Categories: Veterinary Help

Ear infection in dogs : Diagnosing and treatment

As a responsible owner of Golden Retriever dog, you should learn how to prevent your dog from having bad health. One of the most common problems that you can help deal with is ear infection in dogs. This ear infection could even lead to a dog being deaf.

Having a deaf dog could be very hard to play with. However the love you give a deaf dog should be just the same. Can you imagine yourself keep calling your Golden Retriever dog or puppy but it just keeps doing something else?

This article will help you learn more about ear infection in dogs and how you can get it treated to prevent your dog from getting worse.

Ear infection in dogs: definition, causes and symptoms

The ear infection in dogs is called Otitis Externa. It infects your Golden Retriever dog’s otitis media, ear canal and the middle ear. Golden retriever puppies or dogs that have pendulous ears or hairy inner flaps will be more prone to ear infections.

The most common cause of ear infection in dogs is really bacteria or yeast. Other causes of ear infection are thick or matted hair in the ear canal, debris or foreign object, accumulation of wax, or a tumor. In some rare cases, ear infections in dogs are just secondary to other bodily infections.

A Golden Retriever dog or puppy that has ear infections will usually be very uncomfortable. The uncomfortable feeling will be shown through constant shaking or scratching of the head. The ears will then become red or inflamed that is accompanied by a foul odor and a black and yellow discharge. If your pet has been tilting its head constantly, it is also a sign of ear infection in dogs.

Ear infection in dogs: treatment

The best way to know for sure is bring the pet to a veterinarian. The vet will then administer lots of exams. The ear exam will basically be an otoscope-an instrument that will probe the ear of the dog for any damage in the ear drums or any foreign object is present. If your Golden Retriever dog or puppy suffers from pain during this exam the pet can be sedated or given anesthesia.

The vet will do a process called cytology, where the sample of the object retrieved from the ear is studied under a microscope. This helps determine the organism that is causing the ear infection in dogs. If a foreign object is found, the Golden Retriever dog will be sedated to remove the foreign object.

When it is the middle ear that gets infected, it will be harder to clear up. X-rays, lab test or even surgery would have to be done to diagnose and treat it. After, you would need to restrict the activity of your Golden Retriever dog or puppy for four to six weeks. Remember during this time that the Golden Retriever dog’s ears should be kept way from the water.

If you have noticed signs that your Golden Retriever dog has got ear infections immediately bring it to the vet. The longer it becomes untreated the more dangerous it becomes. Ear infection in dogs could even lead to your dog going deaf.

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Patrick Astim

Dr. Patrick Astim (PhD) was born in Northern Ireland and grew up in United States, he attended College for undergraduate studies from 1992-1996 and the University of Veterinary Medicine from 1997-2001. His professional interests include stem cell therapy, immunotherapy, pet therapy, soft tissue surgery, oncology, and internal medicine. In his free time, Dr. Astim enjoys blogging and many outdoor activities including golfing, playing basketball and helping animal shelters. He also enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for Golden Retriever dogs and veterinary medicine with the next generation of veterinarians and is always willing to spend time visiting classrooms as well as mentor current and prospective veterinary students. Dr. Astim is married and has two children: Scot, and Sarah. There are also two Golden Retriever dogs, Leia and Molly and a cat, Nita, that live under the Astim’s roof.

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Patrick Astim