Ear infection in dogs is a rather common aliment. Flop-eared dogs are mostly susceptible to it, as air flow inside their ears is not as good as dogs with upright ears.
There are many reasons why dogs suddenly develop ear infection. And knowing what caused them can actually lead to the proper cure of the disease.
Listed below are the common reasons of dog ear infections. Knowing these causes can pave the way to a more effective prevention of this disease:
1. Presence of foreign bodies in the dog's ear.
If there's anything trapped inside your dog's ear, it is very likely to trigger infections. Dog infection caused by the penetration of a foreign body inside the ear may require surgery to remove. In milder cases, flushing out may work.
2. Bacterial or yeast infections
Bacteria can cause infections not just in the ears but in different parts of the body as well. They may not initiate the disease but they can definitely worsen the case. But then again, high concentration of bacteria in the ear can trigger skin diseases that could later on become a bad case of ear infection.
3. Ear mites
Ear mites are very common in young dogs. If you know for a fact that your dog is suffering from these parasites, it won't be a surprise if it would suffer from ear infection as well. Mites could spread on the different parts of the dog's body. This happens when dogs scratch their head and ears.
If ear mites are common in younger dogs, older dogs are more prone in tumors developing in the wax glands. If this is the main cause of ear infection in your dogs, the only solution is tumor's surgical removal.
5. Food intolerance and allergies
Ear infections can be caused by your dog's irritation to certain foods. You know this is the cause of the problem if your dog's ear infection keeps on recurring. Try to recall the food items that your dog had eaten prior. These are the most common culprits. Try not to feed them to your dog and see if the infection would recur.
6. Other underlying diseases
If your dog is prone to different types of disorders like scaling, hormonal issues, and immunity problems, high are the chances that it would develop ear infection in the long run. While it may not indirectly cause the problem, studies show a link between a dog's set of underlying diseases to ear infection.
7. Puppy Strangles
Puppy strangles is most fittingly described as swollen lymph nodes. This is one complex disease that can cause ear infection primarily because it is one of the disease's symptoms. If you suspect that this is the problem your pet is suffering from, be sure that you take it to the vet right away for immediate diagnosis and treatment.
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