I see you! I see you there reading this and shaking your head thinking: “here we go again, this Doctor is going to talk about another problem I may face with my furry friend”. Well, I am sorry to disappoint you, but you are correct! I hope you bear with me so we can together prevent bigger problems.
Oh well, since we started with shaking our heads… how about we talk about ear infections this month?
Ear infections can be surprisingly common in dogs, and some may deal with it nearly constantly. Let’s try to keep it simple and divide those infections into 3 levels:
Level 1: A simple ear infection that may clear up with professional cleaning and topical medication at home.
Level 2: On-going ear infection that is not controlled with medication or comes back once the medication is discontinued. In these cases, we may need further testing to determine why the infections are persisting. One of the most common reasons for recurrent ear problems is allergy but hormone imbalances can also be the underlying cause.
Level 3: Some ear infections simply cannot be controlled with the above steps as they have gone beyond medical management. Depending on how affected the ear canals are, the Doctors will discuss other options such as surgical correction of the ear canals.
Ear infections are common and can be challenging. Fortunately, most cases are simple and easy to clear up. So: at the very first sign of ear infection, please give us a call so we can help your furry friend.
Now I hope that shake turned into a nod instead! Pun intended.
Cheers!
By Dr. Alysson Macedo
