CANINE EAR INFECTIONS:       ONE OF THE MOST COMMON EAR INFECTION IS THAT OF THE OUTER EAR OF A DOG WHICH WE CALL OTITIS EXTERNA.  COCKERSPANIALS AND POODLES ARE PRONE TO OUTER EAR INFECTIONS AS ARE ANY BREED. THEY MAY SCRATCH THE OUTER EAR FLAP AND CAUSE REDDNESS AND IRRITATION TO THE OUTER AND INNER EAR FLAP.       AN INTERNAL EAR INFECTION THAT AFFECTS THE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL CANAL IS EITHER CAUSED BY BACTERIA OR YEST(FUNGUS).  SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS ARE ITCHING AND SHAKING OF THE HEAD.  ALSO THERE IS A PRESENCE OF EITHER A BLACK OR YELLOWISH DISCHARGE WHICH PRODUCES AN OFFENSIVE ODOR.  DEBRIS MAY BE SHAKEN FROM THE EAR WHEN THE DOG SHAKES IT'S HEAD.  WITHOUT TREATMENT OF ANTIBOTICS THE INFECTION CAN BE CHRONIC RESULTING IN THE CLOSURE OF THE EAR CANAL.  IF THIS OCCURS THEN SURGERY IS REQUIRED.         CHRONIC AND REOCCURING INFECTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW THE MEDICATIONS TO WORK DUE TO AN UNDERLAYING SECONDARY PROBLEM SUCH AS  A LOW THYROID(HYPOTHYROIDISM).  ALSO THE PRESENCE OF EAR MITES MIGHT CAUSE A INTERNAL EAR INFECTION.  EVEN THOU THEY OCCUR MAINLY IN PUPPIES.  AN ADULT CANINE CAN CONTRACT MITES FROM A PUPPY AND A EAR INFECTION CAN OCCUR AFTER THE MITES ARE TREATED AND DEAD.  AN EXAMINATION AND A CULTURE OF THE DEBRIS IN THE CANAL EITHER BLACK OR YELLOWISH DRAINAGE CAN DETERMINE THE TYPE OF MEDICATION TO TREAT THE INFECTION.  YOUR VETENARIAN MAY REQUIRE YOU TO FOLLOW-UP TO MONITIOR THE EFFECTIVINESS OF THE MEDICATION.  IF THE EAR INFECTION CLEARS UP THEN PREVENTIVE STEPS MAY BE NEEDED SO THE INFECTION MAYNOT REOCCUR AND CAUSE THE CANINE MORE DISCOMFORT.         PLEASE SEEK VETENARY ADVICE SINCE I'M NOT A DOCTOR.  I CAN ONLY SPEAK OF MY KNOWLEDGE SINCE MY DOGS HAVE HAD BOTH OF THESE TYPES OF EAR INFECTIONS AND WHAT I'VE READ.  I HOPE THIS HELPS EDUCATES THOSE WHO MAY NOT HAVE DOGS.   THANK YOU AND HOPE YOUR FUZZY BABIES ARE WELL.   ANGEL BOO(CHEL).

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