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
Treating serious, chronic ear infections and preventing their return requires a thorough and systematic approach and usually includes;
- 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.