listing of the main factors that lead to inflammation of the ear canals will help to understand this unpleasant problem.
Common factors causing otitis in dogs:
- Infection of pets with ticks .
- Presence of a tumor.
- The structure of the ear aisles and head facilitates the spread of infection.
- Infection of the auricle with fungi or pathogens.
- Wrong or sparse cleaning of wool and ears .
- The foreign body clogged the auricle.
- Frequent bathing leads to the ingress of moisture inside the ear canal.
- Allergic reaction of the animal body, provoking scratching of the skin.
- Weakened immunity.
Types of otitis in dogs
Having discovered the signs of this disease, you need to carefully study the animal carefully, to find out the main cause of this problem. It is desirable to study both ear carefully. Sometimes the external symptoms speak of the lesion of one passage, but often in the second shell begins a latent inflammation. Depending on the type of otitis in dogs, its symptoms and treatment may differ. There are inflammation of the middle and inner ear, there are several external forms of the disease. All types of otitis require immediate timely treatment.
Purulent otitis in dogs
The allocation of pus from the ear canal is preceded by the primary forms of the disease, then the started inflammation of the ear in the dog flows into the acute stage. Initially, the animal develops parasitic or serous otitis, which is complicated by microbial or bacterial infections. At the pet in the given period it is possible to find ticks, strong sulfur plugs, combings in places of stings of insects. Erythematous otitis can be easily distinguished by the scaly epithelium, the red color of the skin in the ears, they are often precursors of severe infections.
Otitis in canines of purulent form is easily detected by a foul-smelling oily secret. This process is caused by microorganisms or fungi, which can ulcerate the mucous membrane and tympanic membrane. Chlorhexidine, antiseptic povidone-iodine, acetic acid, peroxide, other medicinal solutions are suitable for therapy. Effective agents treat the affected areas, with the transition of the disease to the middle ear use potent drugs - antibiotics, fungicides, ointments and creams of the glucocorticoid group.
Allergic otitis in dogs
Symptoms of this allergic disease resemble external otitis, which develops when the ear is damaged by parasites. Examination of the ear canal gives a sad picture - redness of the skin, secretion of an incomprehensible nature, swelling, a large amount of sulfur. Causes its allergens in the form of household chemicals, food that is poorly tolerated by the body, some plant species. The launched form causes chronic otitis in dogs, which is difficult to treat.
It is desirable to carefully study the living conditions of the pet, to eliminate the possibility of contact with the irritant. The ear lobe needs to be washed with antiseptics, removing pus from the passage. The veterinarian may attribute specific therapy in case of complications in addition to drops, lotions and ointments, if dangerous microorganisms have settled in the places of scratching at the time of the examination.
Malasseous otitis in dogs
This otitis refers to skin diseases that can be detected on the mucous membrane with the appearance and increased distribution in the body of fungi malassezia pachydermatis. Under normal conditions, microorganisms manifest themselves weakly, so that the inflammation of the inner ear in dogs or the outer shell of the shell reaches critical values, special favorable conditions or weakened immunity are necessary.
In the worst cases, malasshesiosis is complicated by the appearance of a pathogenic microflora, the development of a bacterial infection, so it must be treated immediately. If a fungus is found in the microscope, it is expelled by chlorhexidine, sulfur, miconazole. Skin covers are treated with special shampoos with therapeutic effect. Ointments treat the skin twice a day, the treatment lasts a long time, often in a period of up to several weeks.
Fungal otitis in dogs
For a given kind of disease, a special name was invented - otomycosis. It can be an independent problem or appear as a complication in bacterial infections, tick bites, allergic reactions of the body. Provoke otomycosis scratching, which lead to ranches and abrasions, violating the integrity of the skin. Often they infect animals that have suffered earlier from severe infections, four-legged friends with weakened immunity.
Treatment of otitis in dogs at home produces antifungal drugs. Microorganisms are well influenced by oricine, oidermil ointment, nitrofungin, clotrimazole. If the treatment does not give effect after 2-3 days, then the drugs are changed. Do not forget about parasites and other pathogens, if they are present in the body. With a comprehensive approach, mites are eliminated and bacterial infection is eliminated.
Bacterial otitis in dogs
This disease causes not the fungus, but infections in the form of streptococci, staphylococci, involved in pathogenesis. They are well influenced by neomycin, chloramphenicol, in particularly acute cases and relapses are used gentamicin. Organisms of the Pseudomonas group are eliminated with polymyxin B, glucocorticoids. If chronic otitis in dogs does not respond to treatment, then use strong drugs - sulfadiazine, chlorhexidine, ceftiofur, Tris-EDTA paired with gentamycin.
Verruzed otitis in dogs
The second name of this disease is warty otitis. It is a cutaneous form of the disease, which causes special formations in the ears of the animal. Warts significantly narrow the auditory canal, eventually overlapping the canal completely. In this case, it is not possible to effectively purge the passages from sulfur, remove pus, which complicates the disease. In the initial stage, ear inflammation in the dog is treated with drops and powders, removing deposits. In complicated cases, the growths are removed by excising the part of the auditory canal, preventing unwanted changes in the cartilaginous tissue.
Treatment of otitis in dogs
Serious forms of inflammation of the ear canal are eliminated under the supervision of veterinarians, but when a specialist is not found quickly, one has to use the means available at home. If you have found otitis in a dog, then you can try to find it in your medicine cabinet. Simple manipulations and some common human medications help in cases when the disease is in its early stages.
- First aid for a dog with otitis:
- Gauze swabs with chlorhexidine or miramistim are suitable for treating the auricle.
- To remove sulfur, use hygienic lotions sold in pet stores.
- If the ear is tightly clogged, then using a saline solution, a cautious douching is performed.
- The crust and pus are removed with tampons dipped in boiled water.
- Further drips into the aisle medication - Anandin Plus, Sofradex, Otinum.
- Complete the procedure with a light massage of the auricle, repeat the treatment 2 times a day.
Ampicillin from purulent otitis media in dogs
A variety of human antibiotics for otitis in dogs are often used, but it is desirable to appoint them on the recommendation of a specialist. Ampicillin is given to the animals an hour before taking the food or a couple of hours after eating. Dosage must be observed precisely, so as not to harm the animals. Dogs are given this antibiotic in a dose of 20-40 mg orally or 10-20 mg / kg intramuscularly for 1 kg of weight with a frequency of 8 hours per day, a course of treatment of 5 days.
Dimexide for otitis in dogs
This product is suitable for topical application, in alcohol it dissolves easily and is used to kill many microorganisms. Assign it in cases when the disease has passed to the middle and inner ear, and the recommended drops in the dog's ears from inflammation do not help. 10% solution impregnate the tampon and put it into the auditory canal for half an hour. With external otitis make from dimexide applique. Wiped in a light solution, napkins are applied to the auricle.
Amoxicillin in otitis in dogs
Antibiotic prescribe for the treatment of neglected otitis. It is administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly, keeping the dosage of 1 ml per 10 kg of the weight of the pet. It is necessary to observe four-footed patient, with undesirable reactions stop taking amoxicillin and change the drug. This medicine for otitis in dogs is prescribed in diseases of the middle ear, in order to destroy bacteria-pathogens.
Levomekol with otitis in a dog
Levomekol is supplied in the form of ointments, the active substance in it is levomitsetin, killing up to 20 types of pathogens. Similar preparations for the treatment of otitis in dogs are excellent in the early stages. The ointment enters the ear canal with a tampon, which is left for 10 minutes in the diseased ear, where it is absorbed into the skin. Leaving the animal unattended during the procedure is undesirable. Treatment with levomycol is repeated 2 times a day.