Top 3 causes of ear problems in dogs

Finding the underlying cause of ear inflammation (otitis externa) is important to properly manage your dog’s condition. 

The condition is commonly categorised according to causes and factors. By building a Lifelong Ear Partnership, and collaborating with your veterinary team to understand and address these causes and factors, your dog will soon feel better.  

Let us tell you more about the 3 Ps of external otitis.

Primary causes of ear disease

There is always a primary cause that starts the inflammation in the ear canal. The most common primary causes are allergic skin disease, foreign material in the ear canal or parasites like ear mites. In order to maintain long term ear health, the underlying cause needs to be identified and managed properly.

Less common causes of ear disease are hormonal disorders, autoimmune disease and seborrheic conditions.

Your vet will most likely use an exclusion process to ensure that an accurate diagnosis is made to help avoid recurrent flares of otitis.

What is causing your dog´s ear problem?

Learn about the symptoms and the importance of early detection in order to best manage your dogs ear inflammation. Get an understanding of the process your vet will likely use to ensure that an accurate diagnosis is made to help avoid recurrent flares of otitis. 

What is causing your dog´s ear problem?

Primary causes of ear disease

There is always a primary cause that starts the inflammation in the ear canal. The most common primary causes are allergic skin disease, foreign material in the ear canal or parasites like ear mites. In order to maintain long term ear health, the underlying cause needs to be identified and managed properly.

Less common causes of ear disease are hormonal disorders, autoimmune disease and seborrheic conditions.

If a foreign material (also called a foreign body), such as a grass seed, becomes lodged in your dog’s ear it often causes irritation and inflammation which needs to be addressed.

Parasites that live on the skin surface are less common these days due to effective anti-flea or anti-tick treatment, however they do still occur. Ear mites are small white parasites that can infest the ears of several species like dogs, cats and ferrets and can cause intense itching and discomfort.

An allergy is the body’s own immune system over-reacting to a so-called ‘allergen’. An allergen might be a food component, something in the environment (pollen or house-dust mites are common environmental allergens), fleas or a substance in a medication, a bowl or a collar.

When the dog inhales, ingests or comes in to contact with an allergen it causes the body to release various irritating chemicals, such as histamine, which leads to inflammation, redness, itch and discomfort.

Predisposing factors

Certain factors predispose your dog to otitis, so they make otitis more likely to happen. These factors do not cause inflammation by themselves but they can make it more likely to occur.

A Spaniel, like Pogo, is an example of a dog with floppy ears, a factor that might be predisposing to ear disease

Floppy ear dog - Spaniel - Predisposing ear disease

Dogs with heavy, tight-closing earflaps, narrow ear canals (due to breed or possible lumps) and excessive hair growth are more prone to develop ear disease. Although your dog might have these breed related features, it does not always cause problems and it is therefore not advisable to routinely interfere with the ear canal environment by routine cleaning or hair plucking if the dog has no ear problem. If the ear is self-managing properly, there is no need to interfere.

Swimming, excessive bathing, meticulous cleaning when not appropriate, or even warm weather can increase humidity in the ear canal and change the microclimate to stimulate overgrowth of bacteria and yeast.

If your dog is suffering from an suppressed immune system it may have an increased risk of developing otitis.

Perpetuating factors

These are the factors which make a dog’s ear problem harder to manage. Frequent recurring ear inflammation or a chronic, long-standing case, make subsequent flare-ups harder to treat.

If the inflammation is ongoing the ear canal can develop chronic changes. These can include permanent swelling and hardening of the ear cartilage or a ruptured ear drum with inflammation or infection spreading to involve both the middle and sometimes inner ear.

This can lead to hard-to treat infections, hearing loss or possible deafness, head-tilting to one side and balance problems as well as pain for your dog and heartache for you as an owner.

A chronic case of otitis often needs deep ear flushing under a general anaesthetic or even extensive surgery.

Image (CWalker, ThePhotoVet)

Ear inflammation in dogs (otitis externa)

Ear inflammation, or otitis externa as your vet may call it, is not a quick fix, and there are different causes and factors that need to be taken into consideration to best treat your dog´s ear problem. We suggest that you visit your vet for the best possible advice.

Healthy dog ears contain small numbers of bacteria and yeasts; this is completely normal. However, if the ear environment becomes inflamed and therefore unbalanced, these microorganisms can overgrow, and this can cause further changes in the ear canal. We suggest that you visit your vet to confirm that your dog has a yeast infection and to discuss appropriate treatment and follow up.

Ear mites are contagious and can infest the ears of several species like dogs, cats, and ferrets where they can cause intense itching and discomfort. If you have any suspicion that your pet may have ear mites, pay your vet a visit to have their ears checked and to get treatment advice. Don´t forget to mention all pets living under your roof to ensure that they all get treated.

Build a Lifelong Ear Partnership and work with your veterinary team to get to the bottom of your dog's ear problem at an early stage to avoid chronic changes and don't skip your revisits!

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