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This week we highlight questions asked by our PetMeds Facebook fans and answered by Dr. Dym.
Both my labs get ear mites/infections on a regular basis. I clean them frequently with ear cleanser then drying lotion. Is there anything a lot more I can do or maybe something stronger I can use to completely get rid of it?
One of the most common discouraging dermatological problems in our family pets is the recurrence of yeast and bacterial ear infections particularly in dogs. This can typically cause repetitive veterinary check outs and expense, as well as boosting discomfort and pain in affected patients.
Symptoms of ear infections in family pets can include:
Excessive head shaking
Ear itching
Progressive odor/discharge
Redness/inflammation of the ear canals
While treatment with ear cleaners and topical prescription antibiotics such as Mometomax or Otomax are typically prescribed, the condition typically recurs when medication is stopped or a short time later. In these cases it is crucial to work with your veterinarian on identifying underlying causes of recurrent ear inflammation such as inhalant/contact allergies, food allergies, foreign body or hair in the ears, and hormonal disorders like hypothyroidism.
Unless these underlying aspects are attended to or explored, the problem will tend to recur. In dogs with chronic and relapsing ear inflammation, I will typically recommend to animal guardians to frequently use a broad spectrum ear cleaner such as Epi-Otic Ear Cleanser or Zinc Otic by Maxiderm. products like Zymox Otic with Hydrocortisone can also work wonders on dogs with chronic and recurrent ear inflammation, especially while exploring some of the underlying causes pointed out here.
Ear InfectionsEars
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