The inside of a dog's ear is the perfect incubator for nasty organisms to grow. This is why dogs get ear infections and have to visit a veterinary clinic. It is common with this condition to see a pooch tilting his head or rubbing his ear.
If you leave the ear infection untreated, then it is only going to get worse. This condition will spread to the outer and middle ear. Read on to find out how to treat ear infections in dogs that are caused by a yeast infection.
Clean Ears Out Properly
You will need to clean the gunk out of your pooch's ear. However, you should get a professional cleaning from a veterinarian. The ears are thoroughly flushed out with a solution. This solution cleans down to the level of your pet's ear drum. After the cleaning, your veterinarian will perform an examination on the ear drum. If the infection spread to the structures behind the drum, then an aggressive treatment may be needed. However, your pet may need to be put to sleep for this cleaning procedure.
Get Rid Of The Infection
Your vet uses an otoscope through the ear canal to find out if your dog's ear drum is still intact. He or she also checks for the bacteria that is causing the yeast infection. A sample of the bacteria is taken from around the ear for further examination. If it is a yeast infection, then your vet may prescribe a topical antifungal ointment.
Tablets and injections are often prescribed when the infection has moved to the middle ear. It becomes harder to treat an infection the longer it goes untreated.
Consider Surgery
If your pooch's infection is not getting better or not responding to treatment, then you may want to consider surgery. A total ear canal ablation (TECA) is often recommended, which involves the entire ear canal being removed.
The bulla is cleaned up along with the TECA surgery. It is located at the bottom of the ear canal. If the eardrum ruptures, then the debris and pus accumulates inside of the bulla. You want to clean this area to prevent the infection from returning.
Ear infections in dogs are very painful, and you will have an agitated dog on your hand. It is important to get a diagnosis and find a treatment plan. Otherwise, you are going to be running back and forth to the veterinarian. For more information, contact local professionals like those found at Pittsburgh Spay & Vaccination Clinic.
Although it might not seem like it, your pet might be having a bad day too, which is why you should always respond to animals with the most sincere kindness. I started thinking more and more about my pet's experience a few months ago, and it was really neat to see just how much of a difference those simple actions made for me. Within weeks, my animal seemed happier and more well-adjusted, and it was fun to see the change. Check out this website for loads of information on improving your animal's life today, so that you can enjoy a great life with your pet.