Courtesy of Pet Talk
Hot, humid days are rapidly approaching as summer slowly begins. The season means finally diving into the neighborhood swimming pool, children on summer vacation running through the streets and grass lawns growing at seemingly breakneck speeds. But summer could also mean painful ear infections for your pet. Heat, moisture and even grass clippings could cause serious problems for your furry friend’s ear canals.
The causes range from a variety of factors, but one fact seems to remain the same. Our pets often contract ear infections on a regular
basis.
An ear infection can sometimes go unnoticed, as our pets cannot always tell us when something is wrong. Fortunately, there are a few warning signs that can let pet owners know when an ear infection might be present.
“Early signs that your pet may be developing an ear infection may include them scratching at their ears, shaking their head, redness of the ears, holding one ear flap slightly dropped to one side or the animal may exhibit signs that ear or ears are painful when you pet or touch around the area,” notes Dr. Crist. “Debris or a discharge might be noted in the ear canal and an odor from the ears may become noticeable.”
If symptoms go untreated, ear infections could become very painful and cause the animal to have more severe clinical signs, sometimes requiring the pet to be sedated or put under general anesthesia to have the ears examined.
If you suspect that your pet has an ear infection, it is important to visit your veterinarian to receive a full examination and diagnosis.
Fortunately, there are several preventative measures that can be taken to keep your pet free from pain and your wallet from becoming empty.
“Prevention is key,” urges Crist. “Heat and moisture are enemies of the ear canal and allow bacteria and yeast to flourish. Keeping the animal’s ears clean and dry is important. It is also important to check your pet’s ears regularly as part of their regular grooming routine to avoid ear infections. Giving their ears a quick glance daily could help prevent ear problems from arising.”
While it sounds simple enough, many pet owners are uninformed of the proper methods of ear care and some ignore ear care entirely.
Ear cleaning is easy and can prevent major problems down the road and save your pet from extensive damage to their hearing abilities.
“You want to begin an ear care regimen before your pet keeps you up
at night shaking their head, scratching at their ears or before the smell of their ears reaches you before your pet does,” emphasizes Crist. “Every moment that your animal’s ears are inflamed and infected causes damage to the ear canal. It is important to seek veterinary care right away and to follow through with the treatment regimen.”
Don’t let an ear infection put a damper on your summer fun. Following a few preventative measures and being aware of the warning signs will help ensure that your furry friends are both happy and healthy.