Family

Originally posted 2017-06-10 20:26:26.

     You already might know by now I am a dog lover. Or isn’t it obvious [sce emoji=”wink”/] ?

This was Charlie’s ear just a couple of days ago and after I put some of the Zymox treatment in it

 

Over the years my dogs had reoccurring ear infections that found us in the vet’s office quite often to get medication to treat it. This got expensive when it was more than one dog at different times.  After a multitude of appointments with the veterinarian I started looking for alternative remedies or at the very least something that could aid in preventing them from getting that bad. I found ear cleaners, ear wipes, ear powders and then after reading through pages of reviews and information on one of them I ordered Zymox Plus Otic-HC Enzymatic Ear Care Solution and after several uses I was overjoyed! We haven’t been back to the vet’s office for this since.

There are times especially during the summer months when humidity seem to aggravate their ears. When I started noticing them shake their heads more than normal that was a sign to me to use the solution. Depending on how dirty their ears look I usually have to use it once a week or less. We squeeze the bottle

Otitis externa is a chronic inflammation of a dog external ear canal. Otitis media, meanwhile, is an inflammation of the dog’s middle ear. Both of these terms are used to describe clinical symptoms and are not diseases in themselves.

Otitis externa often results when a change in the normal environment of the ear canal causes the glands lining the canal to enlarge and produce excessive wax. Gradually, the outer skin (epidermis) and the inner skin (dermis) produce excessive fibrous tissue (fibrosis) and the canal becomes narrowed. It is normally a secondary symptom of another underlying disease, such as an infection. Otitis externa causes pain, itching, and redness, and when the condition is chronic, it often results in a ruptured ear drum (tympanum) and otitis media.

Otitis media typically occurs as an extension of otitis externa, causing a ruptured membrane (tympanum) that separates the external ear and the middle ear.  Otitis externa and otitis media affect dogs and cats of any age and breed, but long-eared dogs, such as spaniels and retrievers, and dogs with hairy external canals, such as terriers and poodles, are more susceptible.

Symptoms and Types

The most common symptoms of otitis externa and otitis media are pain, head shaking, scratching at the external ear flaps, and bad odor. In a physical examination by a veterinarian, a dog with the condition may exhibit redness and swelling of the external ear canal, scaling skin or obstruction of the ear canal. Signs such as tilting the head, anorexia, uncoordination, and occasional vomiting may indicate the development of otitis media, or otitis interna, if the infection and inflammation spreads to the inner ear.

 

Causes

Otitis externa and otitis media can be caused by a variety of things. The primary causes are parasites, food allergies, drug reactions, foreign bodies (e.g., plant awns), accumulation of hair, dead skin buildup (keratinization), and autoimmune diseases.

Other factors that may contribute to the onset of the inflammatory conditions include bacterial infections, mixed infections caused by bacteria and fungal species, and progressive changes in the environment of the outer ear canal. Excessive moisture caused by swimming, or overzealous, abrasive, and improper ear cleaning may also lead to otitis externa and otitis media.

 

 

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