Chronic ear infections are one of the most commonly seen problems your dog may encounter. Ear infection can also be seen in cats but occurs less frequently.

The Adobe Pet Hospital is one of very few veterinary hospitals equipped with the most advanced tools and training to diagnose and treat pet ear infection. We have both Karl Storz® and MedRx® video-otoscopy equipment and instruments. We have the ability to perform SuperPulse laser surgical procedures as well as irrigation and cleaning inside the ear canal and middle ear cavity (bulla).

Here’s a recent success story that shows how Adobe Pet Hospital is at the top of the field in handling this unique issue:

My 13 year old Bouvier des Flandres dog, Amber, had been seen by four different veterinarians in my area over a period of 8 months for a severe and chronic ear infection. After extensive tests, a variety of treatments, and thousands of dollars, all of these vets concluded that the only cure was to have Amber's ear canal removed. Desperate for a different solution, I searched the Internet for a canine ear infection specialist in the Sacramento area. The only canine ear specialists listed were the ones I had already seen. Then I broadened the search to the entire state of California, and Adobe Pet Hospital came up.
 
I made an appointment, and Amber and I made the long drive to Adobe Pet Hospital in Livermore, CA. I was impressed with the exceptionally caring staff at Adobe Pet Hospital; they made us feel welcome and treated Amber like their own family pet. The doctor examined Amber with his state-of-the-art video otoscope and showed me her ruptured eardrum and the virulent infection. Although he said it was one of the worst ear infections he had seen, they were the only vet who gave us hope for Amber's condition. He carefully and thoroughly cleaned out her ear under anesthesia and applied medication. He then gave us the medicines and detailed instructions for her aftercare. After one month of treatment I returned for a follow up appointment. I was absolutely amazed and thrilled to look in the otoscope and see a clean, healthy-looking ear with no inflammation!! It was a three-hour drive each way, but well worth the trip! I highly recommend Adobe Pet Hospital; they are experts in the field of veterinary medicine, and specialists in the treatment of severe and chronic canine ear infections. They were able to improve the quality of life for Amber without the severe and drastic measures recommended by the other "specialists." Abode Pet Hospital truly delivered all the quality care and experience I could have wished for. I feel so lucky that we have such a wonderful veterinarian in California, and I would highly recommend him, and his team, to everyone!
 
-Heather

Chronic ear infections are painful for your pet and can lead to permanent hearing loss. The Video-Otoscope allows the doctors at the Adobe Pet Hospital to better visualize the entire ear canal, ear drum and middle ear through the natural ear opening. Previously, these areas were only accessible with invasive surgery into the base of the skull. Getting to the middle ear is critical. One study found that 80% of dogs with chronic ear infections had infection in the middle ear (or bulla). If this is not identified and treated, the ear infection remains hidden and frequently re-infects the outer ear canal leading to continued pain and potential hearing loss.

“70-80 % of dogs with chronically infected ears have experienced a ruptured ear drum and have infection in the bulla”
Small Animal Ear Diseases, Louis Gotthelf, DVM

Signs of ear infection:

• Pain around the head or ears
• Behavior changes including depression and irritability
• Head shaking
• Odor and/or discharge from ear opening or red, inflamed ear flaps
• Scratching or rubbing the ears with a paw or on the floor or furniture
• Head tilt, loss of balance or unusual eye movements (eyes flashing side to side)

Causes of chronic, recurrent ear infections

One of the most important steps in dealing with this condition is to identify and treat the underlying cause. These can include:

• Allergies – both inhalant allergies (atopy) and food allergies
• Hypothyroidism, Cushing’s Disease and other endocrine disorders
• Foreign material trapped deep in the ear canal or middle ear
• Growths, polyps and tumors in the ear canal
• Resistant bacterial or yeast infections (often caused by the overuse of ineffective medications)
• Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and Feline Aids (FIV) infections in cats
• Autoimmune diseases including Lupus
• Ear mites (usually seen in young kittens)

Treatment

• Chronic ear infections are one of the most commonly seen problems in dogs.
• Adobe Pet Hospital is equipped with the most advanced tools and training to diagnose and treat this serious problem.
• We utilize Karl Storz® and MedRx® video-otoscopy equipment and instruments.
• The Video-Otoscope allows the doctors at the Adobe Pet Hospital to better visualize the entire ear canal, ear drum and middle ear through the natural ear opening.

Here is what another client had to say about our approach;

Our dog Barkley suffered terribly for seven years with an ear infection until I took him to the Adobe Pet Hospital. I had taken Barkley to several different vets and nothing they did worked. The doctors at Adobe Pet Hospital cured Barkley’s infection within a month using video-otoscopy. In addition to identifying and properly treating his very resistant infection, they were able to remove the growths blocking his ear canal with their laser. I am very grateful.

For more information on ear infections please visit the
American Animal Hospital Association